Cong Bai "is best at spreading and unblocking the yang qi in either the upper or lower body, in the exterior or deep in the interior. In the exterior, it disperses wind-cold and can release the exterior, but its sweat-inducing action is relatively weak. The Divine Husbandman's Classic of the Materia Medica describes its original indications: 'As a soup, Allii fistullosi Bulbus (cong bai) treats cold damage chills and fevers, attack by wind, and edema and swelling of the face and eyes. it can induce sweating." In the interior, Allii fistulosi Bulbus (cong bai) unblocks the yang qi. This use is particularly interesting in the context of a lesser yin-stage disorder characterized by diarrhea, lassitude, cold extremities, flushed face, and a faint pulse. This is a special situation in which the yin is increasing and accumulating in the lower part of the body, forcing the weakened yang to the upper body. In this context, a flushed face is the key sign indicating that Allii fistulosi Bulbus (cong bai) is needed to unblock the qi. ...For external application, the use of Allii fistulosi Bulbus (cong bai) for urinary blockage dates back to the Materia Medica of Food Therapy, where it 'treats wind-water and swollen pain in the skin .... and facilitates the flow of urine.' It is repeatedly recommended in many materia medica texts for emergency treatment of urinary blockage. For this purpose it can be applied warm to the lower abdomen, testicles, or umbilicus, or with the addition of moxa, or combined (again externally) with other herbs such as Zingiberis Rhizoma (gan jiang) and Phellodendri Cortex (huang bai), or with salt, ginger, and Sojae Semen preparatum (dan dou chi). Internally, both the Materia Medica of Food Therapy and the later Formulas of Universal Benefit from My Practice note the effectiveness of this herb for treating blood in the urine. The latter text says to use one handful of Allii fistulosi Bulbus (cong bai) and 30g of Curcumae Radix (yu Jin), decoct, and drink warm to unblock this orifice and stop the bleeding." - Bensky: Chinese Herbal Medicine Materia Medica, 3rd ed.