Fritillaria Bulb
Overview
Bemo, "shell mother," is named for the shape of the bulb: it has segments, yellow-white in color, and looks like a cluster of cowrie shells (貝子). The Donguibogam records it as a lung herb: it dissolves phlegm, moistens heart and lung, and treats lung wasting with cough, lung abscess and spitting of pus and blood. A cited note from a medical text gives it an emotional dimension too: bemo "can disperse the knotted qi in the chest," and does so with real merit. It also treats neck swellings together with forsythia.
In the Donguibogam
寶鑑
Traditional uses recorded in the Donguibogam
- Dissolves phlegm
- Moistens heart and lung
- Disperses knotted chest qi
- Eases cough with pus or blood
Traditional applications recorded in the classical text
- Persistent phlegm cough
- Chest tightness from knotted qi
- Neck swellings (with forsythia, classical)
Traditional preparation
Bulb harvested in the 8th or 10th lunar month and sun-dried. Roasted in willow-wood ash with the heart removed, or roasted with ginger juice.
This describes traditional preparation recorded in the classics, not a recommendation for use today. DonguiHub does not provide dosage guidance — consult a qualified professional before using any herb.
Cautions
Frequently asked questions
Why is it called "shell mother"?
The text says the bulb has segments, yellow-white, resembling a cluster of cowrie shells, hence 貝 (shell) 母.
What does "disperses knotted chest qi" mean?
A cited note says it can scatter qi bound up in the chest and heart region and is particularly effective at doing so.
Why is it paired with forsythia?
The entry states that together with forsythia it mainly treats lumps below the neck.
Sources
- 『동의보감』 탕액편, 허준, 1613 (원문) — 한문 원문
- 한의학고전DB (mediclassics.kr) — 원문 및 국역 자료 참조