Zao Xin Tu
N/A (not derived from a living organism; this is baked earth from a traditional wood-burning stove hearth)
โฏ TCM Properties
Warms the Middle Burner and stops bleeding; Warms the Middle Burner and Stops Vomiting; Stops Diarrhea; Warms the Middle Burner
Botanical Description
Zao Xin Tu (literally 'stove-heart earth'), also called Fu Long Gan, is the yellowish-brown to reddish-brown earthen material taken from the inner lining of traditional Chinese wood- or straw-burning cooking stoves, where it has been baked and hardened by years of continuous fire directly beneath the cooking pot. Chemically it consists largely of silicates and aluminum oxides with iron oxides and alkaline earth carbonates, modified by long heating. The material is pried from the stove, the charred outer surface scraped off, and the inner baked clay broken into chunks. In traditional Chinese medicine, Zao Xin Tu is acrid and warm, entering the spleen and stomach channels; it warms the middle burner, harmonizes the stomach, stops vomiting and bleeding, used particularly for cold-pattern vomiting in pregnancy, chronic diarrhea from spleen deficiency, and bleeding from the upper or lower digestive tract due to deficiency cold. It is typically decocted first, with the strained liquid used to cook other herbs.
Dosage
| Form | Amount | Frequency | Duration | Population | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| decoction | 6-15g | Daily | โ | โ | โ |
Cultural & Historical Context
Traditional Chinese Uses
Zao Xin Tu (baked clay from cooking stoves, terra flava usta) is a warm, astringent substance historically prepared from the heated earth of traditional clay cooking stoves. It warms the middle burner and stops vomiting, nausea, and diarrhea from Spleen-Stomach cold and deficiency. It also stops bleeding โ particularly uterine hemorrhage โ by warming the Spleen and consolidating the middle. It bridges the traditional gap between food-as-medicine and formal herbal therapy.
Traditional American Uses
None Documented
Important Disclaimer
This information is for educational purposes only and is not intended to replace professional medical advice. Always consult a qualified healthcare provider before using any herbal remedy, especially if you are pregnant, nursing, or taking medications.