Yi Guan Jian一贯煎
Linking Decoction
Ingredients6 herbs
Indications
Liver and Kidney yin deficiency with constrained Liver qi: the wood is too dry to bend, so restoring the fluid is what allows the qi to move again rather than forcing it.
Clinical Manifestations
- Chest and rib-side pain with a dry mouth
- Acid regurgitation and a bitter taste
- Chronic gastritis or hepatitis in a yin-deficient constitution
- Dry throat, dry eyes and dry stools
- Hernial or abdominal masses in a yin-deficient pattern
Health Categories
Modern Applications
Common adjustments
- Mouth bitter and parched — add a very small amount of wine-fried Huang Lian 黄连 — the author's own note on the formula
- Restless sleep from deficiency heat — add Suan Zao Ren 酸枣仁
- Marked dryness of mouth and stomach — add Shi Hu 石斛
- Pain prominent and cramping — add Bai Shao 白芍 to soften the Liver and relax the spasm
- Steaming-bone heat with night sweats — add Di Gu Pi 地骨皮
Contraindications
Not for someone carrying retained phlegm or thin mucus — a white greasy tongue coating and a deep wiry pulse mean the rich, cloying yin tonics will make the fullness and the heaviness worse. Chuan Lian Zi is classed as slightly toxic and has been associated with liver injury at high dose or on prolonged use, so this formula belongs in a supervised, time-limited prescription rather than open-ended self-care.
For licensed practitioners’ reference only — not a self-treatment guide.
Pregnancy
Use only under practitioner supervision in pregnancy. Nothing here is flatly contraindicated, but Chuan Lian Zi is a slightly toxic herb and Dang Gui moves blood, so this is not a formula to take unsupervised while pregnant.
References
Source Xu Ming Yi Lei An 《续名医类案》 · Qing
「口苦燥者，加酒炒川连一分至一分半。」
- Classical source (public domain), cited in the source-quote section.
2. Scheid, Bensky, Ellis & Barolet. Chinese Herbal Medicine: Formulas & Strategies, 2nd ed. — composition & dosage cross-checked.
3. 《方剂学》（全国中医药行业高等教育规划教材）— pattern analysis cross-checked.
Professional reference notice. Entries are scholarly references for licensed TCM practitioners and students — not medical advice, and not a recommendation to self-prescribe. Chinese herbal formulas should be used under the guidance of a qualified practitioner. Content is an original editorial compilation by Cura x Cura, cross-checked against the cited references.