Fu Shi
StarPumex (pumice, vesicular volcanic glass)
☯ TCM Properties
Clears Heat from the Lungs and transforms Phlegm; Softens hardness and dissipates Phlegm nodules; Promotes urination and unblocks the upper source for water (Lungs)
Traditional Chinese Uses
Fu Shi (浮石), better known as Hai Fu Shi, is pumice — a porous volcanic glass classified among the herbs that cool and transform Phlegm-Heat. Salty and cold, entering the Lung channel, it clears Heat from the Lungs and dissolves thick, stubborn, difficult-to-expectorate sputum, and is used for chronic cough with sticky yellow phlegm and for coughing of blood.
Its salty, softening quality dissipates Phlegm nodules, so it treats scrofula, goiter and other lumps; it is often paired with Hai Zao, Kun Bu or Kua Lou for these. By opening the upper source of water in the Lungs it also promotes urination and is applied to painful urinary dribbling and urinary stones. As a mineral it is typically crushed and decocted first.
Botanical Description
Fu Shi (浮石) is pumice, a mineral substance and not a plant. It is a porous, vesicular volcanic glass formed when frothy, gas-charged felsic lava cools and solidifies rapidly during explosive eruptions, trapping innumerable bubbles in a glassy silicate matrix. The resulting rock is so light it commonly floats on water — the property that gives both the Chinese name ("floating stone") and the English name. Medicinally it presents as light, pale grey to greyish-white, rough, abrasive irregular masses 2–8 cm across, easily ground to a gritty powder. In traditional Chinese medicine Fu Shi is used to clear phlegm-heat, soften lumps, and promote urination, and is sometimes processed by calcination before use. As a mineral substance it has no botanical attributes.
Dosage
| Form | Amount | Frequency | Duration | Population | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| decoction | 6-15g | Daily | — | — | — |
This information is for educational purposes only and is not intended to replace professional medical advice. Always consult a qualified healthcare provider before using any herbal remedy, especially if you are pregnant, nursing, or taking medications.
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