Lily Bulb (Bai He)
百合 · Bǎihé
Lilium brownii var. viridulum
Family: Liliaceae · Part used: Bulb scales · Origin: Longshan, Hunan, China
Nature
Cool
Flavor
Sweet
Meridian
Heart, Lung
Bai He — 'hundred unions', named for its tightly layered scales — nourishes lung yin and quiets the heart spirit. Classical texts credited it with treating 'lily disease', the ancient description of melancholy and restlessness after febrile illness. Today it is beloved both as a medicine for dry coughs and as a delicacy in Cantonese desserts.
🌿 Functions & Actions
- •Nourishes lung yin and stops cough
- •Clears heart heat and calms the spirit
- •Generates fluids
📋 Traditional Indications
- •Dry cough and sore throat
- •Restlessness and insomnia
- •Palpitations and absent-mindedness
- •Low-grade fever from yin deficiency
- •Post-illness lingering dryness
📖 Usage & Dosage
10–30 g fresh or 9–15 g dried in decoction, sweet soups, and congee; steamed with honey for chronic dry cough.
🍵 Classic Recipes
Bai He Lian Zi Sweet Soup
Lily bulb 20 g + lotus seed 20 g + rock sugar — the classic calming dessert for restless sleep.
Bai He Yin Er Soup
Lily bulb + snow fungus + goji, slow-simmered for autumn lung moisture.
🔬 Modern Research
Lily bulb polysaccharides and colchicine-free phenolic glycosides are studied for antitussive, sedative, and immune-supporting properties.
⚠️ Contraindications
Avoid with wind-cold coughs and spleen-deficiency loose stools.
