White atractylodes, the essence of the mountain

Bai Zhu reads “white Zhu”, as opposed to Cang Zhu, the grey-green Zhu. The oldest Chinese dictionary already called it “the mountain thistle”, Li Shizhen called it “the essence of the mountain”, and the Taoists “the Zhu of the immortals”. A saying sums up its place: “Zhu in the south, ginseng in the north; out of ten formulas, nine contain Zhu”. It is the rhizome of a perennial of the Asteraceae family, now almost extinct in the wild. Its reference terroir is Zhejiang, around Yuqian, whose Yu Zhu is one of the “eight plants of Zhejiang”.

Supplementing Earth to overcome Dampness

In Traditional Chinese Medicine, Bai Zhu is warm, with a sweet and bitter flavour. Sweetness supplements, bitterness dries, and warmth supports the Spleen Yang, which, tradition says, likes dryness and dreads Dampness. Its only two channels, the Spleen and Stomach, show its specialisation: all its work is done in the Middle. Tradition makes it the foremost plant for supplementing the Spleen Qi: it restores the Spleen’s ability to transport and transform food into Qi and Blood, and dries Dampness by strengthening the Spleen rather than by forcing water out. With poria, it forms the basic pair for the Spleen and Dampness.

Raw or prepared, and Cang Zhu

This page presents the raw rhizome. A classical text sets out the difference: raw, Bai Zhu expels Dampness and lets water flow; prepared, it harmonises the Middle and supplements the Qi. The raw rhizome keeps more essential oil, and with it a stronger power to dry Dampness; stir-frying with wheat bran tempers this drying character. Cang Zhu, its close neighbour, more pungent and harsher, sets the Spleen in motion where Bai Zhu supplements it. Bai Zhu is found in Si Jun Zi Tang, the basic Qi formula.

Key benefits

Strengthened Spleen & Supported Qi

Sweet and warm, atractylodes tones the Spleen and supports the Qi, of which the Spleen is the source according to Chinese tradition.

Digestion & a Moving Middle

By restoring the Spleen’s ability to transport and transform, it contributes to good digestion.

Dampness Dried & Lightness

Raw, it keeps all its essential oil and dries the Dampness that a weak Spleen lets accumulate.