Weak and stuck
Straight out of the textbook, this one: Spleen Qi deficiency plus Qi stagnation, so you're worn out and yet somehow stuffed and heavy as well.
Traditional Chinese herbal formula
Xiang Sha Liu Jun Zi Tang
香砂六君子汤 · Six Gentlemen with Aucklandia & Amomum · also known as Xiang Sha Liu Jun Zi Wan
The Four Gentlemen grew into Six, then picked up two fragrant herbs along the way. Xiang Sha Liu Jun Zi Tang is what herbalists used when a tired digestion also felt stuck and full. You know: picking at lunch, then feeling stuffed anyway, with that gurgly, bloated heaviness all afternoon.
Nine herbs, led by ginseng, white atractylodes and poria, with aucklandia, amomum, tangerine peel and pinellia. Made into 5:1 tablets. Four a day, so a bottle lasts fifteen days. Explore the formula
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- 5:1 strength
- DaoDi herbs
- Vegan & gluten-free
- GMP certified
- Free UK delivery £40+
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A short history of Xiang Sha Liu Jun Zi Tang
Think of it as a family tree. At the root is Si Jun Zi Tang, the Four Gentlemen, from the Song government's He Ji Ju Fang of around 1110. Ginseng, atractylodes, poria and liquorice. The most basic Spleen formula there is.
Later physicians added tangerine peel and pinellia to deal with Damp and phlegm, and the Four Gentlemen became Six (Liu Jun Zi). Then someone added aucklandia (Mu Xiang) and amomum (Sha Ren). Take the 'Xiang' from one and the 'Sha' from the other, and there's your name.
The version most textbooks cite is from the Qing dynasty, usually traced to Luo Mei's Gu Jin Ming Yi Fang Lun of 1675, a collection of famous formulas with commentary. It's been one of the go-to digestive formulas in Chinese practice ever since.
In Chinese medicine
How herbalists understand it
Chinese medicine puts the Spleen and Stomach in charge of digestion, and they work in opposite directions, the Spleen sending the good stuff up and the Stomach sending food down. When the Spleen's weak (Spleen Qi deficiency, in the jargon) all that traffic slows to a crawl, so your energy dips and you go off your food.
A weak Spleen also lets Damp collect and Qi get stuck in the middle. That's the full, bloated, nauseous side of things, plus a few belches for good measure. So the picture is weak and stuck at once. The Four Gentlemen alone can feel too rich for that. Hence the extras.
The Four Gentlemen, so ginseng, atractylodes, poria and liquorice, do the strengthening. Tangerine peel and pinellia dry out Damp and send the Stomach's Qi back down where it belongs. And aucklandia and amomum? They're the fragrant, warming pair, and you can smell them the second the lid comes off the jar, sort of like your nan's spice cupboard. Herbalists say they wake a dozy digestion up and get stuck Qi moving again. So it builds you up first, then gets things shifting. That's really all there is to it.
The Five Elements
An Earth element formula
Earth's where the Spleen and Stomach live, smack in the middle of the Five Elements. When it's working, Earth is a bit like a good compost heap, taking stuff in, breaking it down and passing it on. When it isn't? It just sort of sits there.
Late summer
Season
Earth's season. Humid weather is said to weigh most on a weak Spleen.
Spleen
Organ
Paired with the Stomach. This formula looks after both of them.
Yellow
Colour
Earth's colour. Like a bowl of millet porridge, which is very Earth indeed.
Sweet
Taste
Ginseng and liquorice are mildly sweet, the taste said to feed the Spleen.
Worry
Emotion
Earth's emotion. Anyone whose appetite vanishes when they're anxious will get it.
Traditional use
How it has traditionally been used
Below is where herbalists have traditionally slotted this one in. We're talking history here, so none of it's a health claim, please.
Picky appetite
Chosen when food holds little appeal, yet a few mouthfuls seem to fill you up.
Damp in the middle
Herbalists turned to it when Damp collected and the Stomach's Qi wouldn't go down.
A slow, sensitive digestion
Long favoured for people who've always had a delicate, easily upset middle.
This section describes traditional use in Chinese herbal practice. Xiang Sha Liu Jun Zi Tang is a food supplement and is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.
Inside the formula · Ingredients
Nine herbs, each with a job
Chinese formulas are built like a royal court, with chiefs leading and the rest in support. Amounts are per daily serving of 4 tablets.
Chief
Ginseng Root (Ren Shen)
Panax ginseng247mg
Panax ginseng247mg
Ginseng's the chief, and it's the herb Chinese medicine reaches for first when Spleen Qi needs building. Herb Glossary
Ministers
White Atractylodes (Bai Zhu)
Atractylodes macrocephala449mg
Atractylodes macrocephala449mg
Poria (Fu Ling)
Wolfiporia hoelen449mg
Wolfiporia hoelen449mg
White atractylodes and poria are the steady pair here, strengthening the Spleen and drying out Damp. Herb Glossary
Assistants
Tangerine Peel (Chen Pi)
Citrus reticulata225mg
Citrus reticulata225mg
Prepared Pinellia (Jiang Ban Xia)
Pinellia ternata202mg
Pinellia ternata202mg
Aucklandia Root (Mu Xiang)
Dolomiaea souliei179mg
Dolomiaea souliei179mg
Amomum Fruit (Sha Ren)
Wurfbainia villosa225mg
Wurfbainia villosa225mg
Fresh Ginger (Sheng Jiang)
Zingiber officinale134mg
Zingiber officinale134mg
This is the busy group. Tangerine peel and pinellia clear Damp and settle the Stomach, aucklandia and amomum get stuck Qi moving, and ginger's there to warm the middle. Herb Glossary
Envoy
Liquorice Root (Gan Cao)
Glycyrrhiza glabra134mg
Glycyrrhiza glabra134mg
Liquorice, the fourth Gentleman, keeps the peace between everyone else. Herb Glossary
Inactive ingredients: Cassava starch, Hypromellose, Magnesium stearate, Polyethylene glycol, Talc.
These are used in very small amounts to form and coat the tablets. They don't add to the formula itself.
How to take
A simple daily ritual
2In the morning
Tablets with water.
2In the evening
Tablets with water.
WeeksSteady use
Most people take a formula for several weeks.
Always follow the label. If you take any medication, are pregnant or breastfeeding, please speak to your GP or pharmacist before use.
Choosing between them
Xiang Sha Liu Jun Zi Tang or Si Jun Zi Tang?
| Compare | Xiang Sha Liu Jun Zi Tang | Si Jun Zi Tang |
|---|---|---|
| First recorded | Qing dynasty, 1675 | Song dynasty, around 1110 |
| The idea | Strengthen the Spleen and get stuck Qi moving | Strengthen the Spleen, nothing more |
| Herbs | 9, including aucklandia, amomum and pinellia | 4: ginseng, atractylodes, poria and liquorice |
| Character | Warm, aromatic, moving | Mild and steady |
| Often chosen when | Tiredness comes with fullness, bloating and a queasy feeling | Tiredness and a poor appetite, without much fullness |
What is Xiang Sha Liu Jun Zi Tang traditionally used for?
A practitioner would say Spleen Qi deficiency with stuck Qi and Damp. We'd put it as a digestion that's tired and slow and yet weirdly also feels full and bloated-heavy, which is an annoying combination. It's a food supplement, mind, so it isn't meant for any medical condition.
Why 'Six Gentlemen' when there are nine herbs?
Ha, fair point. The Six Gentlemen are the six-herb base, aucklandia and amomum are the two extras named in the title, and ginger's a classic add-on. Chinese formula names aren't always great at maths.
How many do I take?
Just two in the morning and two in the evening, so four a day, which means one bottle of 60 lasts fifteen days.
Is it safe in pregnancy or with medication?
If you're pregnant, breastfeeding or on regular medication, please have a word with your GP before you start. Pinellia's traditionally used with caution in pregnancy, and ginseng isn't one to take with blood thinners like warfarin unless you've been told it's fine.
Should I take it before or after food?
Old habit was to take digestive formulas a little before meals. These days plenty of people just have theirs with breakfast and dinner, and honestly, taking it every day matters far more than the exact timing.
How does it compare with Shen Ling Bai Zhu San?
They both grow out of the Four Gentlemen, but they head off in different directions. Shen Ling Bai Zhu San adds Job's tears and lotus seed, so herbalists use it when Damp and looseness are the bigger issue. This one, with its aromatic herbs, is the pick when it's more about fullness and stuck Qi.
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Food supplements should not be used as a substitute for a varied, balanced diet and a healthy lifestyle. Not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. Keep out of reach of children.