Whole herbsHemostaticCirsii Japonici Herba

Da Ji (Japanese Thistle)

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

View Herb Profile →

Last reviewed Oct 29, 2026

Quick Facts

Latin Name	Cirsii Japonici Herba
Chinese Name & Pinyin	大薊 · Da Ji
Medicinal Part	Whole herbs
The item	Da Ji is the dried aerial part of Cirsium japonicum. Xiao Ji, a smaller thistle of the same genus, is not this herb. It usually goes into decoctions or light home tea.
Nature and channels	Bitter, cold. Enters the Heart and Liver. Bitter cold cools the blood, stops bleeding, disperses stasis, and resolves toxin.
Pharmacopoeia line	Cools the blood and stops bleeding, disperses stasis and resolves toxin. Traditionally used for blood-heat bleeding — hematemesis, nosebleed, hemoptysis, flooding-and-spotting — as well as carbuncle sores and bruising and swelling from trauma.
Pattern cues	Bright-red sticky bleeding. Carbuncle sores. Sore throat. Red swollen eyes. Traumatic bruising.
In this article	Da Ji versus Xiao Ji. Clearing blood-aspect heat versus clearing lower-jiao damp-heat. Why the fresh herb dose doubles. Why deficiency-cold bleeding must skip it. Why active bleeding needs a clinic. Who should skip it.

What Is Da Ji?

Da Ji (大蓟; Dà Jì; Latin: Cirsii Japonici Herba; English: Japanese thistle) in the current pharmacopoeia is the dried aerial part of Cirsium japonicum of the Asteraceae family — stems, leaves, and purplish flower heads — cut in late summer and early autumn when the flowers open, then sun-dried; a stir-fried version is also made to soften its coldness. It is bitter and cold, enters the Heart and Liver channels, and its core actions are to cool the blood and stop bleeding, and to disperse stasis and resolve toxin. It usually goes into decoctions, or is steeped as a light home tea. The usual amount is 10–15 g; the fresh herb may double to 30–60 g. It needs no special decoction step — no pre-decocting, late addition, or wrapped packet.

It is not Xiao Ji. Xiao Ji (Cephalanoplos) is likewise cold and bitter, but slightly milder, with a sweeter taste and a diuretic lean — it clears lower-jiao damp-heat and fits blood in the urine, while this thistle is colder and more bitter, better at clearing blood-aspect heat and dispersing upper-body stasis. Deficiency-cold bleeding, with dim pale blood and cold limbs, is a poor match. Use caution in pregnancy and breastfeeding. Active hematemesis or heavy flooding needs a clinic first. Carbuncle sores and bruising need pattern diagnosis. Do not drink it as daily tea for more than a few days.

It is used most often for three patterns:

Bright-red sticky bleeding — nosebleed, hematemesis, hemoptysis, flooding-and-spotting — seek care
Carbuncle sores, red swollen sore throat, red swollen eyes
Bruising and swelling from trauma

Bitter and cold, it is not a daily “bleeding-proof” tea to keep drinking. Cold hemostatic herbs with no blood heat present damage the spleen-stomach yang.

When blood heat moves recklessly, or stasis binds with heat toxin, bright-red bleeding, carbuncle sores, and bruising are common. Da Ji is bitter and cold. It cools the blood, stops bleeding, disperses stasis, and resolves toxin, which is why it appears in Shi Hui San (Ten-Ash Powder)–type formulas. It drains and disperses more than it holds. A deficiency-cold spleen and stomach, with dim-colored bleeding and cold limbs, get worse if more is added.

Da Ji is not a catch-all hemostatic herb for every kind of bleeding. In deficiency-cold bleeding, with pale dim blood and cold limbs, or in pregnancy, taking it alone is a poor match. Raw or stir-fried, and whether it belongs in a formula, should be decided by a licensed Chinese medicine practitioner after pattern diagnosis.

Da Ji: Materia Medica Profile

Identification & Quality Standard

Cirsii Japonici Herba

Botanical Origin

The dried aerial portion and root of Cirsium japonicum Fisch. ex DC. (Asteraceae).

Production Regions

Primarily produced in the Chinese provinces of Jiangsu, Zhejiang, Sichuan.

Quality Requirements

Superior medicinal material has grayish-green aerial portion, numerous leaves, thick and dry root.

Macroscopic Features

Da ji cao: aerial portion is cylindrical, base is up to 1.2cm in diameter. Brown or greenish-brown, with straight ridges (numerous longitudinal ridges); slightly hard and brittle texture. Fractured surface is grayish-white; pith is loose or with a hollow center. Leaf is wrinkled and mashed, greenish-brown, intact leaves have an oblanceolate or obovate shape, pinniform with deep fissures, edges have obvious uneven long prickles. Stem and leaves all covered with grayish-white spiderweb-like hair; brittle texture; flower head grows from the apex, involucres are yellowish-brown, bracts are lanceolate with slightly purple-black tip; corolla always falls off, appears as a grayish-white pinniform tuft; faint odor; tasteless. Da ji gen: long fusiform and fascicled and twisted, 5~15cm long, 0.2~0.6cm diameter. Externally dark brown with irregular longitudinal wrinkles. Hard and brittle texture, easily broken, fractured surface is rough, grayish-white. faint odor, sweet and slightly bitter taste.

Main Regions and Quality Identification

Traditional materia medica and industry experience value certain producing areas, but actual quality also depends on variety, harvest time, processing, and storage. The main producing areas include several provinces of northern and eastern China; the plant forms differ slightly by area — for example, the stems of one area are stouter and the leaves of another are broader. For identification, good-quality raw Da Ji has cylindrical stems with a greenish-brown or brownish-brown surface and longitudinal ridges, mostly wrinkled and broken leaves, a clearly visible purplish-red flower cluster, a slight grassy odor, and a slightly bitter taste; the stir-fried Da Ji deepens in color and is drier and crisper. The common look-alikes are the other thistles of the same genus — such as Xiao Ji — similar in shape but different in efficacy — distinguish them carefully.

Traditional Properties & Historical Lineage

Nature, Flavour & Channel Tropism

Sweet, Bitter; CoolHeartLiver

1. Records in Classic Materia Medica

Shen Nong Ben Cao Jing: lists Da Ji among the upper grade — recording that it "governs women's red-white vaginal discharge, settles the fetus, and stops hematemesis and nosebleed."
Ming Yi Bie Lu: supplements that it can "disperse stasis blood, promote lactation, and govern women's amenorrhea."
Xin Xiu Ben Cao: mentions that it can "treat metal wounds and reduce swelling."
Ben Cao Gang Mu: summarizes that it "stops bleeding, disperses stasis blood, and resolves carbuncle toxin."
De Pei Ben Cao: records that it "paired with Xiao Ji treats flooding; paired with Sheng Di treats hematemesis."
Zhong Hua Ben Cao: defines its actions as cooling the blood, stopping bleeding, dispersing stasis, resolving toxin, and dispersing carbuncles.

These records mostly center on stopping bleeding, dispersing stasis, and resolving toxin — with a reasonable correspondence to the modern understanding.

2. How Views of Its Nature Changed

Views among physicians differ: some early physicians lean to its fetus-settling and lactation-promoting actions, holding it regulates the qi-blood problems of women; the later physicians lean more to its blood-cooling, bleeding-stopping, stasis-dispersing, and toxin-resolving actions, using it for the bleeding diseases and carbuncle swellings; some physicians stress its fitting range — holding it fits the blood-heat bleeding, and the deficiency-cold bleeding should not use it — keeping it from being treated as a universal hemostatic herb, and clarifying the limits of its nature.

Core Efficacies & Traditional Applications

Traditional Functions

Cools blood and stops bleeding, disperses stasis, resolves toxin and dissipates sores.

1. First Direction: Cooling the Blood and Stopping Bleeding

Traditional action: stop the bleeding by clearing and draining the blood heat — targeting the bleeding of internal blood-heat exuberance.
Typical signs: hematemesis, nosebleed, hemoptysis, and flooding-and-spotting — with bright red, sticky blood, possibly with vexation, dry mouth, and a red crimson tongue — the blood-heat symptoms.
Usual combinations: often paired with Sheng Di to strengthen the blood-cooling, and with Xiao Ji to strengthen the bleeding-stopping and stasis-dispersing; for flooding, may be paired with E Jiao and other blood-nourishing herbs.
Who should not self-use: the deficiency-cold bleeding — dull-colored blood with fear of cold, cold hands and feet, and a pale tongue — should not self-use Da Ji, to avoid worsening the deficiency-cold symptoms.

2. Second Direction: Dispersing Stasis and Resolving Toxin

Traditional action: disperse the internal stasis blood while resolving the heat toxin — easing the discomfort of stasis and heat toxin.
Typical signs: carbuncle swellings and sores, trauma bleeding, the bruising and swelling pain of falls, and the heat-toxin sore throat and red swollen eyes.
Usual combinations: often paired with the heat-clearing, toxin-resolving herbs — such as Jin Yin Hua and Lian Qiao — to strengthen the toxin-resolving; for trauma, may be paired with San Qi and other blood-invigorating, stasis-dispersing herbs.
Who should not self-use: those with spleen-stomach deficiency-cold — frequent abdominal pain, diarrhea, and loose stool — should not self-use, to avoid stimulating the stomach and intestines and worsening the deficiency-cold.

3. Classic Pairing: Da Ji With Xiao Ji

The common pair is Da Ji with Xiao Ji: both have the blood-cooling, bleeding-stopping, stasis-dispersing, and toxin-resolving actions — Da Ji leans to clearing the heat of the blood aspect with a slightly stronger stasis-dispersing, and Xiao Ji leans to clearing the heat of the lower jiao with a better diuretic action. Combined, they coordinate, strengthening the blood-cooling, bleeding-stopping, stasis-dispersing, and toxin-resolving effect — fitting the various bleeding of blood heat moving recklessly, and the heat-toxin carbuncle sores and trauma bleeding. This pairing needs the physician's pattern diagnosis — do not pair casually on your own.

Modern Research

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

1. Main Chemical Constituents

The main constituents detected in Da Ji are flavonoids, triterpenoids, volatile oils, and polysaccharides, plus small amounts of alkaloids and organic acids. Among them, the flavonoid constituents show a certain anti-inflammatory activity in in vitro experiments; in animal experiments, the water extract of Da Ji shows a certain hemostasis-related action; currently, the human clinical research on Da Ji is relatively scarce, and there is no clear direct conclusion at the human level.

2. Current Research Directions

Current research on Da Ji mainly focuses on several directions:

The effect on inflammation-related indicators — in experiments, some constituents may have a regulating action on some inflammatory factors.
Bleeding-related experimental research — in animal experiments, the water extract may shorten the bleeding time.
Antibacterial observation — some constituents show a certain inhibitory effect on some bacteria in in vitro experiments.

Most of this research is at the basic stage — more human studies are still needed to verify its practical application.

3. Limitations of Current Research

Lab results are not clinical efficacy — the actions in in vitro and animal experiments do not mean the same effect will certainly appear after human intake.
Extracts and monomers are not the same as traditional slices — the experiments use the purified constituents, while the daily medicinal use is the whole slice — the dose and action route differ.
Doses and preparation methods vary between studies — some experiments use high-concentration extracts, while clinical use is the regular-dose slice — the results are hard to compare directly.
A single component does not define the whole herb — Da Ji acts through the joint work of many constituents — a single constituent's activity cannot fully represent the whole herb's action.

Comparing Similar Herbs

1. What They Share

The two share these points:

Both have the blood-cooling, bleeding-stopping action — both are used for the blood-heat hematemesis, nosebleed, and flooding-and-spotting.
Both have the stasis-dispersing, toxin-resolving action — both ease the heat-toxin carbuncle sores and trauma swelling and pain.
In traditional use, both often appear together in similar formulas.
Both need the constitution and dose considered.

2. The Key Differences: Da Ji vs. Xiao Ji

Nature and flavors: both are cold with a bitter flavor — but the coldness of Da Ji is slightly stronger and the taste more bitter, while the coldness of Xiao Ji is slightly weaker and the taste leans sweet-bitter.
Focus: Da Ji leans to clearing the heat toxin of the blood aspect with a stronger stasis-dispersing — good at treating the heat-toxin swellings of the upper part and body surface; Xiao Ji leans to clearing the damp-heat of the lower jiao with a better diuretic action — good at treating the lower-jiao blood urine and strangury.
Qi tendency: Da Ji mainly clears and drains the blood heat and disperses the stasis blood — a draining tendency, without obviously tonifying the qi and blood; Xiao Ji, besides clearing and draining, has a certain dampness-benefiting action — leaning to freeing the qi of the lower jiao.
Best fit: Da Ji fits the blood-heat patterns of bright red bleeding with irritability and a red tongue, and the carbuncle sores and trauma bruising; Xiao Ji fits the lower-jiao damp-heat patterns of blood urine, burning painful urination, lower-limb edema, and the unceasing heavy menstruation.
Not suitable: the coldness of Da Ji is stronger — those with spleen-stomach deficiency-cold and frequent diarrhea need more caution — the deficiency-cold bleeding is absolutely not to be used; the coldness of Xiao Ji is milder, but it is likewise not for the deficiency-cold constitution — especially those with the lower-jiao deficiency-cold urinary frequency and urgency — avoid use.
Use scenes: Da Ji is often used for the upper bleeding and body-surface sores — nosebleed, swollen painful gums, and skin boils; Xiao Ji is often used for the lower-jiao bleeding and strangury — blood urine and the difficult urination of urinary tract infection.

3. One-Sentence Summary

Simply put, Da Ji leans toward clearing the heat toxin of the blood aspect and dispersing the stasis of the upper part, whereas Xiao Ji leans toward clearing the damp-heat of the lower jiao and benefiting urination. Both can be used for the blood-heat bleeding and heat-toxin swelling, but they are not interchangeable.

Classical Formulas Containing Da Ji

Classic Formula 1: Shi Hui San (Ten-Ash Powder)

Combination logic: In Shi Hui San, Da Ji is the minister; the formula burns Da Ji, Xiao Ji, He Ye, Ce Bai Ye, and other herbs to ash while preserving their nature, jointly exerting the blood-cooling, bleeding-stopping action — mainly solving the upper bleeding of blood heat moving recklessly, such as hematemesis and nosebleed. Da Ji works with the other blood-cooling, bleeding-stopping herbs, strengthening the blood-heat-clearing effect — avoiding the single action of a lone herb, which cannot attend to the various bleeding symptoms.

Traditional use: traditionally for the various bleeding of blood heat moving recklessly — vomiting of blood, hematemesis, nosebleed, hemoptysis, and uterine flooding — with bright red, sticky blood, vexation, thirst, and a red crimson tongue.

Modern note: modern clinical use requires the doctor's pattern diagnosis and standard care — do not self-apply just because the formula name relates to a certain disease — the physician adjusts the herbs to the specific bleeding pattern.

Classic Formula 2: Da Ji Yin Zi (Japanese-Thistle Drink)

Combination logic: In Da Ji Yin Zi, Da Ji is the lord — the main herb — paired with Sheng Di Huang, Dang Gui, and Zhi Zi — exerting the blood-cooling, bleeding-stopping, heat-clearing, and stasis-dispersing actions — mainly solving the flooding-and-spotting of blood heat with stasis. Da Ji works with Sheng Di Huang to strengthen the blood-cooling, and with Dang Gui to strengthen the stasis-dispersing; a single Da Ji cannot attend to the blood-nourishing and the lower-jiao qi-blood regulation.

Traditional use: traditionally for the flooding-and-spotting of blood heat with stasis — unceasing dripping bleeding, bright red or with clots, with lower-abdominal pain and a dry mouth and tongue.

Modern note: modern clinical use requires the doctor's pattern diagnosis and standard care — the physician adjusts the herbs to the specific gynecological bleeding pattern; do not take it on your own.

Formulas vs. Single Herbs

A formula is many herbs working together — through the lord-minister-assistant-courier pairing, attending to the different patterns and symptoms. A single herb cannot simply replicate a full formula's effect. The doses and combinations in a formula are holistic — the dose ratios of the different herbs are determined by the treatment need — using one herb alone cannot reach the formula's overall action. The common misunderstanding: if a herb works in a formula, taking it alone produces the same effect — in fact, a single herb's action is limited and cannot replace the synergy of a formula — so do not build formulas from online articles.

Diet & Daily Home Use

1. Home Tea and Porridge

(1) Da Ji He Ye Tea: dry Da Ji 5 g, He Ye 3 g. Wash both, steep in boiling water, cover 10 minutes, and drink as tea. Suited to the dry mouth, mild nosebleed, and vexation of summer dryness-heat — fitting those of a heat-leaning constitution. Not for those with spleen-stomach deficiency-cold and frequent diarrhea, or the deficiency-cold bleeding. Suggested: 1–2 times a week; not for long-term continuous drinking.

(2) Da Ji Lu Dou Porridge: fresh Da Ji 30 g (or dry Da Ji 10 g), Lu Dou 50 g, Jing Mi 50 g. First wash and chop the Da Ji, boil it in water and take the juice, then cook the Lu Dou and Jing Mi into porridge with the Da Ji juice. Suited to the heat-toxin skin boils and mild sore throat — fitting those of a heat-leaning constitution. Not for those with a weak spleen and stomach who are prone to bloating and diarrhea. Suggested: once every 2 weeks, as auxiliary regulation — not a meal replacement.

2. Decoction and Processing Differences

The raw Da Ji mainly cools the blood and disperses stasis; the stir-fried Da Ji has a reduced coldness — more fitting those with a slightly weaker spleen and stomach. For home decoction, generally soak the Da Ji together with the other herbs and decoct — no special handling, no pre-boiling, late addition, bag-boiling, or powder-taking. Different forms cannot be converted directly — for example, the effective-constituent contents of the dried slices and the fresh Da Ji differ — do not replace the fresh dose directly with the dried-slice dose.

3. Dosage and Course

The common dose in traditional prescriptions is 10–15 g, and the fresh product can be doubled to 30–60 g; the food-therapy and medicinal doses differ — the food-therapy dose is usually 1/2 to 2/3 of the medicinal dose — do not increase the dose casually. Long-term continuous use is not advised — the short-term regulation generally does not exceed 1 week. Special groups should consult a physician or pharmacist and determine the dose and use time per their own situation.

Contraindications & Safety Warnings

1. Who Should Avoid It

The deficiency-cold constitution — such as those who usually fear cold, have cold hands and feet, and pass loose stool — not advised.
Pregnancy and breastfeeding — special constitutions — use under a physician's guidance; do not self-take.
Children and the elderly — weaker body metabolism — strictly control the dose; do not use casually.
Liver or kidney impairment — reduced drug metabolism — avoid self-use.
Allergy to Asteraceae plants — may be allergic to Da Ji — use with caution.
Those in special treatment — such as anticoagulant, blood-pressure, or glucose-lowering medications — consult a physician before deciding whether to use.

2. Interactions and Diet Notes

Da Ji may interact with anticoagulant, blood-pressure, and glucose-lowering medications — for example, strengthening the anticoagulant effect and increasing the bleeding risk, or affecting the action of blood-pressure medications — those taking such drugs should consult a doctor or pharmacist first. There is no sufficient evidence of a general "food clash" between ordinary foods, but certain herbs can interact with specific drugs — those on medication should consult a doctor or pharmacist first.

3. Adverse Reactions and Overdose Risk

Overdosing on Da Ji may cause stomach and intestinal discomfort — nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, and diarrhea — and long-term large-dose use may also harm the spleen-stomach yang. If marked discomfort, allergy signs (such as rash or itching), persistent vomiting, breathing difficulty, altered consciousness, or rapidly worsening symptoms appear, stop at once and seek medical care — do not delay.

Frequently Asked Questions About Da Ji

What is Daji? Is it the same as Xiaoji or Qiancao?

Daji is the dried aerial part of Cirsium japonicum, Latin name Cirsii Japonici Herba. It is a common Chinese medicine centered on cooling the blood to stop bleeding, and dispersing stasis, detoxifying and reducing abscesses. Xiaoji cools the blood and stops bleeding for hematuria. Qiancao cools the blood and stops bleeding while activating blood. They cannot be used interchangeably in equal amounts. Prescribe as Daji. Caution in spleen-stomach deficiency cold.

What are the composition and effects of Daji?

Pharmacopoeial name Daji, Latin Cirsium japonicum Fisch. ex DC. Sweet and bitter in taste, cool in nature, enters the Heart and Liver meridians. Functions to cool the blood to stop bleeding, and disperse stasis, detoxify and reduce abscesses. Used for epistaxis, hematemesis, hematuria, bloody stools, flooding and spotting, traumatic bleeding, and abscesses and sores. Cools the blood and reduces abscesses.

How to choose between raw and processed? Can Xiaoji replace it?

Aerial parts are used raw or charred. Xiaoji emphasizes hematuria rather than strongly reducing abscesses, and cannot replace it in equal amounts. Commercial products are standardized; do not adjust arbitrarily.

What is the dosage of Daji? Can it be used daily as a bleeding-stopping tea?

Decoction, 9-15g. Modern use requires physician-determined dosage. It is not a year-round "Daji tea." Spleen-stomach deficiency cold will be further injured by prolonged use. Bleeding requires short-term, physician-determined dosage and cannot replace evaluation.

What are the contraindications of Daji? Can pregnant women use it?

Not suitable for spleen-stomach deficiency cold. Pregnant women require physician evaluation. Stop if loose stools or abdominal pain occur. Seek immediate medical care for severe bleeding or high fever.

Can Daji cool the blood, stop bleeding, and reduce abscesses?

It can assist epistaxis, hematemesis, hematuria, bloody stools, flooding and spotting, traumatic bleeding, and abscesses and sores. It cools the blood to stop bleeding, and disperses stasis, detoxifies and reduces abscesses, but is not a specific remedy for all bleeding or all sores.

Can Daji be taken daily as a bleeding-stopping or abscess-reducing tea?

Blood-heat bleeding can be used short-term in formulas; spleen-stomach deficiency cold will be further injured. The idea that "Daji must stop bleeding" cannot replace evaluation. Cooling the blood and reducing abscesses requires physician-determined formulation and dosage.

How to choose between Daji, Xiaoji, Qiancao, Baimaogen, and Cebaiye?

Daji cools the blood and reduces abscesses, suited to blood-heat bleeding. Xiaoji cools the blood for hematuria. Qiancao cools the blood and activates blood. Baimaogen cools the blood and promotes urination. Cebaiye cools the blood for blood heat. Choose Daji for stopping bleeding; Xiaoji for hematuria; Qiancao for activating blood; Baimaogen for promoting urination; Cebaiye for blood heat. Pattern differentiation applies, but large doses of Daji are contraindicated in spleen-stomach deficiency cold.

How is Daji commonly modified? What is a representative usage?

Modifications depend on the pattern. Add Xiaoji for bleeding; add Jinyinhua for sores. Specify Daji; do not substitute Xiaoji in equal amounts for reducing abscesses.

How to select and store Daji?

Choose regular Chinese medicinal materials with intact aerial parts. Discard if moldy, damp, or abnormal in odor. Store in a dry place. Purchase "Daji"; do not substitute Xiaoji or Qiancao in equal amounts for cooling the blood, stopping bleeding, and reducing abscesses.

Related Products

Nong's Da Ji (Japanese Thistle Herb and Root) Single Herb 5:1 Concentrated Granules $50.03

Hoi Tin Da Ji (Japanese Thistle) Single Herb 10:1 Concentrated Granules, 100 g TCM Herbal Supplement

Hoi Tin Da Ji (Japanese Thistle) Single Herb 10:1 Concentrated Granules $25.77

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.