The source is from the root of Paeonia Lactiflora Pall., family Ranunculaceae. The medicinal material is mainly produced in the areas of Zhejiang, Anhui, and Sichuan, etc. After the root is dug and collected in summer and autumn, and cleaned, the head, thin root and external peel must be got rid of. The clean root is dried in the sun after it is slightly boiled in boiling water, then cut into slices. The crude or stir-baked one or the one stir-baked with wine can be used.

Medicinal Properties: Bitter and sour in flavor, slightly cold in nature and attributive to the liver and spleen meridians.

Actions: Enrich the blood and regulate menstruation, astringe yin and arrest sweating, calm the liver and arrest pain.

Application
1. It is used for blood deficiency manifested as irregular menstruation, dysmenorrhea and metrorrhagia and metrostaxis, it is usually combined with Danggui (Radix Angelicae Sinensis ), Chuanxiong ( Rhizoma Chuanxiong ), and Shudihuang (Rhizoma Rehmanniae Praeparata), etc., such as Siwu Tang (Decoction).

2. It is used for spontaneous perspiration due to low body resistance and imbalance between yingqi and weiqi, and night sweat due to yin deficiency. For the former, it is usually combined with Guizhi (Ramulus Cinnamomi) ; for the latter, combined with Shengdihuang (Radix Rehmanniae), Muli (Concha Ostreae), and Fuxiaomai ( Fructus Tritici Levis), etc..

3. It is used for insufficiency of liver-yin and disharmony of liver-qi manifested as pains in the chest and hypo-chondrium, muscular spasm and pain of extremities. For pain in the hypochondrium due to stagnation of liver-qi, it is usually combined with Chaihu ( Radix Bupleuri ), Xiangfu (Rhizoma Cyperi), etc., such as Chaihu Shugan San (Powder) ; for pain and spasm in the epigastrium and extremities, combined with Gancao (Radix Glycyrrhizae), such as Shaoyao Gancao Tang (Decoction) ; for in-coordination between the liver and spleen with abdominal pain and diarrhea, combined with Baizhu (Rhizoma Atractylodis Macrocephalae), Jupi (Pericarpium Citri Tangerinae ) and Fangfeng ( Radix Saposhnikoviae ) to form a formula, that is Tongxie Yaofang (Decoction) ; for dysentery and abdominal pain, combined with Muxiang (Radix Aucklandiae ), Binglang ( Semen Arecae ), and Huanglian (Rhizoma Coptidis), etc..

4. For dizziness due to hyperactivity of liver-yang, it is usually combined with Shengdihuang (Radix Rehmanniae ), Niuxi ( Radix Achyranthis Bidentatae ) , and Daizheshi (Haematitum), etc., such as Jianling Tang (Decoction).

Usage and Dosage:
5 -15 g is used in decoction for oral use, and the large dosage that can be used is 15 - 30 g. The crude is usually used for astringing yin, calming the liver and treating dysentery; the stir-baked one for smoothing the liver and arresting pain, and the one stir-baked with wine can decrease its cold nature.

Notes:
It is incompatible with Lilu (Rhizoma et Radix Veratri ) .
Explanation: It is from the same source as Chishaoyao (Radix Paeoniae Rubra ) of the medicinal herbs that can clear away heat, but it is cultivated and must be boiled when prepared; whereas Chishaoyao (Radix Paeoniae Rubra) is wild and the crude one is used for medication. Their effects are very different, therefore, they must be distinguished when they are used.