Shān Zhā (山楂), known in English as Hawthorn fruit (Crataegus pinnatifida), is a warm, sour and sweet Chinese herb from the Relieve food stagnation category. It enters the Spleen, Stomach and Liver channels. Its main action: reduces food stagnation — especially meat and fatty foods.
| Pinyin | Shān Zhā (Shan Zha) |
|---|---|
| Chinese | 山楂 |
| English | Hawthorn fruit |
| Botanical name | Crataegus pinnatifida |
| Category | Relieve food stagnation |
| Nature | Warm |
| Flavour | Sour, Sweet |
| Channels | Spleen, Stomach, Liver |
| Dosage | 9–12g |
| Cautions | Excess stomach acid; Spleen deficiency without stagnation |
Actions
- Reduces food stagnation — especially meat and fatty foods
- Invigorates Blood, disperses stasis
- Stops diarrhoea (charred form)
Indications
- Meat and fat food stagnation
- Post-partum Blood stasis
- Amenorrhoea
- Hernial pain
- Hypertension (modern)
How to remember Shān Zhā
Relieve food stagnation herbs are mostly sweet, and most enter the Stomach and Spleen channels.
- You can work these out
- Sweet: like most Relieve food stagnation herbs
- Spleen channel: from its action “Stops diarrhoea”
- Stomach channel: from its action “Reduces food stagnation”
- Learn by heart
- Warm: Relieve food stagnation herbs vary in nature
- Sour: unusual for Relieve food stagnation herbs (most are sweet)
- Liver channel: nothing in its group or its actions points to it
Formulas containing Shān Zhā
Other Relieve food stagnation herbs
Test yourself
What is the nature and flavour of Shān Zhā?
Shān Zhā is warm and sour and sweet.
Which channels does Shān Zhā enter?
Shān Zhā enters the Spleen, Stomach and Liver channels.
What are the actions of Shān Zhā?
Reduces food stagnation — especially meat and fatty foods; Invigorates Blood, disperses stasis; Stops diarrhoea (charred form).
What is Shān Zhā used for?
Meat and fat food stagnation; post-partum Blood stasis; amenorrhoea; hernial pain; hypertension (modern).
Which formulas contain Shān Zhā?
Bǎo Hé Wán and Jiàn Pí Wán.
Practise Shān Zhā and the other 290 herbs
Recognise each herb from its picture, recall its nature, flavour, channels and actions, and review it again just before you would forget it.
Try the 5-question herb quizShen Study is a study tool. Doses and cautions are as taught in standard Chinese materia medica texts; they are not prescribing advice.