Yue Ju Wan: Your Guide to a Classic Stress-Relieving Herbal Formula

Hongji Medical
Jan 30
5 min read

Updated: Jun 2

Yue Ju Wan, also known as the "Stress-Relieving Pill," is a traditional Chinese herbal formula from the book Danxi's Heart Method, written by Zhu Zhenheng, a renowned doctor from the Yuan Dynasty.

Danxi's Heart Method, written by Zhu Zhenheng — *Danxi's Heart Method*, written by Zhu Zhenheng

This formula is designed to ease what traditional Chinese medicine calls the "Six Stagnations"—blockages in the body’s energy flow that can cause discomfort like chest tightness, bloating, or indigestion.

What’s in Yue Ju Wan?

Yue Ju Wan is made from five herbs, each with a unique role in restoring balance:

Nutgrass (Xiang Fu): The star of the formula, nutgrass helps smooth the flow of qi (energy) to relieve stress and stagnation.
Sichuan Lovage (Chuan Xiong): Known as a "blood mover," this herb boosts circulation and supports nutgrass in easing energy blockages.
Atractylodes (Cang Zhu): This herb dries dampness in the body, helping with bloating and sluggish digestion.
Gardenia (Zhi Zi): Gardenia cools the body, reducing heat and irritability.
Fermented Barley (Shen Qu): This aids digestion, soothing the stomach and clearing food stagnation.

Each herb is used in equal amounts, typically 6–10 grams, ground into a powder and formed into small pills or boiled into a tea. You can take 6–9 grams of the pills with warm water or drink the tea as directed.

How Yue Ju Wan Works

The "Six Stagnations" refer to blockages in qi, blood, dampness, heat, phlegm, and food. When these build up, you might feel bloated, irritable, or nauseous. Yue Ju Wan tackles these by:

Clearing qi stagnation to improve energy flow.
Boosting blood circulation to reduce tension.
Drying dampness to ease bloating.
Cooling heat to calm irritability.
Aiding digestion to relieve food-related discomfort.

By addressing these issues, Yue Ju Wan helps the body return to balance, reducing symptoms and promoting overall well-being.

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Modern Uses

Today, Yue Ju Wan is used for a variety of conditions linked to stagnation, including:

Digestive Issues: Stomach pain, ulcers, chronic gastritis, gallbladder problems, or hepatitis.
Nervous System Problems: Migraines, nerve pain, or even epilepsy in some cases.
Women’s Health: Painful periods, irregular cycles, or pelvic inflammation.
Mental Health: Stress, anxiety, or menopausal symptoms.

How It Targets Stagnation

The root of many discomforts is qi stagnation—when the body’s energy gets stuck. This can disrupt blood flow, trap moisture, or weaken digestion, creating a cycle of worsening symptoms.

Yue Ju Wan breaks this cycle by promoting smooth qi flow, which helps resolve blood, dampness, heat, phlegm, and food stagnation. As the body’s systems start working together again, symptoms like bloating or irritability fade.

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Things to Keep in Mind

While Yue Ju Wan is effective, it’s not for everyone. Here are some tips:

Use with Caution: The herbs are warming and drying, so if you have low body fluids (like chronic dryness), consult a practitioner first.
Tailor the Formula: A trained herbalist can adjust the herbs based on your symptoms. For example, more nutgrass for qi issues, more Sichuan lovage for blood stagnation, or extra fermented barley for digestive problems.
Add Herbs for Phlegm: If phlegm is a problem (like chronic mucus), herbs like pinellia or tangerine peel can be added.
Always Consult an Expert: Traditional Chinese medicine relies on matching the remedy to your specific condition, so work with a professional for the best results.

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Why Yue Ju Wan Matters

Yue Ju Wan has been trusted for centuries to relieve physical and emotional discomfort caused by stagnation. Its blend of herbs offers a natural way to restore balance, making it a valuable tool in both ancient and modern medicine. By understanding how it works, you can explore this time-tested remedy with confidence, under the guidance of a qualified practitioner.

Chinese Name	越鞠丸
Phonetic	Yue Ju Wan
English Name	Constraint-Resolving Pill
Classification	Qi-regulating formulas
Source	《Teachings of [Zhu] Dan-xi》Dan Xi Xin Fa《丹溪心法》
Combination	Cyperi Rhizoma (Xiang Fu) 6-9g, Chuanxiong Rhizoma (Chuan Xiong) 6-9g, Atractylodis Rhizoma (Cang Zhu) 6-9g, Gardeniae Fructus (Zhi Zi) 6-9g, Medicata Massa Fermentata (Shen Qu) 6-9g
Method	Grind all of the ingredients into powder. Form the powder into pills the size of a mung bean using water. (Modern use: Process into water pills. One dose is approximately six to nine grams, taken with warm water. It can also be prepared as a decoction.)
Action	Moves qi and resolves constraint.
Indication	Yue Ju Wan is indicated for the pattern of six constraints. The symptoms are chest oppression, epigastric and abdominal distention or pain, eructation with fetid odor, acid swallowing, nausea, vomiting, and indigestion.
Pathogenesis	Yue Ju Wan treats the pattern of six constraints: qi constraint, blood constraint, phlegm constraint, fire constraint, damp constraint, and food constraint. Of these, qi constraint is the major pathomechanism as qi is the root of human life. When qi movement is balanced and its perpetual circulation of ascending, descending, exiting, and entering is in order, the zang-fu organ functions can be regulated and the extremities and joints soothed. Irregular bouts of happiness and anger, excessive worry, being too hot or too cold, or an imbalanced diet can cause a qi movement disorder to develop into a disease. Qi stagnation can hinder blood circulation and lead to blood constraint. When qi stagnation affects the body fluid distribution, it leads to damp and phlegm constraint. When it affects the transformation and transportation of the spleen and the receiving of the stomach, it leads to food constraint. If qi constraint is not resolved, it will generate heat and transform into fire. All of the constraints follow qi constraint. Here, the six constraints are already established, so there is chest oppression, epigastric and abdominal pain and distention, acid swallowing, vomiting, and indigestion. Qi constraint is the primary pattern of this formula, yet qi constraint, blood constraint, fire constraint, damp constraint, phlegm constraint, and food stagnation are related with each other. The primary therapeutic principle is to move qi and resolve constraint. Resolving the other constraints is secondary. The smooth flow of qi promotes blood circulation and resolves phlegm, fire, damp, and food constraint simultaneously.
Application	1. Essential pattern differentiation Yue Ju Wan is the representative formula used to treat six constraints. This clinical pattern is marked by chest oppression, epigastric and abdominal pain and distention, indigestion. 2. Modern applications This formula may be used in the following biomedically defined disorders, when the patient shows signs of the six constraints pattern: gastric neurosis, gastric and duodenal ulcers, chronic gastritis, cholelithiasis, cholecystitis, hepatitis, intercostal neuralgia, women's dysmenorrhea, and irregular menstruation. 3. Cautions and contraindications Most of the medicinals in this formula are warm and dry with the action to move and disperse; therefore, it should be used cautiously in cases of yin deficiency.

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Yue Ju Wan: Your Guide to a Classic Stress-Relieving Herbal Formula

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中醫知識

Chinese Medicine - Qi

Blood and semen

Heart and lungs

Spleen and Liver

Kidney

Gallbladder, stomach, intestines, bladder

Interrelationships among the five internal organs

Other questions

Qi is the constantly moving subtle substance that constitutes the human body and maintains its vital activities.

There are three main sources of Qi in the human body: the innate essence inherited from parents, the essence of water and grain in food, and the pure Qi existing in nature.

Qi has many important physiological effects on the human body. The normal functioning of the internal organs, meridians, limbs, bones, five senses and nine orifices all depends on the physiological effects of Qi.

Generally speaking, the physiological effects of Qi include five aspects: promotion, warming, defense, consolidation, and qi transformation.

Yuan Qi is the most original Qi in the human body.

Yuan Qi is mainly composed of the essence of the kidneys and is generated from the essence of the kidneys.

The distribution of primordial energy is throughout the body, reaching everywhere. The internal organs, meridians, body parts, five senses and nine orifices are all places where primordial energy rises, falls, enters and exits.

The main physiological functions of Yuan Qi are twofold: one is to promote and stimulate the growth, development and reproduction of the human body. The other is to promote and stimulate the physiological activities of the internal organs and meridians.

If the kidneys are deficient in essence and energy due to congenital deficiency, postnatal malnutrition, or long-term illness, and the kidneys lack the source of vital energy, various diseases may occur.

Zong Qi is the Qi that accumulates in the chest. The place where Zong Qi accumulates is called "Tan Zhong" (between the two breasts). Because it is the place where Zong Qi is most concentrated, it is also called "Qi Hai".

Zong Qi is mainly composed of the fresh air from nature inhaled by the lungs and the essence of water and grain produced by the spleen and stomach from food.

The main functions of Zong Qi are twofold:

1. It is to walk the Xi Dao to control breathing. All breathing, speech, and voice are related to the Zong Qi. When the Zong Qi is abundant, the breathing is slow and the rhythm is even, the speech is clear and the voice is loud; otherwise, the breathing is short and the voice is low.

Second, it is to circulate Qi and blood through the heart meridians. All the beating of the heart and the circulation of Qi and blood are related to Zong Qi. If the pulse is gentle, the rhythm is consistent, and there is spirit and root, it is a manifestation of abundant Zong Qi. On the contrary, if the pulse is agitated, scattered, weak, or irregular, it means that the Zong Qi is insufficient or even weak.

Zhongqi refers to the Qi of the middle burner. Because the spleen and stomach are located in the middle burner, the Qi of the spleen and stomach is generally called "Zhongqi".

It is generally believed that the formation of Zhong Qi is formed by the combination of the Yuan Qi distributed in the Zhongjiao and the water and grain essence produced by the spleen and stomach.

The middle qi is mainly distributed in the middle burner, spreading between the spleen, stomach, and intestines, and it rises and falls, constantly mediating.

The main functions of Zhongqi include three aspects:

1. It controls the rise and fall of Qi. The middle burner is the hub of the rise and fall of Qi. When the middle Qi is abundant and harmonious, the Qi of the liver and spleen will rise healthily, and the Qi of the lungs and stomach will descend smoothly. When the rise and fall are smooth, all organs will be at peace.

Second, it stimulates the spleen and stomach to absorb and transport. When the middle qi is abundant, the spleen rises and the stomach descends normally, the water and grain are received and transported normally, and the essence of water and grain is continuously produced to generate qi and blood, nourishing the whole body.

Third, it maintains the position of the internal organs. The reason why the internal organs maintain their relatively constant position depends on the rise and fall of the qi of the middle jiao spleen and stomach.

Ying Qi, also known as "Rong Qi", is the Qi that flows in the veins.

The distribution and movement of Ying Qi are clearly discussed in Suwen Bi Lun, which points out that Ying Qi "harmonizes the five internal organs, flows through the six bowels, and then enters the meridians."

It explains that the nutrient energy enters the meridians, circulates throughout the body, flows into the internal organs, and reaches the limbs, repeating the cycle over and over again.

The main functions of Ying Qi:

1. It is the transformation of blood.

Second, it nourishes the whole body. The nourishing qi enters the blood vessels and causes the body fluids to penetrate into the blood vessels. The two combine to form blood.

The so-called Qi can produce blood, mainly refers to: Ying Qi transforms into blood. Ying Qi is produced by the refined part of the essence of grains, and is a nutrient necessary for physiological activities such as viscera and meridians, and plays an important role in maintaining human life activities.

The Inner Canon of Medicine states that the Nutritive Qi "harmonises the five internal organs, and spreads throughout the six bowels", "nourishes the four extremities", etc., which emphasizes that the Nutritive Qi has a nourishing effect.

Wei Qi is the Qi that circulates outside the veins. It is so called because it protects the skin and resists external pathogens.

The distribution of Wei Qi is fast, smooth and agile, and is not restricted by blood vessels, so it can "flow through the skin, between the flesh, fumigate the peritoneum, and spread to the chest and abdomen" (Suwen Bi Lun). This shows that Wei Qi spreads throughout the body, externally between the skin and muscles, and internally to the peritoneum of the chest and abdomen - the area inside the diaphragm of the chest cavity.

The main physiological functions of Wei Qi are three-fold:

First, it protects the skin and prevents the invasion of external pathogens. In clinical practice, if a patient is prone to colds and fever, the treatment is usually based on the theory that the Wei surface is not solid. The theoretical basis is here. Second, it warms the internal organs, muscles, fur, etc. Wei Qi has a strong warming effect. If Wei Yang is deficient, the warming power is weakened, and cold symptoms such as cold body, cold limbs and low body temperature may appear. If Wei Qi is stagnant and turns into heat, hot symptoms such as fever and malignant fever may appear.

Third, it regulates the opening and closing of pores and controls sweat excretion, which is what Lingshu Benzang says about the Wei Qi having the function of “controlling opening and closing”.

Yue Ju Wan: Your Guide to a Classic Stress-Relieving Herbal Formula

What’s in Yue Ju Wan?

How Yue Ju Wan Works

Modern Uses

How It Targets Stagnation

Things to Keep in Mind

Why Yue Ju Wan Matters

Related Posts

中醫知識

The concept of Qi

Vitality

Zong Qi

Middle Qi

Ying Qi

Health

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