The "warm yang" companion to Liuwei Dihuang Wan, the same six-ingredient base with cinnamon and aconite added, generally understood as a milder warming option than the more potent Jin Gui Shen Qi Wan.
Cultural reference - how this formula has been discussed in Chinese medical tradition. Not medical advice.
Background & origin
Finalized in the Song dynasty "Formulary of the Bureau of Medicine" (《太平惠民和剂局方》) as the "mildly warming" version of the Six Flavor Rehmanni. In Japan it is sold as Keibushi-jiogan (桂附地黄丸) by Tsumura and Kracie as a gentler alternative to Hachimijiogan. In Korea it appears as Gyebu-jihwang-hwan (계부지황환) in the Hanpung hanbang line. The distinction from Jin Gui Shen Qi Wan is subtle: Gui Fu Di Huang Wan is generally formulated as a milder daily tonic, while Jin Gui Shen Qi Wan is positioned for more pronounced yang deficiency.
From the source text
This page is cultural documentation, not medical advice.
From the source text · 卷五·治诸虚·八味丸
Classical text
肾气虚乏，下元冷惫，脐腹疼痛，夜多旋溺，脚膝缓弱，肢体倦怠，面色黧黑，不思饮食。
Modern Chinese rendering
用于肾气不足、下元虚冷所致的脐腹疼痛、夜尿频多、脚膝软弱无力、肢体倦怠、面色晦暗、不思饮食。
Editorial translation
Used in the pattern of depleted kidney qi with cold settling in the lower origin: pain around the navel and lower abdomen, frequent nighttime urination, weakness and heaviness in the lower limbs, fatigue of the body, a dull-blackish complexion, and poor appetite.
In tradition
In TCM tradition, associated with milder "kidney yang deficiency" patterns than the more intense Jin Gui Shen Qi Wan presentation: cold limbs (especially in winter), lower back soreness, mild fatigue, frequent nighttime urination, and a generally "depleted but cold" feeling. It is often the warming tonic that middle-aged and older Chinese patients reach for before considering the more dramatic warming options.
Formula composition
Monarch1
- Rehmannia root, cooked (Shú Dì Huáng / 熟地黄)
Minister4
- Cornus fruit (Shān Zhū Yú / 山茱萸)
- Chinese yam (Shān Yào / 山药)
- Cinnamon bark (Ròu Guì / 肉桂)
- Aconite root, processed (Fù Zǐ / 附子)
Assistant3
- Moutan tree bark (Mǔ Dān Pí / 牡丹皮)
- Poria (Fú Líng / 茯苓)
- Alisma rhizome (Zé Xiè / 泽泻)
International availability
Cautions & context
- Aconite (Fù Zǐ / 附子) is a "toxic" herb in Chinese pharmacopoeia, the processed form used in pharmacy is safe at standard doses, but overdose can cause cardiac arrhythmia.
- Considered inappropriate during a common cold, fever, or active digestive upset in TCM framing, the formula is "warming and tonifying" and may "trap" external pathogens.
- People with what TCM describes as "yin deficiency with fire" (night sweats, dry mouth, heat in the palms) are typically advised to use Liuwei Dihuang Wan instead.
- Pregnant or breastfeeding people should consult a qualified practitioner before use.
Related formulas
Other formulas from this text· "Formulary of the Bureau of Medicine"
Other formulas by this contributor· Imperial Medical Bureau (Song)
Related concerns
Concern · stress
Stress & Mood
Everyday tension, low mood, irritability, the sense of being "wound up but tired". The cluster of complaints that brings many Chinese adults to the family 中成药 drawer before they ever see a doctor.
Concern · immune
Immune Support
The everyday language of "wanting to stay well", a sense of being run down, the change of seasons, occasional mouth ulcers, the slow recovery after a cold.
Editorial note
Compiled from "Formulary of the Bureau of Medicine" (1078).
Last reviewed: July 18, 2026
Three layers of evidence
Classical source
≈ 900 years · "Formulary of the Bureau of Medicine" (1078)
Pharmacopoeia indication
"Warm and tonify kidney yang. Used for kidney yang deficiency: soreness and cold sensation in the lower back and knees, edema of the limbs, dysuria or polyuria, and phlegm-fluid cough with wheeze."
Modern research status
No systematic review on Guifu Dihuang Wan was identified in the PubMed database as of 2026-06-28.
References
References reviewed on July 18, 2026 · PubMed search on 2026-07-18
- 01ClassicalChen Shiwen (陈师文) et al. (eds.), 《太平惠民和剂局方》 (Tài Píng Huì Mín Hé Jì Jú Fāng / Formulary of the Bureau of Medicine), Song dynasty, compiled 1078, vol. 5, the "miscellaneous deficiency" (治诸虚) section, the entry for Bā Wèi Wán (Eight-Ingredient Pills / Guì Fù Dì Huáng Wán in its modern name) being the canonical early form of the cinnamon-and-aconite Rehmannia formula.
- 02TextbookDuan Fuqin (段富津) et al. (eds.), 《方剂学》 (Fāngjìxué / Textbook of Formulas), Shanghai Scientific and Technical Publishers, 1995, the standard modern university-level formula textbook in mainland China, with Guì Fù Dì Huáng Wán analysed as the "warm and tonify kidney yang" representative formula combining the Liuwei Dihuang base with cinnamon (Ròu Guì) and processed aconite (Fù Zǐ) for the "kidney yang deficiency" pattern.
- 03PharmacopoeiaChinese Pharmacopoeia Commission, 《中华人民共和国药典》 2020 年版一部 (Zhōnghuá Rénmín Gònghéguó Yàodiǎn, Pharmacopoeia of the People's Republic of China, 2020 Edition, Vol. I), China Medical Science Press, 2020, the official monograph for Guì Fù Dì Huáng Wán dosage forms, with the "functional indications" reading "温补肾阳" (warm and tonify kidney yang).