{
    "slug": "tian-wang-bu-xin-dan",
    "names": {
        "pinyin": "Tian Wang Bu Xin Dan",
        "chinese": "天王补心丹",
        "english": "Emperor of Heaven's Special Pill to Tonify the Heart",
        "alternate": [
            "Tian Wang Bu Xin Wan",
            "Emperor's Teapills",
            "Heavenly Emperor Heart Tonic"
        ]
    },
    "category": "calm-spirit",
    "source": {
        "text": "She Sheng Mi Pou (Secret Investigations into Obtaining Health)",
        "author": "Hong Ji",
        "dynasty": "Ming",
        "year": "1638"
    },
    "summary": "The classic formula for insomnia with heat in a dry person. Hard to fall asleep, restless and dream-filled when you do, palpitations, forgetfulness, a dry mouth, mouth ulcers, night sweats, and dry stools. Heart and Kidney yin are low, so the Heart fire has nothing to cool it.",
    "picture": "The Heart is fire and the Kidney is water, and at night the water is supposed to rise and the fire to sink so the two meet. When the water is low, the fire burns alone all night. This formula refills the water and settles the fire.",
    "patterns": [
        {
            "slug": "heart-and-kidney-not-communicating",
            "role": "primary",
            "_links": {
                "self": "https://www.naturalherblibrary.com/api/v1/pattern/heart-and-kidney-not-communicating",
                "html": "https://www.naturalherblibrary.com/pattern/heart-and-kidney-not-communicating"
            }
        },
        {
            "slug": "heart-yin-deficiency",
            "role": "primary",
            "_links": {
                "self": "https://www.naturalherblibrary.com/api/v1/pattern/heart-yin-deficiency",
                "html": "https://www.naturalherblibrary.com/pattern/heart-yin-deficiency"
            }
        },
        {
            "slug": "heart-blood-deficiency",
            "role": "with heat",
            "_links": {
                "self": "https://www.naturalherblibrary.com/api/v1/pattern/heart-blood-deficiency",
                "html": "https://www.naturalherblibrary.com/pattern/heart-blood-deficiency"
            }
        }
    ],
    "indications": [
        "Insomnia, especially trouble falling asleep",
        "Restless, dream-filled sleep",
        "Palpitations and anxiety",
        "Forgetfulness, poor concentration",
        "Dry mouth, mouth ulcers",
        "Night sweats, hot palms",
        "Dry stools",
        "Nocturnal emissions",
        "A low fever that comes and goes in a thin, dry, tired person"
    ],
    "signs": {
        "tongue": "Red with little coat, the tip often redder.",
        "pulse": "Thin and rapid."
    },
    "ingredients": [
        {
            "pinyin": "Sheng Di Huang",
            "grams": "12",
            "role": "chief",
            "job": "Raw rehmannia nourishes Kidney yin and cools the Heart blood.",
            "herb_slug": "fresh-rehmannia-root",
            "english": "Fresh Rehmannia Root",
            "chinese": "生地黄",
            "latin": "Radix Rehmanniae",
            "_links": {
                "herb": "https://www.naturalherblibrary.com/api/v1/herb/fresh-rehmannia-root",
                "html": "https://www.naturalherblibrary.com/herb/fresh-rehmannia-root"
            }
        },
        {
            "pinyin": "Xuan Shen",
            "grams": "6",
            "role": "deputy",
            "job": "Scrophularia nourishes yin and clears empty heat.",
            "herb_slug": "figwort-root",
            "english": "Figwort Root",
            "chinese": "玄参",
            "latin": "Radix Scrophulariae",
            "_links": {
                "herb": "https://www.naturalherblibrary.com/api/v1/herb/figwort-root",
                "html": "https://www.naturalherblibrary.com/herb/figwort-root"
            }
        },
        {
            "pinyin": "Tian Men Dong",
            "grams": "9",
            "role": "deputy",
            "job": "Asparagus root moistens and cools.",
            "unlinked": true,
            "herb_slug": "asparagus-root",
            "english": "Asparagus Root",
            "chinese": "天门冬",
            "latin": "Radix Asparagi",
            "_links": {
                "herb": "https://www.naturalherblibrary.com/api/v1/herb/asparagus-root",
                "html": "https://www.naturalherblibrary.com/herb/asparagus-root"
            }
        },
        {
            "pinyin": "Mai Dong",
            "grams": "9",
            "role": "deputy",
            "job": "Ophiopogon nourishes Heart yin.",
            "herb_slug": "root-of-dwarf-lilyturf-3",
            "english": "Mai Dong Ophiopogon Root Tuber",
            "chinese": "麦冬",
            "latin": "Radix Ophiopogonis",
            "_links": {
                "herb": "https://www.naturalherblibrary.com/api/v1/herb/root-of-dwarf-lilyturf-3",
                "html": "https://www.naturalherblibrary.com/herb/root-of-dwarf-lilyturf-3"
            }
        },
        {
            "pinyin": "Dang Gui",
            "grams": "9",
            "role": "deputy",
            "job": "Angelica builds the blood the Heart rests in.",
            "herb_slug": "root-of-chinese-angelica",
            "english": "Root of Chinese Angelica",
            "chinese": "当归",
            "latin": "Radix Angelicae Sinensis",
            "_links": {
                "herb": "https://www.naturalherblibrary.com/api/v1/herb/root-of-chinese-angelica",
                "html": "https://www.naturalherblibrary.com/herb/root-of-chinese-angelica"
            }
        },
        {
            "pinyin": "Dan Shen",
            "grams": "6",
            "role": "assistant",
            "job": "Salvia moves Heart blood and calms.",
            "herb_slug": "root-of-ligulilobe-sage",
            "english": "Dan Shen Root",
            "chinese": "丹参",
            "latin": "Radix Salviae Miltiorrhizae",
            "_links": {
                "herb": "https://www.naturalherblibrary.com/api/v1/herb/root-of-ligulilobe-sage",
                "html": "https://www.naturalherblibrary.com/herb/root-of-ligulilobe-sage"
            }
        },
        {
            "pinyin": "Dang Shen",
            "grams": "6",
            "role": "assistant",
            "job": "Codonopsis, or ginseng in the classic, supports the Heart qi.",
            "herb_slug": "root-pilose-asiabell",
            "english": "Dang Shen Root",
            "chinese": "党参",
            "latin": "Radix Codonopsis Pilosulae",
            "_links": {
                "herb": "https://www.naturalherblibrary.com/api/v1/herb/root-pilose-asiabell",
                "html": "https://www.naturalherblibrary.com/herb/root-pilose-asiabell"
            }
        },
        {
            "pinyin": "Fu Ling",
            "grams": "6",
            "role": "assistant",
            "job": "Poria calms the mind.",
            "herb_slug": "indian-bread",
            "english": "Poria",
            "chinese": "茯苓",
            "latin": "Poria",
            "_links": {
                "herb": "https://www.naturalherblibrary.com/api/v1/herb/indian-bread",
                "html": "https://www.naturalherblibrary.com/herb/indian-bread"
            }
        },
        {
            "pinyin": "Wu Wei Zi",
            "grams": "6",
            "role": "assistant",
            "job": "Schisandra holds the Heart qi and the sweat in.",
            "herb_slug": "chinese-magnoliavine-fruit",
            "english": "Chinese Magnoliavine Fruit",
            "chinese": "五味子",
            "latin": "Fructus Schisandrae",
            "_links": {
                "herb": "https://www.naturalherblibrary.com/api/v1/herb/chinese-magnoliavine-fruit",
                "html": "https://www.naturalherblibrary.com/herb/chinese-magnoliavine-fruit"
            }
        },
        {
            "pinyin": "Yuan Zhi",
            "grams": "6",
            "role": "assistant",
            "job": "Polygala clears the mind and steadies the spirit.",
            "herb_slug": "root-of-thinleaf-milkwort",
            "english": "Root of Thinleaf Milkwort",
            "chinese": "远志",
            "latin": "Radix Polygalae",
            "_links": {
                "herb": "https://www.naturalherblibrary.com/api/v1/herb/root-of-thinleaf-milkwort",
                "html": "https://www.naturalherblibrary.com/herb/root-of-thinleaf-milkwort"
            }
        },
        {
            "pinyin": "Suan Zao Ren",
            "grams": "9",
            "role": "assistant",
            "job": "Sour jujube seed settles the Heart for sleep.",
            "herb_slug": "spine-date-seed",
            "english": "Sour Jujube Seed",
            "chinese": "酸枣仁",
            "latin": "Semen Ziziphi Spinosae",
            "_links": {
                "herb": "https://www.naturalherblibrary.com/api/v1/herb/spine-date-seed",
                "html": "https://www.naturalherblibrary.com/herb/spine-date-seed"
            }
        },
        {
            "pinyin": "Bai Zi Ren",
            "grams": "9",
            "role": "assistant",
            "job": "Arborvitae seed moistens and calms.",
            "herb_slug": "seed-of-chinese-arborvitae",
            "english": "Arborvitae Seed",
            "chinese": "柏子仁",
            "latin": "Semen Platycladi",
            "_links": {
                "herb": "https://www.naturalherblibrary.com/api/v1/herb/seed-of-chinese-arborvitae",
                "html": "https://www.naturalherblibrary.com/herb/seed-of-chinese-arborvitae"
            }
        },
        {
            "pinyin": "Jie Geng",
            "grams": "6",
            "role": "envoy",
            "job": "Platycodon carries the formula up to the Heart.",
            "herb_slug": "platycodon-root",
            "english": "Platycodon Root",
            "chinese": "桔梗",
            "latin": "Radix Platycodi",
            "_links": {
                "herb": "https://www.naturalherblibrary.com/api/v1/herb/platycodon-root",
                "html": "https://www.naturalherblibrary.com/herb/platycodon-root"
            }
        }
    ],
    "actions": [
        "Enriches yin and nourishes blood",
        "Tonifies the Heart and calms the spirit"
    ],
    "how_it_works": "Rehmannia, scrophularia, and the two 'dong' roots refill the yin so the Heart has water to cool it. Angelica and salvia build and move the blood the mind rests in. Five calming seeds and roots settle the spirit. Platycodon lifts the whole thing into the chest. The classic version was coated in cinnabar, which modern products rightly leave out.",
    "modifications": [
        {
            "for": "Strong heat with a red tongue tip",
            "add": [
                "Huang Lian"
            ],
            "note": "A pinch of coptis to cool the Heart fire."
        },
        {
            "for": "Heavy night sweats",
            "add": [
                "Fu Xiao Mai",
                "Mu Li"
            ],
            "note": "Light wheat and oyster shell."
        },
        {
            "for": "Palpitations that frighten",
            "add": [
                "Long Gu",
                "Ci Shi"
            ],
            "note": "Dragon bone and magnetite anchor the spirit."
        }
    ],
    "cautions": [
        "Moist and cool. Not for a weak Spleen with loose stools, bloating, or a greasy coat.",
        "Not for insomnia from a pale, cold, tired picture. That is Gui Pi Tang territory.",
        "Thirteen herbs make it rich; start at a lower dose if digestion is delicate.",
        "Pregnancy: use only under a qualified practitioner."
    ],
    "forms": [
        "teapills",
        "concentrated tablets",
        "granules",
        "decoction"
    ],
    "typical_dose": {
        "teapills": "8 pills, three times a day, or as the label directs. Some brands suggest a larger dose at bedtime.",
        "decoction": "One bag a day in two doses, with the amounts above",
        "course": "One to two months."
    },
    "cousins": [
        {
            "slug": "gui-pi-tang",
            "difference": "For the pale, tired, worried sleeper with weak digestion. No heat, no dryness."
        },
        {
            "slug": "suan-zao-ren-tang",
            "difference": "A smaller formula for sleep from Liver blood deficiency with mild heat and a dry mouth."
        },
        {
            "slug": "zhi-bai-di-huang-wan",
            "difference": "The Kidney formula for empty heat, when the back and teeth matter more than sleep."
        }
    ],
    "commerce": {
        "store": "supplementsapothecary.com",
        "store_name": "Supplements Apothecary",
        "store_slug": "tian-wang-bu-xin-dan",
        "store_url": "https://www.supplementsapothecary.com/supplement/tian-wang-bu-xin-dan",
        "status": "planned",
        "label_check": "The box reads Tian Wang Bu Xin Dan or Wan with the characters 天王补心. Thirteen herbs beginning with raw Rehmannia. Make sure the label says it is free of cinnabar."
    },
    "conditions": [
        "insomnia",
        "palpitations",
        "anxiety",
        "forgetfulness",
        "night-sweats",
        "mouth-sores"
    ],
    "sources": [
        {
            "title": "Bensky, Scheid, Ellis and Barolet, Chinese Herbal Medicine: Formulas and Strategies, 2nd edition",
            "note": "Composition, actions, indications, and cautions."
        }
    ],
    "meta": {
        "status": "published",
        "last_updated": "2026-10-12",
        "reviewed_by": null
    },
    "_links": {
        "html": "https://www.naturalherblibrary.com/formula/tian-wang-bu-xin-dan",
        "self": "https://www.naturalherblibrary.com/api/v1/formula/tian-wang-bu-xin-dan",
        "index": "https://www.naturalherblibrary.com/api/v1/formulas"
    }
}