Dried Ginger (Gan Jiang) in Traditional Chinese Medicine

/ Functional Medicine/

Dried Ginger (Gan Jiang)

Editor: Li Jingbai Proofreader: Li Zhenyun

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Dried Ginger (Gan Jiang)

Dried Ginger (Gan Jiang) warms the middle, stops diarrhea, and controls bleeding. It consolidates the lungs to disperse water qi, treating water qi—excess moisture in the organ tissues.Dried Ginger is a strongly warming herb, enhancing function and aiding self-regulation. It is not a tonic for deficiency but rather stops excessive bowel movements, calming the intestines during vigorous activity. The nature of Dried Ginger is stabilizing and astringent, capable of calming the hyperactive intestines.Dried Ginger stops diarrhea; excessive diarrhea can lead to the loss of yin. Frequent bowel movements result in significant fluid loss, quickly diminishing physical strength and reducing or eliminating the body’s ability to resist pathogens. Dried Ginger decreases the frequency of bowel movements.Whenever Dried Ginger is used, it serves to stop diarrhea and calm intestinal peristalsis. The warming property of Dried Ginger is consistent. In cases of cold dysentery with low body temperature and poor digestion, and a slow, deep pulse, Dried Ginger can be added.Dried Ginger is used because of diarrhea, which occurs due to water qi in the colon. Abdominal rumbling indicates small intestine spasms. When there is water qi in the intestines (small intestine or colon), Dried Ginger is indicated.Dried Ginger, Schisandra (Wu Wei Zi), and Asarum (Xi Xin) treat water qi in the organ tissues, expelling moisture from the tissues, not from the fluids. If there is water in the blood that cannot be metabolized, Dried Ginger and Asarum are ineffective; only Poria (Fu Ling) can be used. Dried Ginger and Schisandra do not promote urination; they facilitate absorption and metabolism. The action of expelling water qi differs from that of Poria and Ze Xie.Dried Ginger, Schisandra, Asarum, and Pinellia (Ban Xia) are all herbs that expel water qi. However, their action sites differ: Pinellia primarily affects the stomach, Dried Ginger and Schisandra focus on the intestines, and Asarum targets the lungs. Therefore, regardless of where the water qi is located (whether in the heart, lungs, or intestines), these herbs share a similar expelling action.Fresh Ginger (Sheng Jiang) and Dried Ginger have different effects: Fresh Ginger acts in the stomach, while Dried Ginger takes effect in the intestines after passing through the stomach. Dried Ginger can also prepare Pinellia.In the Xiao Feng Tang formula, Huang Qin (Scutellaria), Huang Lian (Coptis), and Dried Ginger are used together, balancing cold and heat.Da Huang (Rhubarb) should not be used with Dried Ginger, as it is inappropriate. Da Huang promotes bowel movements, while Dried Ginger stops diarrhea. One stimulates intestinal peristalsis, while the other calms it, making their actions opposite.Dried Ginger can be used to stop upper gastrointestinal bleeding, often in the form of Dried Ginger charcoal.