Stems and woodsPhlegm-resolvingBambusae Caulis in Taenia

Zhu Ru (Bamboo Shavings)

A practical guide to Zhu Ru: what it is, how Traditional Chinese Medicine uses it, the classical formulas it appears in, and who should be careful with it.

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Last reviewed Oct 13, 2026

Quick Facts

Latin NameBambusae Caulis in Taenia
Chinese Name & Pinyin 竹茹 · Zhu Ru
Medicinal PartStems and woods
The herbZhu Ru is the dried middle layer of the bamboo stems above. Zhu Ye and Dan Zhu Ye are leaves. Ban Xia is a different official drug. Common forms: raw and ginger-fried.
Nature and channelsSweet, slightly cold. Enters the Lung, Stomach, Heart, and Gallbladder. Sweet slight cold clears heat, transforms phlegm, eliminates vexation, and stops vomiting.
Pharmacopoeia lineClears heat and transforms phlegm. Eliminates vexation. Stops vomiting. Used for phlegm-heat cough, Gallbladder fire with phlegm, fright and restlessness, vexation and insomnia, wind-stroke with phlegm clouding, stiff tongue and loss of speech, Stomach-heat vomiting, vomiting in pregnancy, and fetal heat.
Pattern cuesPhlegm-heat cough. Stomach-heat vomiting. Vexation and insomnia. Fright palpitations. Red tongue with yellow coating.
In this articleZhu Ru versus Zhu Ye, Dan Zhu Ye, and Ban Xia. Raw versus ginger-fried. Why a cold middle should skip it. Why pregnancy vomiting needs a clinic. Who should skip it.

What Is Zhu Ru?

Zhu Ru (竹茹; Zhú Rú; Latin: Bambusae Caulis in Taeniam; English: bamboo shavings) is the dried middle layer of the stem of Bambusa tuldoides Munro, Sinocalamus beecheyanus var. pubescens, or henon bamboo. In Chinese medicine it is a heat-clearing, phlegm-transforming herb. It is sweet and slightly cold, enters the Lung, Stomach, Heart, and Gallbladder channels, and its core actions are to clear heat and transform phlegm, eliminate vexation, and stop vomiting. Ginger-fried Zhu Ru is used more to stop vomiting. It is not Zhu Ye. Bamboo leaf is sweet, bland, and cold. It clears heat, eliminates vexation, generates fluids, and promotes urine. Transforming phlegm is not its main work. It is not Ban Xia. Pinellia is acrid-warm and toxic. It dries dampness, transforms phlegm, and directs rebellion down to stop vomiting, and must be processed. Zhu Ru is sweet and slightly cold. It clears Stomach heat and eliminates vexation. Backyard bamboo shavings are not the official piece. A cold weak spleen and thin mucus that will not transform are a poor match. Vomiting in pregnancy needs a practitioner.

It is used most often for three patterns:

  • Phlegm-heat cough — sticky yellow sputum
  • Stomach-heat vomiting, vomiting in pregnancy — pregnancy vomiting needs a clinic
  • Gallbladder fire with phlegm — vexation, insomnia, fright palpitations

The usual decoction dose is 5–10 g. Sweet and slightly cold, it is not a daily “nausea shaving tea.” Vomiting with no heat, and thin white sputum, get worse if more cooling is added.

When phlegm-heat or Stomach heat rebels, yellow-sputum cough, vomiting, and vexation are common. Zhu Ru is sweet-cold. It clears, transforms phlegm, and stops vomiting, which is why it appears in Wen Dan Tang–type formulas. It clears and descends more than it warms. An abdomen that likes warmth and loose stools loosen further if more cooling is added.

Zhu Ru is not a catch-all phlegm or vomiting shaving. In deficiency-cold vomiting or cold thin-mucus wheeze, using it alone can cool and injure the middle. Raw or ginger-fried should be decided by a licensed Chinese medicine practitioner after pattern diagnosis.

Zhu Ru Bamboo Shavings

Zhu Ru: Materia Medica Profile

Identification & Quality Standard

Bambusae Caulis in Taenia

Botanical Origin

The dried center layer of the stem of Bambusa tuldoides Munro, Sinocalamus beecheyanus (Munro) Mc-Clure var. pubescens P. F. Li, Phyllostachys nigra (Lodd.) Munro var. henonis (Mitf.) Stapf ex Rendle.(Poaceae)

Production Regions

Primarily produced in the central southern, eastern, and southwestern regions of China.

Quality Requirements

Superior medicinal material has dry body, yellowish-green color, even strips, soft texture.

Macroscopic Features

Irregular silk-like strips or thin flat slices, often rolled and wrinkled into clusters or bundles, uneven length, 0.5~0.7cm wide, 0.3~0.5cm thick. Whole body is pale yellowish-white, pale green, greenish-yellow, grayish-yellow, or grayish-green-yellow, yellow, pliable, and flexible. Slightly clear aromatic odor, slightly sweet taste.

Authentic Origins and Quality Check

Traditionally, the highest quality bamboo shavings come from provinces like Zhejiang, Jiangsu, and Sichuan. Here is how to spot the good stuff:

  • Appearance: High-quality raw Zhu Ru (Bamboo Shavings) looks like curly, fluffy threads. It should be light yellow-green, bouncy, and lightweight.
  • Scent: It should have a clean, faint bamboo fragrance. Jiang Zhu Ru (Ginger Bamboo Shavings) will be slightly darker with a mild, spicy ginger aroma.
  • What to Avoid: Watch out for stiff, hard shavings (usually scraped too deep into the wood) or anything that smells damp, sour, or moldy.

Traditional Properties & Historical Lineage

Nature, Flavour & Channel Tropism

Sweet; Slightly coldLungStomachHeartGallbladder

1. Historical Records

This herb has a long history in classic TCM literature:

  • Ming Yi Bie Lu: Noted its ability to calm nausea, vomiting, and certain types of bleeding.
  • Xin Xiu Ben Cao: Highlighted its use for fever-induced restlessness and pediatric fevers.
  • Ben Cao Gang Mu: Further expanded its uses, noting it clears phlegm-heat, soothes restlessness, and calms a disturbed stomach.
  • De Pei Ben Cao: Provided practical pairing advice, like mixing it with fresh ginger for stomach heat, or with Mai Dong (Ophiopogon Tuber) for insomnia caused by internal heat.

2. Evolution of TCM Understanding

Over the centuries, the focus on Zhu Ru (Bamboo Shavings) shifted slightly. Early doctors valued it for bleeding and downward energy regulation. By the Ming Dynasty, experts like Li Shizhen emphasized its power to clear "phlegm-heat"—making it a go-to for hot, sticky coughs and irritability.

  • A Word of Caution: TCM is all about balance. While it stops vomiting, ancient doctors warned that if your nausea is caused by stomach cold, you shouldn't use this cool herb by itself; it needs to be paired with warming herbs to work safely.

Zhu Ru Bamboo Shavings

Core Efficacies & Traditional Applications

Traditional Functions

Clears heat, transform phlegm, eliminates vexation, stops vomiting. Apply to phlegm-heat cough, cholic fire with phlegm, feverish dysphoria and vomiting, shock and insomnia, aphasia with stiff tongue, vomiting due to gastric heat, morning sickness and restless fetus.

1. Main Focus: Clearing Heat and Resolving Phlegm

  • What it does: One of the main traditional uses of Zhu Ru (Bamboo Shavings) is clearing "heat-phlegm." This refers to clearing out the sticky, thick, and yellow mucus that forms when heat gets trapped in the body.
  • When it is used: It is commonly used for "phlegm-heat in the lungs." Symptoms include a frequent cough, stubborn yellow phlegm, a stuffy chest, dry mouth, and a yellow, greasy tongue coating. This often happens in dry autumns/winters or after eating too much spicy and greasy food.
  • Common Pairings: It is often paired with Huang Qin (Baicalin Scutellaria) and Gua Lou (Trichosanthes Fruit) to enhance the heat-clearing effect. For heavy coughing, herbs like Xing Ren (Apricot Seed) and Jie Geng (Platycodon Root) are added to help open the lungs and expel phlegm.
  • When to Avoid: Do not use it on your own if your cough is caused by cold or damp phlegm (symptoms include clear or white watery mucus, feeling chilly, and a white tongue coating). Because Zhu Ru (Bamboo Shavings) is slightly cold, it could make cold symptoms worse.

2. Second Focus: Relieving Restlessness and Stopping Vomiting

  • What it does: It effectively clears the restlessness and anxiety caused by trapped heat. It also stops nausea and vomiting caused by "rebellious" stomach energy moving upwards instead of downwards.
  • When it is used: It is a go-to for "stomach heat" vomiting (frequent nausea, sour-smelling vomit, heartburn, and a dry mouth). It is also used when "gallbladder fire" disturbs the mind, causing irritability, insomnia, dizziness, and a bitter taste in the mouth. It can even be used for certain types of morning sickness caused by heat.
  • Common Pairings: For stomach heat vomiting, it is paired with Huang Lian (Coptis Rhizome) and Sheng Jiang (Fresh Ginger). For insomnia and restlessness, it is mixed with Zhi Zi (Cape Jasmine Fruit) and Dan Dou Chi (Prepared Soybean). For morning sickness, gentle herbs like Chen Pi (Tangerine Peel) and Sha Ren (Amomum Fruit) are added to protect the stomach.
  • When to Avoid: Avoid using it alone if your vomiting is due to a cold and weak stomach (symptoms include watery vomit, feeling cold in the stomach, cold hands and feet). People with chronic diarrhea or a very weak constitution should also avoid using it by itself.

3. Common Herb Pair: The Dynamic Duo

Zhu Ru (Bamboo Shavings) and Sheng Jiang (Fresh Ginger) are a classic pairing.

  • Sheng Jiang (Fresh Ginger) is warm and stops vomiting, while Zhu Ru (Bamboo Shavings) is cooling and clears stomach heat.
  • Together: The ginger prevents the bamboo shavings from making the stomach too cold, and the bamboo prevents the ginger from adding too much heat. This perfect balance is ideal for nausea caused by a mix of stomach heat and mild coldness (like feeling nauseous and heartburn after a bad meal, but still having a sensitive stomach). Always consult a TCM practitioner for the right balance.

Zhu Ru Bamboo Shavings

Modern Research

Modern research offers useful context, but Traditional Chinese Medicine prescribes on whole-pattern diagnosis rather than isolated compounds.

1. Main Chemical Components

Modern science has identified several compounds in Zhu Ru (Bamboo Shavings), including flavonoids, polysaccharides, and a tiny amount of volatile oils (which give it that fresh scent).

  • In lab settings, some extracts have shown mild antibacterial properties, and animal studies suggest it might help reduce coughing. However, it is important to remember that these are isolated lab results and don't directly guarantee the same effects in everyday human use.

2. Current Research Focus

Today, scientists are exploring a few key areas, though keeping the research relatively simple:

  • Digestion: Checking if it helps soothe gastrointestinal spasms and regulates digestion.
  • Respiration: Looking at how it might thin out mucus, making phlegm easier to cough up.
  • Nervous System: Exploring its traditional use for calming the mind and reducing anxiety or restlessness.

3. Limitations of Modern Studies

While the science is interesting, we need to view it with a critical eye:

  • Lab vs. Real Life: Test tubes and animal models (like mice) operate very differently from the human body.
  • Extracts vs. Whole Herbs: Lab researchers use highly purified, concentrated chemicals. This is completely different from brewing a traditional cup of herbal tea.
  • Dosage Disconnect: The massive doses used in animal studies do not match the gentle, balanced amounts used in traditional cooking or TCM prescriptions.
  • The Big Picture: TCM believes an herb works because of the complex synergy of all its parts working together, not just one isolated active ingredient.

Zhu Ru Bamboo Shavings

Comparing Similar Herbs

1. What They Have in Common

Let's compare it with Pi Pa Ye (Loquat Leaf):

  • Both are great at stopping vomiting and easing upward-rebellious stomach energy.
  • Both treat heat or phlegm in the stomach.
  • Both are gentle enough to be used in similar dietary therapies or light home remedies for nausea.

2. Core Differences

  • Nature and Flavor: Zhu Ru (Bamboo Shavings) is mild, slightly cold, and sweet/bland. Pi Pa Ye (Loquat Leaf) is also slightly cold but has a bitter taste, giving it a stronger "draining" and cooling effect.
  • Main Strengths: Zhu Ru (Bamboo Shavings) is better at clearing restlessness and calming the mind alongside stomach heat. Pi Pa Ye (Loquat Leaf) is much stronger at stopping coughs and wheezing caused by lung heat.
  • Target Symptoms: Choose Zhu Ru (Bamboo Shavings) if your stomach heat/nausea is paired with insomnia or irritability. Choose Pi Pa Ye (Loquat Leaf) if your primary issue is a frequent cough with only mild nausea.
  • Contraindications: Because Pi Pa Ye (Loquat Leaf) is bitter and draining, it is even harsher on a cold stomach than Zhu Ru (Bamboo Shavings). Neither should be used alone for cold stomachs.

3. The One-Sentence Summary

In short: Zhu Ru (Bamboo Shavings) is best for clearing heat, calming restlessness, and stopping vomiting, while Pi Pa Ye (Loquat Leaf) is best for clearing the lungs, stopping coughs, and soothing the stomach.

Zhu Ru Bamboo Shavings

Classical Formulas Containing Zhu Ru

Formulas vs. Single Herbs

  • Synergy is Key: A formula is a balanced team. The healing power comes from how the herbs interact, so a single herb cannot simply replicate a full formula's effects.
  • Holistic Balance: The exact dosage and combination in a formula affect the entire body. Never try to mix or alter these formulas at home based on internet articles.

Diet & Daily Home Use

1. Home Recipes and Teas

A safe and gentle home remedy is Zhu Ru and Reed Rhizome Tea.

  • Ingredients: 5g Zhu Ru (Bamboo Shavings), 10g Lu Gen (Reed Rhizome), 2 slices of Sheng Jiang (Fresh Ginger).
  • How to make: Rinse all ingredients, place in a teapot, add boiling water, and steep for 15 minutes. You can refill with hot water until the taste fades.
  • When to use: Great for mild heartburn, nausea, irritability, or dry mouth after eating spicy food or during hot weather.
  • Avoid if: You have a cold stomach, cold hands/feet, or severe early pregnancy vomiting.
  • Frequency: Drink 1 cup, 2 to 3 times a week. Do not drink it continuously long-term. Note: Always buy properly processed herbs from a pharmacy; do not use fresh bamboo bark from your yard.

2. Preparation and Brewing

  • Raw vs. Processed: Raw Zhu Ru (Bamboo Shavings) is slightly cold and best for obvious heat symptoms. Jiang Zhu Ru (Ginger-fried Bamboo Shavings) is fried with ginger juice; it is warmer and better for sensitive stomachs or vomiting with mixed cold/heat symptoms.
  • How to Brew at Home: It is very light and won't stick to the pot. Soak it with your other herbs for 30 minutes, add enough water to cover the herbs by an inch, bring to a boil, and then simmer on low heat for 20 minutes.
  • Dose Conversion: A clinical dose is usually around 10g, but a dietary tea dose is only 5g. Do not use clinical doses for daily teas.

3. Dosage and Duration

  • Standard Dose: 5 to 10 grams in traditional formulas.
  • Duration: Do not use it continuously for long periods. Stop after 7 days or as soon as your symptoms disappear. Pregnant women, children, and those with liver/kidney issues must consult a doctor for exact dosages.
Zhu Ru Bamboo Shavings

Contraindications & Safety Warnings

1. Who Should Avoid It

  • People with Cold Spleen/Stomach: If you frequently have a cold stomach, cold hands/feet, loose stools, or throw up clear fluids, do not use this.
  • Pregnant and Nursing Women: Only use under a doctor's strict guidance to ensure it matches your body's current state.
  • Children and the Elderly: Their digestive systems are more fragile; dosages must be adjusted by a professional.
  • Allergy Sufferers: If you are allergic to grass or bamboo plants, avoid this herb.

2. Herb Interactions and Diet

  • Herb Interactions: Because it is cooling, it might weaken the effects of warming or tonifying herbs. If you are taking fast-absorbing Western medications, take them 1 to 2 hours apart from the herbal tea to avoid absorption issues.
  • Dietary Rules: While taking Zhu Ru (Bamboo Shavings), avoid eating lots of raw, cold, spicy, or greasy foods. These foods burden the stomach and can block the herb from working properly.

3. Side Effects and Overdose Risks

  • Side Effects: Unpleasant reactions are rare, but taking too much—or taking it for too long—can cause mild stomach pain, bloating, or loose stools, especially if you naturally have a weak stomach.
  • When to Stop: If you experience any allergic reactions (rashes, itching, breathing difficulty), worsening vomiting, or sudden severe discomfort, stop taking it immediately and see a doctor. Do not try to treat severe side effects at home.

Frequently Asked Questions About Zhu Ru

What is Zhu Ru? Are Zhu Ye, Dan Zhu Ye and Tian Zhu Huang the same?
Official Zhu Ru (竹茹) is the dried middle layer of the stem of Bambusa tuldoides, Sinocalamus beecheyanus var. pubescens, or Phyllostachys nigra var. henonis. The pharmacopoeial name is Bambusae Caulis in Taenias. Scraped threads are called loose shavings; sliced strips are called even shavings. Zhu Ye is sweet-bland and cold: clears heat, eliminates vexation, generates fluid and promotes urination. Dan Zhu Ye is the lophatherum herb, not a bamboo stem. Tian Zhu Huang is sweet-cold: clears heat, sweeps phlegm, cools the Heart and settles fright; it is the block-like secretion in the bamboo node. Write Zhu Ru. Use caution in cold phlegm and Stomach cold.
What are the TCM properties and traditional uses of Zhu Ru?
According to the Chinese Pharmacopoeia, Zhu Ru is sweet and slightly cold, enters the Lung, Stomach, Heart and Gallbladder channels, and acts to clear heat, transform phlegm, eliminate vexation and stop vomiting. It is used for phlegm-heat cough, Gallbladder fire with phlegm, restlessness and palpitations, vexation and insomnia, wind-stroke with phlegm confounding and stiff tongue, Stomach-heat vomiting, morning sickness, and a restless fetus. Sweet and slightly cold, it suits phlegm-heat and Stomach-heat vomiting—not cold-phlegm cough, Stomach-cold counterflow, or Spleen-vacuity diarrhea.
How do you choose raw versus ginger-processed Zhu Ru? Can Zhu Ye replace it?
Raw shavings clear heat, transform phlegm and eliminate vexation more strongly. Ginger-processed shavings are fried yellow with ginger juice and harmonize the Stomach to stop vomiting; they are relatively better when the Stomach tends to be cold, still after pattern differentiation. Bamboo leaf leans to clearing heat and promoting urination; it cannot replace stopping vomiting by equal weight. Commercial bamboo-shaving tea is not equal-weight pieces.
What is the usual dosage? Can it be drunk daily as an anti-vomiting tea?
The pharmacopoeial decoction dose is 5–10 g. It is not a four-season “bamboo-shaving anti-vomiting tea.” Stomach cold only vomits further as it cools. Vomiting needs a practitioner to name a short course; it does not replace pregnancy and digestive assessment.
What are the contraindications? Can it be used in pregnancy?
Unsuitable in cold-phlegm cough, Stomach-cold counterflow vomiting, and Spleen-vacuity diarrhea. Morning sickness needs a practitioner’s assessment; do not stop vomiting on your own. Stop if diarrhea or worsening vomiting appears. Vomiting blood, severe abdominal pain, and inability to eat need medical care.
Can Zhu Ru clear heat, transform phlegm, eliminate vexation and stop vomiting?
It can help Stomach-heat vomiting and phlegm-heat cough. Stomach vacuity with heat and hiccup joins tangerine peel, ginseng, fresh ginger, licorice and jujube in Ju Pi Zhu Ru Tang. It clears heat, transforms phlegm, eliminates vexation and stops vomiting—not a specific for every vomiting or every insomnia.
Can Zhu Ru be drunk daily as a vomiting, phlegm or calm tea?
Phlegm-heat and Stomach heat may enter a short formula; Stomach cold only vomits further as it cools. “Bamboo shavings must stop morning sickness” does not replace obstetric assessment. Clearing heat, transforming phlegm, eliminating vexation and stopping vomiting should name 5–10 g, raw or ginger-processed.
How do you choose among Zhu Ru, Zhu Ye, Ban Xia, Chen Pi and Huang Lian?
Bamboo shavings are sweet and slightly cold: clear heat, transform phlegm, eliminate vexation and stop vomiting—phlegm-heat and Stomach-heat vomiting. Bamboo leaf is sweet-bland and cold: clears heat, eliminates vexation, generates fluid and promotes urination—vexing thirst in heat disease. Pinellia is acrid-warm: dries dampness, transforms phlegm and directs counterflow downward to stop vomiting—cold-fluid vomiting; it is toxic and must be processed. Tangerine peel is acrid-bitter and warm: regulates qi, fortifies the Spleen, dries dampness and transforms phlegm—qi stagnation with damp obstruction. Coptis is bitter-cold: clears heat, dries dampness, drains fire and resolves toxin—more marked Stomach heat. Stomach-heat hiccup favors Zhu Ru (Ju Pi Zhu Ru Tang); vexing thirst favors Zhu Ye; cold-fluid vomiting favors ginger pinellia; qi stagnation with phlegm-damp favors Chen Pi; marked Stomach fire favors Huang Lian. They may be paired; Stomach cold forbids large Zhu Ru and Huang Lian.
Which herbs is Zhu Ru combined with? What are the representative formulas?
Stomach vacuity with heat and hiccup joins tangerine peel, ginseng, fresh ginger, licorice and jujube in Ju Pi Zhu Ru Tang. Phlegm-heat may join coptis and pinellia after pattern differentiation. Write Zhu Ru 5–10 g, raw or ginger-processed; do not replace stopping vomiting with bamboo leaf by equal weight.
How do you choose and store Zhu Ru?
Choose threads or thin slices, pale green or yellow-green, light and pliable, with a faint odor and a bland taste. Ginger-processed pieces are yellow. Moldy, moth-eaten, blackened or dirty lots are discarded. Store dry against mold and moths. Buy pharmacopoeial Zhu Ru; do not replace clearing heat, transforming phlegm, eliminating vexation and stopping vomiting with bamboo leaf or tabasheer by equal weight.

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Medical Disclaimer — This article is provided for educational purposes only and describes traditional Chinese medicine concepts. It is not medical advice, and it is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. Always consult a qualified practitioner before using any herb, particularly if you are pregnant, nursing, taking medication or managing a diagnosed condition.

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Zhu Ru (Bamboo Shavings): Clear Heat, Transform Phlegm, and Stop Vomiting