Zhú Yè (竹叶), known in English as Bamboo leaf (Phyllostachys nigra), is a cold, sweet and bland Chinese herb from the Clear heat category. It enters the Heart, Small Intestine and Stomach channels. Its main action: clears Heat, eliminates irritability.
| Pinyin | Zhú Yè (Zhu Ye) |
|---|---|
| Chinese | 竹叶 |
| English | Bamboo leaf |
| Botanical name | Phyllostachys nigra |
| Category | Clear heat |
| Nature | Cold |
| Flavour | Sweet, Bland |
| Channels | Heart, Small Intestine, Stomach |
| Dosage | 6–12g |
| Cautions | Cold or deficiency patterns |
Actions
- Clears Heat, eliminates irritability
- Generates fluids, relieves thirst
- Promotes urination, clears Damp-Heat
Indications
- Febrile disease with thirst and irritability
- Heat in Ying level
- Hot dysuria
- Mouth ulcers from Heart Fire
How to remember Zhú Yè
Clear heat herbs are mostly cool or cold and bitter, and most enter the Stomach and Liver channels.
- You can work these out
- Cold, Stomach channel: like most Clear heat herbs
- Heart channel: from its use for “mouth ulcers from Heart Fire”
- Small Intestine channel: from its action “Promotes urination”
- Learn by heart
- Sweet: unusual for Clear heat herbs (most are bitter)
- Bland: unusual for Clear heat herbs (most are bitter)
Formulas containing Zhú Yè
Other Clear heat herbs
- Shí Gāo
- Zhī Mǔ
- Huáng Qín
- Huáng Lián
- Huáng Bǎi
- Lóng Dǎn Cǎo
- Zhī Zǐ
- Jīn Yín Huā
- Lián Qiào
- Pú Gōng Yīng
- Tiān Huā Fěn
- Lú Gēn
- Xià Kū Cǎo
- Jué Míng Zǐ
- Kǔ Shēn
- Qín Pí
- Bái Xiān Pí
- Zǐ Huā Dì Dīng
- Bái Huā Shé Shé Cǎo
- Bǎn Lán Gēn
- Tǔ Fú Líng
- Shè Gān
- Dì Gǔ Pí
- Qīng Hāo
- Yín Chái Hú
- Hú Huáng Lián
- Mǔ Dān Pí
- Chì Sháo
- Xuán Shēn
- Shuǐ Niú Jiǎo
- Bái Wēi
- Bái Tóu Wēng
- Bài Jiàng Cǎo
- Yú Xīng Cǎo
- Shān Dòu Gēn
- Mǎ Bó
- Yě Jú Huā
- Lǜ Dòu
- Hé Yè
Test yourself
What is the nature and flavour of Zhú Yè?
Zhú Yè is cold and sweet and bland.
Which channels does Zhú Yè enter?
Zhú Yè enters the Heart, Small Intestine and Stomach channels.
What are the actions of Zhú Yè?
Clears Heat, eliminates irritability; Generates fluids, relieves thirst; Promotes urination, clears Damp-Heat.
What is Zhú Yè used for?
Febrile disease with thirst and irritability; Heat in Ying level; hot dysuria; mouth ulcers from Heart Fire.
Which formulas contain Zhú Yè?
Yín Qiào Sǎn, Qīng Yíng Tāng and Dǎo Chì Sǎn.
Practise Zhú Yè 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.