Chrysanthemum Fish Ball Soup，From *Proven Tea, Decoction, and Soup Recipes for Common Ailments*,Calms the liver and lowers blood pressure; nourishes yin and replenishes deficiencies. Suitable for all types of hypertension, and particularly effective for hypertension caused by liver and kidney yin deficiency.
blood-moving herbs are contraindicated in pregnancy and inadvisable in heavy menstruation
Commentary
The sovereign is chrysanthemum, with cool nature and sweet, bitter flavor, having Lung, Liver tropism; it disperses wind, clears heat, calms the liver, and brightens the eyes, anchoring the central strategy of the formula. The ministerial support — fresh mushrooms (of neutral nature and sweet flavor, entering the Spleen, Stomach, regulates qi, resolves phlegm, and harmonizes the stomach), and ground pepper (nature hot, flavor pungent, channeled into the Stomach, Large Intestine, warms the middle, dissipates cold, and resolves phlegm) — reinforces the sovereign’s main effect and coordinates the drug strength. Completing the formula, fish fillet, rich in blood-and-flesh essence, nourishing the righteous qi, and cooked green peas, harmonizing the stomach and supporting dietary nourishment, and ginger, acting as the envoy to harmonize the various ingredients, so that potency is moderated and stomach qi protected. The combined effect is tailored to the yin deficiency pattern.