味苦、酸，性微寒，无毒。入肺、脾、肝三经。恶石斛、芒硝。畏鳖甲、小蓟，反藜芦。
煨
熟，酒焙。
养血敛阴，柔肝定痛。通补奇经，女科必用。
敛肺而主胀逆喘咳，腠理不固；安脾而主中满腹痛、泻痢不和；制肝而主血热目疾，肋
下作
疼。
收敛下降，适合秋金，故气宁而汗止，专入脾经血分，能泻肝家火邪，故功能颇多，一
言以
蔽之，敛气凉血而已矣。
李时珍曰∶“芍药，同白术补脾，同芎 泻肝，同人参补气，同当归补血。以酒炒补阴，
同
甘草止腹痛及腿酸拘挛，同黄连止泻痢，同防风发痘疹，同姜枣温经散湿。”
张元素曰∶“其用凡六∶安脾经，一也；治腹痛，二也；收胃气，三也；止泻痢，四也；
和血脉，五也；固腠理，六也。”
《本草求真》曰∶“血盛于气，则血凝而不行；气盛于血，则血燥而益枯。血之盛者，
必赖
辛为
之散，故川芎号为补肝之气；气之盛者，必赖酸为之收，故白芍号为敛肝之液。收肝之气，
而令气不妄行也。”
芍药之性，未若芩连之苦寒，而寇氏云∶“减芍药以避中寒”。丹溪云∶“产后勿用
芍药，恐酸寒伐生生之气。”嗟乎，药之寒者，行杀伐之气，违生长之机，虽微寒如芍
药，古人犹谆谆告戒，况大苦大寒之药，其可肆用而莫之忌耶。
Bai Shaoyao (Radix Paeoniae Alba) tastes bitter and sour, is slightly cold in nature, and is non-toxic. It enters the Lung, Spleen, and Liver meridians. It is incompatible with Shihu (Dendrobii Caulis), Mangxiao (Natrii Sulfas). It fears Biejia (Testudinis Carapax et Plastrum), Xiaoji (Cirsii Herba), and is contrary to Lilu (Veratri Radix).
Preparation: Roasted until cooked, or baked with wine.
Functions: Nourishes blood and astringes yin, softens the Liver to relieve pain. It unblocks and tonifies the Extraordinary Vessels, making it an essential herb in gynecology.
Indications: By astringing the Lung, it treats distension, rebellious Qi, wheezing, and cough due to insecure interstitial spaces (Cou Li); by calming the Spleen, it treats abdominal fullness, abdominal pain, dysentery, and Spleen-Stomach disharmony; by restraining the Liver, it treats eye diseases caused by blood-heat and pain under the ribs.
Nature Analysis: Its nature is astringent and descending, corresponding to the Metal element of Autumn. Therefore, it calms Qi and stops sweating. It specifically enters the Blood aspect of the Spleen meridian and can drain Fire pathogenic factors from the Liver. Thus, its functions are numerous, but can be summarized as astringing Qi and cooling blood.
Li Shizhen stated: "Shaoyao, when combined with Baizhu, tonifies the Spleen; when combined with Xiongqiong (Chuanxiong Rhizoma), it drains the Liver; when combined with Renshen (Ginseng Radix et Rhizoma), it tonifies Qi; when combined with Danggui (Angelicae Sinensis Radix), it nourishes blood. Stir-fried with wine, it nourishes Yin; combined with Gancao (Glycyrrhizae Radix et Rhizoma), it stops abdominal pain and leg soreness with spasms; combined with Huanglian (Coptidis Rhizoma), it stops dysentery; combined with Fangfeng (Saposhnikoviae Radix), it promotes the eruption of smallpox/rashes; combined with Jiangzao (Fresh Ginger and Jujube), it warms the meridians and disperses dampness."
Zhang Yuansu stated: "Its uses are sixfold: first, to calm the Spleen meridian; second, to treat abdominal pain; third, to collect Stomach Qi; fourth, to stop dysentery; fifth, to harmonize the blood vessels; sixth, to secure the interstitial spaces (Cou Li)."
Bencao Qiuyuan states: "If Blood is excessive relative to Qi, Blood will coagulate and fail to circulate; if Qi is excessive relative to Blood, Blood will become dry and increasingly depleted. When Blood is abundant, it must rely on Acrid substances to disperse it; thus, Chuanxiong is known for tonifying Liver Qi. When Qi is abundant, it must rely on Sour substances to astringe it; thus, Bai Shaoyao is known for astringing Liver fluids. By astringing Liver Qi, it prevents Qi from moving recklessly."
The nature of Shaoyao is not as bitterly cold as Qinlian (Huangqin and Huanglian). However, Kou Zongshi said, "Reduce the dosage of Shaoyao to avoid middle-Jiao Cold." Zhu Danxi said, "Do not use Shaoyao after childbirth, lest its sour-cold nature damage the vital energy of generation." Alas, herbs that are cold possess a killing/destroying nature, violating the mechanism of growth and life. Even though Shaoyao is only slightly cold, ancient masters still earnestly warned against its misuse. How much more so should one exercise caution and avoid taboos when using herbs that are greatly bitter and greatly cold?