Xiao Yao San — Free and Easy Wanderer

On this page

1. Overview
2. TCM pattern
3. Key herbs
4. Conditions treated
5. Cautions

Overview

Xiao Yao San — Free and Easy Wanderer — is almost certainly the most widely prescribed Chinese herbal formula in the world. Its name evokes the ideal state of free, unobstructed Qi flow — ease, freedom and emotional equilibrium — which is precisely what it restores when Liver Qi is constrained and Blood is insufficient. Dating to the Song Dynasty (c. 1078–1085 CE), it simultaneously spreads Liver Qi, tonifies Spleen Qi and nourishes Liver Blood, addressing the three aspects of the most prevalent TCM pattern seen in stressed, depleted patients in contemporary practice. When Heat signs are also present, the modified formula Jia Wei Xiao Yao San is used instead.

TCM pattern

Prescribed for Liver Qi stagnation with Spleen Qi deficiency and Blood deficiency, characterised by: emotional tension, irritability or frustration that fluctuates with emotional state, hypochondriac and breast distension, fatigue, poor appetite, loose stools, dizziness, a pale or slightly red tongue, and a wiry, thin pulse.

Key herbs

1. Chai Hu (Bupleurum chinense root) — the principal herb; spreads Liver Qi and releases emotional constraint
2. Dang Gui (Angelica sinensis root) — nourishes Liver Blood; essential in all Blood-deficient Liver Qi stagnation formulas
3. Bai Shao (Paeonia lactiflora root) — nourishes Liver Blood and Yin; softens the Liver; alleviates pain; balances Chai Hu’s ascending action
4. Bai Zhu (Atractylodes macrocephala rhizome) — tonifies Spleen Qi and dries Dampness
5. Fu Ling (Poria cocos) — tonifies Spleen Qi, resolves Dampness and calms the Heart-Mind
6. Zhi Gan Cao (honey-fried Glycyrrhiza root) — tonifies Qi, harmonises and moderates pain
7. Bo He (Mentha haplocalyx herb) — a small quantity disperses Liver constraint and clears the head
8. Sheng Jiang (fresh Zingiber officinale rhizome) — warms the Middle and assists the Spleen-tonifying herbs

Conditions treated

1. Stress and emotional tension — the formula’s most fundamental modern application
2. Depression with fatigue, poor appetite and emotional lability from Liver Qi stagnation
3. Premenstrual syndrome (PMS) with breast tenderness, irritability, mood swings and bloating
4. Irregular menstrual cycle and dysmenorrhoea from Liver Qi stagnation with Blood deficiency
5. IBS — particularly when combined with Tong Xie Yao Fang for the Liver-Spleen IBS pattern
6. Anxiety from Liver Qi stagnation with Blood deficiency — a systematic review of 14 RCTs confirmed its efficacy for anxiety disorders
7. Burnout in the early stages when Liver Qi stagnation and Blood deficiency predominate
8. Perimenopausal symptoms with irritability, mood swings and irregular cycles
9. Fertility support where Liver Qi stagnation and Blood deficiency disrupt ovulation and menstrual function

Cautions

Always consult a qualified Chinese herbalist registered with the Register of Chinese Herbal Medicine (RCHM). Online herbal consultations are available. See the prices page for costs.