Classic formula · Tonify yin
Yi Guan Jian
一贯煎 Linking Decoction
The formula for a dry, stuck Liver. A dull ache or tightness under the ribs, acid or a sour taste, a dry mouth and throat, and a red tongue with little coat, in a person who is both yin-deficient and tense. It nourishes the Liver and Kidney and gently moves the Liver qi at the same time.
Most Liver-moving formulas are drying, and a dry Liver cannot take them. Yi Guan Jian is five moist tonics and one small moving herb: it oils the hinge before it swings the door.
Also sold as: One Thread Decoction · Linking Formula
Who Yi Guan Jian is for
This formula is chosen for 3 patterns. Match your own picture before you match the name.
Signs it is classically given for
- Dull pain or tightness under the ribs or in the upper abdomen
- Acid reflux, a sour or bitter taste
- Dry mouth and throat
- Chronic hepatitis or a tight tender liver area in a dry person
- Hernia pain in a thin, dry person
- Irritability with dryness rather than heat
- Tongue
- Red and dry with little coat.
- Pulse
- Thin, weak, and wiry.
What is in Yi Guan Jian
Amounts are the classic decoction range in grams. Patent pills use the same herbs in the same proportion, so read the box for these names.
| Herb | Amount | Role | Job in the formula |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sheng Di Huang Fresh Rehmannia Root | 18 g | Chief | Raw rehmannia nourishes yin and cools the blood. |
| Gou Qi Zi Chinese Wolfberry Fruit Use caution | 12 g | Deputy | Goji nourishes Liver and Kidney. |
| Bei Sha Shen Glehnia Root Use caution | 9 g | Deputy | Glehnia moistens the Lung and Stomach. |
| Mai Dong Mai Dong Ophiopogon Root Tuber | 9 g | Deputy | Ophiopogon moistens. |
| Dang Gui Root of Chinese Angelica Use caution | 9 g | Assistant | Angelica nourishes blood and keeps it moving. |
| Chuan Lian Zi Szechwan Chinaberry Fruit Use caution | 5 g | Envoy | Melia fruit moves the stuck Liver qi and eases the rib pain, in a small dose. |
How Yi Guan Jian works
Five moistening tonics feed the Liver, Kidney, Lung, and Stomach, so the Liver has the fluid it needs to move freely. One small dose of melia fruit then unties the knot under the ribs without drying anything. That balance is why it works where Xiao Yao San would be too drying.
Actions in classic terms
- Enriches Liver and Kidney yin
- Spreads Liver qi gently
Common changes to Yi Guan Jian
A practitioner rarely gives the bare formula. These are the classic additions for a specific picture.
- Constipation add Gua Lou Trichosanthes moistens the gut.
- Strong acid and heat add Huang Lian A pinch of coptis for the burning.
- Insomnia add Suan Zao Ren Jujube seed for sleep.
Cautions with Yi Guan Jian
- Moist and rich. Not for a damp or phlegmy picture or a thick tongue coat.
- Melia fruit is mildly toxic in large doses; the formula keeps it small. Do not increase it.
- Pregnancy: use only under a qualified practitioner.
Forms and typical dose
Sold as granules, decoction, teapills.
- Decoction
- One bag a day in two doses, with the amounts above
- Granules
- As the label directs, usually twice a day
- Course
- One to two months, then reassess.
Follow the label of the brand you buy. Pill sizes differ between makers.
Buying Yi Guan Jian
The box reads Yi Guan Jian with the characters 一贯煎. Six ingredients: raw Rehmannia, Lycium, Glehnia, Ophiopogon, Angelica, and Melia fruit.
Brand comparisons for formulas live on Supplements Apothecary, the buying side of this library.
Formulas often confused with Yi Guan Jian
- Xiao Yao San 逍遥散 The usual formula for a stuck Liver, but drying. Choose Yi Guan Jian when the tongue is red and bare and the mouth is dry.
- Qi Ju Di Huang Wan 杞菊地黄丸 Liver and Kidney yin for the eyes, with no qi-moving herb. Choose it when the ribs are not the complaint.
Conditions where Yi Guan Jian comes up
Sources
- Bensky, Scheid, Ellis and Barolet, Chinese Herbal Medicine: Formulas and Strategies, 2nd edition Composition, actions, indications, and cautions.
Important Note
Formula pages describe classic use so you can read a label, ask a better question, and find the right monographs. They are education, not a prescription. A formula that fits the wrong pattern can make things worse, so match the picture first.