Herb

Cong Bai

Scallion bulb (green onion white) | 葱白

Also known as:

Chinese green onion , Spring onion white , Welsh onion bulb

Cong Bai

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Properties

Warm, acrid herbs that release the Exterior (辛温解表药) · Warm

Traditionally supports*

Cold and Flu Relief Digestive Health Urinary Health Immune Support

Parts Used

Bulb (鳞茎 lín jīng)

*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

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About This Herb

Traditional Chinese Medicine background and properties

Herb Description

Cong Bai is the white bulb of the common scallion or green onion, used in Chinese medicine for over two thousand years. It gently promotes sweating to relieve mild colds, warms the body to dispel chills and abdominal pain, and can be applied externally to sores and abscesses. As a familiar kitchen ingredient with a mild action profile, it is one of the most accessible herbs for home use.

Herb Category

Warm, acrid herbs that release the Exterior (辛温解表药)

Main Actions

  • Induces Sweating and Releases the Exterior
  • Disperses Cold
  • Warms and Unblocks Yang
  • Reduces Swelling and Resolves Toxicity
  • Promotes Urination

How These Actions Work

'Releases the exterior and induces sweating' means Cong Bai helps the body produce a mild sweat to push out Wind-Cold pathogens in the early stages of a common cold. Its sweating action is relatively gentle compared to stronger exterior-releasing herbs like Ma Huang or Gui Zhi, making it well suited for mild colds with slight chills, headache, and stuffy nose. It is often simply boiled in water with fresh ginger or fermented soybean (Dan Dou Chi) as a household remedy.

'Disperses Cold and unblocks Yang Qi' (散寒通阳 sàn hán tōng yáng) is arguably Cong Bai's most distinctive action. Because its hollow structure and pungent warmth can 'penetrate through' blockages, it is used in serious conditions where extreme internal Cold has blocked the normal circulation of Yang. In the classical formula Bai Tong Tang, Cong Bai is combined with Fu Zi and Gan Jiang specifically to restore the upward and downward flow of Yang Qi in critically ill patients with icy limbs and diarrhea. Applied externally to the navel area, heated Cong Bai can also help relieve Cold-type abdominal pain and urinary retention caused by Cold stagnation obstructing the Bladder's function.

'Resolves toxicity and disperses clumps' refers to Cong Bai's external use as a poultice. Mashed with honey, it can be applied to boils, abscesses, and early-stage breast lumps (mastitis) to reduce swelling and draw out toxins. It also has a traditional role in helping unblock breast milk flow when ducts are obstructed.

Patterns Addressed

In TCM, symptoms cluster into recognizable patterns of disharmony that reveal what's out of balance in the body. Cong Bai is traditionally associated with these specific patterns.

The following describes this herb's classification within Traditional Chinese Medicine theory and is provided for educational purposes only.

Why Cong Bai addresses this pattern

Cong Bai is acrid and warm, entering the Lung channel, which makes it naturally suited to disperse Wind-Cold from the body's surface. Its acrid taste opens the pores and promotes mild sweating to expel the pathogen, while its warm nature counters the Cold. Because its diaphoretic (sweat-inducing) power is gentle rather than forceful, it is best for mild or early-stage Wind-Cold invasions rather than severe cases.

A practitioner would look for one or more of these signs

Common Cold

Mild chills and low-grade fever

Nasal Congestion

Stuffy or runny nose with clear discharge

Headaches

Headache from Wind-Cold

Body Aches

Mild body aches without sweating

TCM Properties

Temperature

Warm

Taste

Acrid / Pungent (辛 xīn)

Channels Entered
Lungs Stomach
Parts Used

Bulb (鳞茎 lín jīng)

This is partial information on the herb's TCM properties. More detailed information is available on the herb's dedicated page

Product Details

Manufacturing, supplier, and product specifications

Product Type

Granules

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Botanical & Sourcing

Quality Indicators

Good quality Cong Bai should be freshly harvested with firm, plump, white bulbs that are juicy when cut. The outer membrane should be intact, clean, and pale white. It should have a strong, characteristic pungent onion aroma and a sharp, spicy taste. The classical preference is for the fine, delicate variety (绵葱, mian cong) rather than the coarser, thicker-stalked types, as the finer variety is considered to have a cleaner, more penetrating medicinal quality. Avoid wilted, dried-out, yellowed, or slimy specimens. For medicinal use, it should always be used fresh rather than dried.

Primary Growing Regions

Cong Bai is cultivated throughout all regions of China and does not have a single dominant terroir (道地药材) region, unlike many other Chinese herbs. It is native to China and widely grown across East Asia, including Japan, Korea, and parts of Russia. Shandong province is particularly well-known for its large-variety green onions (Zhangqiu scallions), though for medicinal purposes the finer, more delicate variety (known as 绵葱 mian cong, "silky scallion") is traditionally preferred over the coarser types.

Harvesting Season

Available year-round; can be harvested in any season as needed. Fresh use is standard.

Supplier Information

Treasure of the East

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Miscellaneous Info

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Usage & Safety

How to use this herb and important safety information

Important Medical Disclaimer

The information provided here is for educational purposes only and is not intended as medical advice or to replace consultation with a qualified healthcare professional. This herb is a dietary supplement and has not been evaluated by the FDA. It is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

Always consult with a qualified healthcare provider, particularly if you are pregnant, nursing, have a medical condition, or are taking other medications. Discontinue use and consult your healthcare provider if you experience any adverse reactions.

Recommended Dosage

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Instructions for safe storage and consumption

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Traditional Dosage Reference

Standard

3-15g (fresh)

Maximum

Up to 30g of fresh herb for acute conditions, such as in rice congee preparations for Wind-Cold. No serious toxicity risk at food-level doses.

Notes

For mild Wind-Cold symptoms, 3-9g in decoction or 2-5 fresh stalks are sufficient. For severe Yang collapse patterns (as in Bai Tong Tang), up to 4 stalks (approximately 15-20g) may be used. When used in rice congee for common colds, 15-30g of fresh herb is typical. Cong Bai must always be used fresh for full medicinal effect. Dosage is often described in number of stalks rather than by weight: light use is 2-3 stalks, heavier use is up to 5 stalks. When the root hairs (须) are included, the herb is said to have broader action in penetrating the channels.

Toxicity Classification

Non-toxic

Cong Bai is classified as non-toxic in both classical texts and the Chinese Pharmacopoeia. As a widely consumed food ingredient, it has an excellent safety profile at standard dosages. No toxic components have been identified at normal culinary or medicinal doses. Excessive consumption of raw scallion in large quantities may cause gastric irritation or a drying effect due to its pungent, dispersing nature, but this does not constitute true toxicity.

Contraindications

Caution

Exterior deficiency with spontaneous sweating (表虚多汗). Because Cong Bai promotes sweating, it should not be used when the body surface is already weak and sweating excessively, as this would further deplete the body's protective Qi.

Caution

Yin deficiency with internal Heat. The warm, pungent, dispersing nature of Cong Bai can further injure Yin fluids and worsen Heat signs in people with underlying Yin deficiency.

Caution

Wind-Heat or warm-febrile disease patterns. Cong Bai is specifically indicated for Wind-Cold; using it in Wind-Heat conditions where the patient has fever, sore throat, and yellow phlegm would be inappropriate as it is a warming herb.

Caution

Should not be taken internally together with honey (蜂蜜, Feng Mi). This is a traditional dietary incompatibility noted in multiple classical sources.

Avoid

Known allergy to Allium species (onion family). Individuals with confirmed allergy to scallions, onions, or related plants should avoid use.

Classical Incompatibilities

Cong Bai does not appear on the classical Eighteen Incompatibilities (十八反) or Nineteen Mutual Fears (十九畏) lists. However, multiple traditional sources note that Cong Bai should not be taken internally together with honey (蜂蜜, Feng Mi).

Special Populations

Pregnancy

Generally considered safe at standard culinary and medicinal doses during pregnancy. Classical texts including the Ming Yi Bie Lu (《名医别录》) actually note that Cong Bai can "calm the fetus" (安胎), and the Ben Cao Gang Mu records its use for pregnancy-related urinary bleeding. However, because it is a warm, dispersing herb that promotes sweating, excessive dosage should be avoided during pregnancy. Standard food-level intake poses no known risk.

Breastfeeding

Generally considered safe during breastfeeding. Classical sources and the Ben Cao Gang Mu specifically note that Cong Bai can "promote breast milk flow" (通奶汁) and "disperse breast abscesses" (散乳痈). It has been traditionally used to help with lactation difficulties and early-stage mastitis. There are no known concerns about transfer through breast milk at standard doses, as scallion is a common food ingredient.

Pediatric Use

Cong Bai has a long history of pediatric use in TCM and is considered very safe for children at appropriate doses. Classical texts record its use for newborn urinary retention (combined with breast milk), pediatric constipation, and childhood digestive complaints. For infants and small children, external application (mashed and warmed over the navel area) is a common and gentle approach for abdominal cold-pain, bloating, and urinary difficulty. For internal use, dosage should be reduced proportionally (typically 1-3 stalks for young children). Its mild nature and food-grade safety make it one of the gentlest exterior-releasing herbs suitable for pediatric use.

Drug Interactions

No well-documented serious drug interactions have been established for Cong Bai at standard medicinal doses. As a member of the Allium genus, it contains organosulfur compounds (including allicin) that theoretically share some properties with garlic. Based on this:

  • Anticoagulant/antiplatelet drugs: Allium species have mild blood-thinning and antiplatelet properties. While the amounts used medicinally are small, concurrent use with warfarin, aspirin, or other anticoagulants may theoretically have an additive effect. Clinical significance at standard Cong Bai doses is likely minimal.
  • Hypoglycemic agents: Some preclinical research on Allium fistulosum suggests mild blood-sugar-lowering effects. Patients on diabetes medication should monitor blood glucose if consuming large medicinal quantities.

Overall, due to its widespread use as a food and its mild medicinal potency, clinically significant drug interactions are unlikely at normal doses.

Dietary Advice

When taking Cong Bai to treat Wind-Cold conditions, avoid cold and raw foods (ice cream, cold salads, chilled drinks) as these counteract its warming, dispersing action. Warm foods and drinks support its therapeutic effect. After taking a Cong Bai decoction for sweating, avoid exposure to wind and cold drafts. Traditionally, Cong Bai should not be consumed together with honey internally. During the treatment of exterior conditions, it is generally advised to avoid greasy, heavy foods and alcohol.

Cautions & Warnings

Although this herb is typically safe for most individuals, it may cause side effects in some people. Pregnant women, nursing mothers, postpartum women, and those with liver disease should use the formula with caution.

As with any Chinese herbal remedy, it is advisable to seek guidance from a qualified TCM practitioner before beginning treatment.