Weeping forsythia fruit · Lian Qiao
Forsythia suspensa (Thunb.) Vahl · Mature or immature fruit
Name and part used
A deciduous shrub bears golden bell-shaped flowers before leaves; its ovoid capsule has longitudinal grooves. Immature and ripe fruits yield distinct medicinal grades.
Traditional context
Heat-clearing and dispersing binds are traditional concepts, not substitutes for care of infection or serious fever. HKBU distinguishes uncracked green fruit from ripe yellow fruit often splitting into two valves, with an inner partition and faint aroma.
Modern evidence
Lignan and flavonoid constituents are studied; chemical data should not be inferred as proven human treatment.
Safety
Do not self-use in children, pregnancy, liver disease, or alongside medicines; consult a professional for Oleaceae allergy or prolonged use.
Pairing in reference texts
Lian Qiao appears in Yin Qiao San with Jin Yin Hua, Bo He, Jie Geng, and others. Historical formula records do not establish interaction safety.
Growing, care, and harvest timing
HKBU habitat record: Growing on hill-slope thickets at altitude 250-2,200m, under forests or in grass. Distributed in West Liaoning, Hebei, Shanxi, Shandong, Henan, West Anhui, Hubei, Shaanxi and Ningxia. The medicinal materials are produced in Shanxi, Henan, Shaanxi, Shandong and etc Harvest and processing as recorded: Picked in autumn when fruits just mature and still green, removed impurities, steamed, sundried, called "Qingqiao"; picked fully mature fruits, sundried, removed impurities, called “Laoqiao”
Source-recorded harvest/processing: Picked in autumn when fruits just mature and still green, removed impurities, steamed, sundried, called "Qingqiao"; picked fully mature fruits, sundried, removed impurities, called “Laoqiao”
The reviewed source does not provide a complete species-specific sowing/growing routine, irrigation/fertilization schedule, or universal plant age. The page therefore does not infer care instructions or years to harvest; consult local cultivation guidance.
Open habitat and season source ↗FROM PLANT / SOURCE HABITAT TO DRIED MATERIAL · REFERENCE WORKFLOW
- Authenticate Forsythia suspensa; ornamental relatives are not automatically interchangeable.
- Harvest in autumn: immature green fruit is steamed then dried as Qing Qiao; ripe yellow fruit is dried and cleaned as Lao Qiao.
- Remove damaged fruit, stalks, and debris; keep the two grades separate by color, cracking, and monograph.
- Dry evenly, inspect for mold and impurities, and store sealed from moisture.
These are post-harvest study notes, not directions to prepare a remedy for self-treatment. Processing reference ↗
How to read formula amounts
Displayed amounts belong to the cited formula and source; they are not a general safe ratio, treatment dose, or home-decoction instruction. Do not transfer amounts to another formula or adjust them by body weight.
Habitat, season, and harvest in the HKBU botanical record
HKBU botanical record (translated summary): Flowering and fruiting dates: Flowering: March to April; fruiting: July to September Habitat and distribution: Growing on hill-slope thickets at altitude 250-2,200m, under forests or in grass. Distributed in West Liaoning, Hebei, Shanxi, Shandong, Henan, West Anhui, Hubei, Shaanxi and Ningxia. The medicinal materials are produced in Shanxi, Henan, Shaanxi, Shandong and etc Harvest and processing as recorded: Picked in autumn when fruits just mature and still green, removed impurities, steamed, sundried, called "Qingqiao"; picked fully mature fruits, sundried, removed impurities, called “Laoqiao”
Open botanical source ↗HKBU formula record containing this herb: Yin Qiao San / Lonicera and Forsythia Powder
Traditional action in the source: Vents the exterior with acrid-cool, clears heat, and resolves toxin
Ingredient images and source amounts are shown for comparison only; this is not a treatment recipe.
HKBU source-recorded composition
Forsythiae Fructus (Lian Qiao) 1 liang (30g), Lonicerae Japonicae Flos (Jin Yin Hua) 1 liang (30g), Platycodonis Radix (Jie Geng) 6 qian (18g), Menthae Haplocalycis Herba (Bo He) 6 qian (18g), Lophatheri Herba (Zhu Ye) 4 qian (12g), Glycyrrhizae Radix et Rhizoma (Sheng Gan Cao) 5 qian (15g), Schizonepetae Spica (Jing Jie Sui) 4 qian (12g), Sojae Semen Praeparatum (Dan Dou Chi) 5 qian (15g), Arctii Fructus (Niu Bang Zi) 6 qian (18g)
The ingredients and amounts below are one HKBU-recorded version; texts, historical units, processing, and modern products can differ. This is comparative reference data, not a home-preparation recipe or personal dose.
Open complete HKBU formula record ↗