Celestial Emperor's Blend
Tian wang bu xin dan
Kan Traditionals
Nourishes the Heart and Kidney Yin, tonifies Blood, calms the Spirit and clears Heat.
- Herb: Raw rehmannia root, Biota seed, Dong quai root, Ophiopogon tuber, Dry fried sour jujube seed, Chinese asparagus tuber, Schisandra fruit, Codonopsis root, Scrophularia root, Polygala root, Chinese salvia root and rhizome, Poria, Platycodon root
- Herb (Pinyin): Sheng di huang, Bai zi ren, Dang gui shen, Mai men dong, Chao suan zao ren, Tian men dong, Wu wei zi, Dang shen, Xuan shen, Yuan zhi, Dan shen, Fu ling, Jie geng
- Pattern: Heart and Kidney Yin deficiency, Heart Yin and Blood deficiency, Unsettled Shen
- Actions: Supplements Heart Yin, Nourish Heart and Kidney Yin, Calm Spirit (Shen), Nourish Blood, Nourish Blood and Yin, Clear Deficiency Heat
- Indications: Occasional fatigue, lethargy, Occasional night sweats, Occasional anxiety, depression, irritability, or agitation, Moist tonic ideal for supporting the natural aging process, Occasional nervous energy, insomnia, Dry mouth, flushed cheeks, Restlessness, Occasional palpitations and/or anxiety, Restlessness at night
- Contraindications: Use with caution during pregnancy.
- Tongue: Red with no coat.
- Pulse: Thin and rapid.
Celestial Emperor’s Blend is based on Emperor of Heaven’s Special Pill to Tonify the Heart (Tian Wang Bu Xin Dan), the classical formula for calming the Spirit (Shen) by nourishing Heart Blood and Yin. Heart Yin deficiency often arises from, or accompanies, Kidney Yin deficiency. Normally, the water of Kidney Yin ascends to cool and nourish the Heart. When Kidney Yin is insufficient, Heart Fire flares unchecked and deficiency Heat develops. The pattern has a root of deficiency with Heat at the branch. The formula addresses both: it enriches Yin, nourishes Blood, clears Heat and calms the Spirit. Because aging steadily depletes Kidney Yin and dries the body’s fluids, this richly Yin-nourishing formula is often regarded as a tonic for later life.
The Heart houses the Spirit and governs consciousness and mental activity, so the state of the Heart and its Blood shapes both thinking and emotion. The formula suits the person whose system “won’t switch off,” who runs on nervous energy or tends toward overthinking and rumination. Typical deficiency Heat signs include occasional night sweats, dry mouth, flushed cheeks and Heat in the five centers, along with occasional restlessness, irritability and difficulty concentrating.
Formula Composition
Raw Rehmannia root (Sheng Di Huang), the chief herb, makes up more than a quarter of the formula by weight. It strongly nourishes Kidney Yin and Blood, clears Heat and restores communication between the Kidney and Heart, settling the Spirit disturbed by Fire. Three deputies, Chinese asparagus tuber (Tian Men Dong), Ophiopogon tuber (Mai Men Dong) and Scrophularia root (Xuan Shen), enrich Yin and clear deficiency Heat, supporting the calming of the Spirit.
Chinese salvia root and rhizome (Dan Shen) and Dong quai root (Dang Gui) nourish the Blood to support the Heart without causing stasis. Codonopsis root (Dang Shen) replaces the Ginseng of the original formula. With Poria (Fu Ling), it tonifies Qi and strengthens the Spleen and Stomach. Biota seed (Bai Zi Ren) and Polygala root (Yuan Zhi) calm the Spirit, and Poria quiets the Heart. Schisandra fruit (Wu Wei Zi) and dry-fried Sour jujube seed (Suan Zao Ren) astringe, preventing the leakage of Heart Qi and Yin fluids. Platycodon root (Jie Geng), the envoy, carries the formula upward to the Heart.
Related Kan Formulas
- Peaceful Sleep: occasional sleeplessness from an unsettled Spirit and Heart Heat with underlying Blood deficiency.
- Rescue the Spirit: Phlegm misting the Heart orifice with underlying Qi, Blood and/or Yin deficiency.
- Zizyphus Sleep Formula: Liver and Heart Blood deficiency disturbing the Spirit.
For stronger Kidney Yin tonification, combine with Temper Fire from the Kan Herbals line or Rehmannia Six. To support and protect Spleen Qi, combine with Six Gentlemen or Shen Ling Spleen Support.
Origins and Development
Tian Wang Bu Xin Dan is recorded in Secret Investigations into Obtaining Health (She Sheng Mi Pou) by Hong Ji, 1638 A.D. Its name comes from a legend that the formula was revealed in a dream by the “Emperor of Heaven.”