Huaihua, also known as Huairui, is a kind of dried flowers and flower buds of Sophora japonica L., a plant in the Leguminosae family. It is recorded in the "Shen Nong's Herbal Classic" as "Huai fruit", and the "Jia You's Herbal" establishes a separate entry for "Huaihua" based on the information from various herbals such as "Ri Hua Zi". It is harvested when the flowers bloom or the flower buds form in the summer, and dried promptly after removing the branches, stems, and impurities. The former is commonly referred to as "Huaihua" and the latter is commonly referred to as "Huaimi".
【Preparation Methods】1. Huaihua in "Compendium of Materia Medica Essentials": "Remove branches and stems." Currently, take the original medicinal material, remove the hard stems and impurities, and sift off the ash.
2. Stir-fried Huaihua in "Essential Theories of Pediatric Health": "Stir-fry until it turns yellow and grind into powder." Currently, take clean Huaihua, put it in a pot, stir-fry with low heat until the surface turns slightly yellow, and then take it out and let it cool.
3. Charred Huaihua in "Su Shen's Good Prescription": "Stir-fry until it turns black and yellow." Currently, take clean Huaihua, put it in a pot, stir-fry with medium heat until the surface turns dark brown and the inside turns old yellow, then spray a little water to extinguish the sparks, take it out, and let it cool completely.
4. Honeyed Huaihua: Take an appropriate amount of refined honey and dilute it with water. Add clean Huaihua and mix well. Keep it covered and put it in a pot. Stir-fry with low heat until it turns brownish-yellow and is not sticky to the touch. Then take it out and let it cool. For every 100kg of Huaihua, use 25kg of refined honey.
5. Vinegared Huaihua: Take clean Huaihua and mix it with vinegar until slightly moist. Then put it in a pot and stir-fry with low heat until it changes slightly in color. Take it out and let it cool. For every 100kg of Huaihua, use 10kg of rice vinegar.
