117 entries
Classical formulas A–Z
A single flat alphabetical list, for quick reference and printing. Each name opens its full page; use search to look up a term instead. Back to the classical formulas gallery.
B
- Ba Zhen Tang 八珍汤 bā zhēn tāng Rebuilds substance in skin that has gone pale, dry and thin, and helps tissue that heals slowly close. The picture is a depleted surface with a dull complexion, easy…
- Ba Zheng San 八正散 bā zhèng sǎn Clears hot, red, damp lesions of the lower body by draining the Damp-Heat behind them out through the urine. The pattern is Heat and Dampness collecting low, so the skin…
- Bai Hu Jia Gui Zhi Tang 白虎加桂枝汤 bái hǔ jiā guì zhī tāng Takes heat out of skin that is hot, red and stretched over a painful joint, easing the swelling with it. The pattern is strong Heat lodged in the channels: fever,…
- Bai Hu Tang 白虎汤 bái hǔ tāng Cools skin that turns red, hot and flushed in high fever, and settles the mottled discolouration. The pattern is strong Heat at the Qi level: fever, profuse sweating,…
- Bi Xie Fen Qing Yin 萆薢分清饮 bì xiè fēn qīng yǐn Settles damp, itchy lower-body skin with a cold quality, where the tissue looks pale and sodden. The pattern is a cold Kidney failing to separate the clear from the…
- Bi Xie Shen Shi Tang 萆薢渗湿汤 bì xiè shèn shī tāng Dries and cools red, itchy, weeping skin of the legs, feet and skin folds. The pattern is Damp-Heat settling low, producing skin that is both red and wet, macerated…
- Bie Jia Jian Wan 鳖甲煎丸 biē jiǎ jiān wán Works on old, hard, dusky tissue changed for years, softening what has set. The pattern is a chronic mass of Blood stasis, Phlegm and Cold on a depleted base, so the…
- Bing Peng San 冰硼散 bīng péng sǎn Applied straight to a hot, painful lesion, this powder cools it, eases pain and dries the weeping. The pattern is toxic Heat in the tissue, as a mouth ulcer, inflamed…
- Bu Yang Huan Wu Tang 补阳还五汤 bǔ yáng huán wǔ tāng Skin that has gone dusky, cold and slow to heal is what this formula restores, because it rebuilds the Qi that pushes Blood through the fine vessels. The pattern is…
- Bu Zhong Yi Qi Tang 补中益气汤 bǔ zhōng yì qì tāng Skin that has lost tone, looks pale and thin and heals slowly is what this formula addresses, because it treats the failing Spleen Qi that should hold tissue up and…
C
- Cang Fu Dao Tan Wan 苍附导痰丸 cāng fù dǎo tán wán Soft doughy lumps that move under the finger are what this formula softens, because it treats the Phlegm-Dampness that gathered them. The pattern is sluggish Qi and…
- Chai Hu Shu Gan San 柴胡疏肝散 chái hú shū gān sǎn Skin that itches or flares when tension builds, feeling tight rather than inflamed, is what this powder loosens, because it moves the Liver Qi whose constraint drives…
D
- Da Bu Yin Wan 大补阴丸 dà bǔ yīn wán Dry thin skin that burns or flushes is what this pill treats, because it rebuilds the deep Yin whose absence let heat rise to the surface. The pattern is emptiness with…
- Da Huang Zhe Chong Wan 大黄䗪虫丸 dà huáng zhè chóng wán Skin that has turned dusky, mottled or dry and withered is what this pill addresses, because it breaks stasis that has dried the Blood and depleted the surface. The…
- Dan Zhi Xiao Yao San 丹栀逍遥散 dān zhī xiāo yáo sǎn Skin that flushes, burns or erupts when stress runs high is what this powder cools, because it treats constraint that has generated Heat. The pattern is stagnation with…
- Dang Gui Di Huang Yin 当归地黄饮 dāng guī dì huáng yǐn Dry, itchy skin on a depleted constitution, sometimes with small vesicles, is what this drink treats, because it rebuilds the Blood and Yin that keep the skin moist. The…
- Dang Gui Liu Huang Tang 当归六黄汤 dāng guī liù huáng tāng Flushed skin that sweats through the night in a depleted person is what this formula addresses. The Heat comes from Yin and Blood deficiency, leaving the surface unheld…
- Dang Gui Long Hui Wan 当归龙荟丸 dāng guī lóng huì wán Hot red lesions in a strong, constipated person are what this formula targets, and it is reserved for that excess picture. The Fire has no downward outlet, so it rises…
- Dang Gui Si Ni Tang 当归四逆汤 dāng guī sì nì tāng Cold, dusky skin on the hands and feet, slow to heal and prone to cracking in winter, is what this formula addresses. Blood is too thin to reach the periphery and Cold…
- Dang Gui Yin Zi 当归饮子 dāng guī yǐn zǐ Dry, rough, scaly skin that itches worse at night in a pale, tired person is what this formula addresses. Blood moistens the skin, so when Blood is low the surface dries…
- Dao Chi San 导赤散 dǎo chì sǎn Red, inflamed patches that flare with restlessness, thirst and broken sleep are the skin picture this small formula addresses. The Heat sits in the Heart channel, which…
- Di Dang Tang 抵当汤 dǐ dāng tāng Fixed, dusky, hardened tissue that has resisted gentler treatment is the skin picture this formula is reserved for. The stasis is old and hard, which is why ordinary…
- Di Huang Yin Zi 地黄饮子 dì huáng yǐn zǐ Thin, dry, cold skin with poor circulation and numbness in someone deeply worn down is what this formula addresses. Yin and Yang are both depleted, so the surface is dry…
- Du Huo Ji Sheng Tang 独活寄生汤 dú huó jì shēng tāng Skin that has gone thick, numb and cold over a longstanding painful area is what this formula suits, where the tissue is weather-sensitive rather than hot and inflamed.…
E
- Er Chen Tang 二陈汤 èr chén tāng Er Chen Tang takes the heaviness out of skin that has gone puffy, doughy and boggy, drying the fluid that leaves it soft and slow. The picture is a pale, often oily…
- Er Miao San 二妙散 èr miào sǎn Er Miao San is for skin that is wet and hot at once: red, itchy and weeping, or macerated where skin meets skin, and worse in heat and humidity. The picture collects low…
- Er Zhi Wan 二至丸 èr zhì wán Er Zhi Wan works on skin that has lost its suppleness, where the dryness is thin, fine and settled rather than inflamed. It comes with thinning or greying hair, dry eyes…
F
- Fang Feng Tong Sheng San 防风通圣散 fáng fēng tōng shèng sǎn Fang Feng Tong Sheng San is for hot, angry skin on a robust body running hot, where itchy eruptions, hives or boils come with a red face, thirst and a bowel that has…
- Fu Yuan Huo Xue Tang 复元活血汤 fù yuán huó xuè tāng Fu Yuan Huo Xue Tang is for skin left dusky, swollen and tight after a blow, with purple bruising and pain that is fixed and worse on pressure. The picture is trapped…
- Fu Zi Li Zhong Tang 附子理中汤 fù zǐ lǐ zhōng tāng Fu Zi Li Zhong Tang is for cold, pale, thin skin that is slow to close over, where a small injury or burn stays sensitive and tight long after it should. Underneath is…
G
- Gan Lu Xiao Du Dan 甘露消毒丹 gān lù xiāo dú dān Gan Lu Xiao Du Dan is for skin that breaks out during a Damp-Heat illness, when boils or inflamed follicles appear with a heavy head, a bitter taste and a thick yellow…
- Gua Lou Niu Bang Tang 栝楼牛蒡汤 guā lóu niú bàng tāng Gua Lou Niu Bang Tang is for the breast that turns hot, swollen and painful, with red, possibly cracked skin, and it works before an abscess forms. The pattern is Heat…
- Gui Pi Tang 归脾汤 guī pí tāng Skin that is pale, thin and slow to heal, bruising at the slightest knock and sometimes dotted with purpuric spots, is this tonic's picture. The root is a Spleen too…
- Gui Zhi Fu Ling Wan 桂枝茯苓丸 guì zhī fú líng wán Fixed, hard lumps under the skin that are not hot or red, dusky discolouration and old indurated lesions that will not resolve are what this pill is for. The lump is…
- Gui Zhi Jia Long Gu Mu Li Tang 桂枝加龙骨牡蛎汤 guì zhī jiā lóng gǔ mǔ lì tāng Skin that is clammy or damp to the touch, dusky and poorly regulated on a thin, depleted person, is where this formula fits. The surface is not held, so sweat leaks and…
- Gui Zhi Ma Huang Ge Ban Tang 桂枝麻黄各半汤 guì zhī má huáng gè bàn tāng Urticaria or persistent itch that drifts in and out without much heat and never settles is the skin picture this formula suits. The surface is caught between open and…
- Gui Zhi Tang 桂枝汤 guì zhī tāng Clammy or moist skin that feels cool, is wind-sensitive and breaks out in hives with sweating is the picture this formula is for. The surface is out of step rather than…
H
- Hai Zao Yu Hu Tang 海藻玉壶汤 hǎi zǎo yù hú tāng Firm nodules and congested lumps that sit in the skin without heat or redness, such as cystic indurated acne or lipomas, are what this formula softens. The nodule is…
- Huang Lian Jie Du Tang 黄连解毒汤 huáng lián jiě dú tāng Skin that is red, hot, swollen and painful, burning to the touch and spreading is what this formula is reserved for. Heat intense enough to damage tissue and form pus is…
- Huang Qi Gui Zhi Wu Wu Tang 黄芪桂枝五物汤 huáng qí guì zhī wǔ wù tāng Skin that feels numb, cool, thick or insensitive, or dry and cracked for lack of supply, is what this formula treats. Qi and Blood are failing to reach the surface, so…
- Huo Xiang Zheng Qi San 藿香正气散 huò xiāng zhèng qì sǎn Warms and dries skin that has gone cool, congested or mottled, where the surface feels heavy and shut down. The pattern is Damp-Cold in the middle and the surface at…
- Huo Xue Zhi Tong San 活血止痛散 huó xuè zhǐ tòng sǎn Settles dusky, swollen, bruised skin after an injury, where the tissue is dark, hard and sore to press. The pattern is Blood stasis left by the trauma, so colour drains…
J
- Ji Sheng Shen Qi Wan 济生肾气丸 jì shēng shèn qì wán Reduces cold, pale puffiness of the face and legs, where the skin looks waterlogged and feels chilled rather than hot. The pattern is a weak Kidney Yang that no longer…
- Jia Wei Xiao Yao San 加味逍遥散 jiā wèi xiāo yáo sǎn Settles itching, flushing and small flat spots that flare when life gets stressful, and calms scalp itch on the same trigger. The pattern is Liver Qi held in long enough…
- Jin Gui Shen Qi Wan 金匮肾气丸 jīn guì shèn qì wán Warms skin that has gone cold, pale and puffy, where circulation is poor and patches feel numb or chilled. The pattern is Kidney Yang deficiency, so the surface loses…
- Jin Huang Gao 金黄膏 jīn huáng gāo Cools a hot, red, swollen patch of skin, taking the heat and congestion out of a lesion not yet broken. The pattern is localised Toxic-Heat with Blood congested at the…
- Jing Fang Bai Du San 荆防败毒散 jīng fáng bài dú sǎn Vents the first days of a rash or hives that arrive with chills, a clammy surface and an aching body. The pattern is Wind-Cold with Dampness at the surface, so the itch…
- Juan Bi Tang 蠲痹汤 juān bì tāng Loosens tight, numb, weather-sensitive tissue over stiff joints, where limbs feel heavy and the skin will not stretch. The pattern is Wind-Cold-Dampness lodged in the…
L
- Lian Po Yin 连朴饮 lián pò yǐn Skin that flares with a digestive episode is the target: greasy congested follicles, pustules and eruptions in the folds, with nausea, fullness and a bitter taste. Huang…
- Liang Xue Di Huang Tang 凉血地黄汤 liáng xuè dì huáng tāng The skin picture is Heat in the Blood pushing out of the vessels: bright red or purpuric spots, easy bruising, sometimes bleeding from the nose or gums, a crimson tongue…
- Liang Xue Qing Fei Yin 凉血清肺汤 liáng xuè qīng fèi tāng The skin picture is facial: a red congested nose or cheeks with prominent capillaries and inflammatory oiliness, read as Lung Heat carried to the surface by the Blood.…
- Ling Gui Zhu Gan Tang 苓桂术甘汤 líng guì zhú gān tāng The skin picture is cool, clammy and puffy rather than red or dry: weeping eczema on a cold base, tissue that holds fluid, damp lesions that heal slowly. Fu Ling drains…
- Liu Jun Zi Tang 六君子汤 liù jūn zǐ tāng The skin picture is puffy, doughy and congested, with a sallow or dusky complexion and a greasy tongue coat, alongside fatigue and poor digestion rather than heat. Ren…
- Liu Wei Di Huang Wan 六味地黄丸 liù wèi dì huáng wán The skin is dry, thin and inelastic, with hair that thins or greys early and pigmentation that comes with age rather than inflammation. Shu Di Huang fills the Kidney Yin…
- Liu Yi San 六一散 liù yī sǎn The skin picture is the itchy eruption of hot humid weather: prickly heat, heat rash and early hot eruptions with heat signs, which the powder can also be applied to.…
- Long Dan Xie Gan Tang 龙胆泻肝汤 lóng dǎn xiè gān tāng The skin is hot, red and often wet: a band-like shingles eruption, genital itching or discharge with redness, or weeping eczema that feels hot, with a bitter taste or…
M
- Ma Huang Fu Zi Xi Xin Tang 麻黄附子细辛汤 má huáng fù zǐ xì xīn tāng Cold, pale, firm or tight skin in a cold and depleted person is the picture this formula treats. The Cold has settled because the Yang is too weak to push it out, so the…
- Ma Xing Shi Gan Tang 麻杏石甘汤 má xìng shí gān tāng Hot, red, congested skin whose eruption will not vent is what this formula treats. Heat has moved into the Lungs and closed the Qi, so the rash stays locked in while the…
P
- Pi Pa Qing Fei Yin 枇杷清肺饮 pí pá qīng fèi yǐn Oily, congested facial skin with red papules and a greasy scalp is the skin picture here. The Lungs govern the skin, so Heat gathered there shows on the face and upper…
- Ping Wei San 平胃散 píng wèi sǎn Greasy, congested or doughy skin that sits on a damp middle is what this powder is aimed at. The Dampness has congested the Spleen and Stomach, so the tissue looks heavy…
- Pu Ji Xiao Du Yin 普济消毒饮 pǔ jì xiāo dú yǐn Hot, red, swollen lesions on the head, face or neck are the presentation this formula was built for. Toxic Heat has gathered where the Yang channels rise, so the lesions…
Q
- Qi Bao Mei Ran Dan 七宝美髯丹 qī bǎo měi rán dān Dry, thin skin that has lost tone and colour, with hair that has greyed or thinned early, is what this pill is used for. Liver and Kidney Essence and Blood have run low,…
- Qi Ju Di Huang Wan 杞菊地黄丸 qǐ jú dì huáng wán Dry, thin facial skin with pigmentation or dry plaques, in an older, depleted person, is where this pill belongs. Liver and Kidney Yin has declined, so the skin loses…
- Qiang Huo Sheng Shi Tang 羌活胜湿汤 qiāng huó shèng shī tāng Congested, heavy, dusky skin that aches with the weather is what this light formula lifts. Wind-Dampness has settled in the upper body and surface after damp or cold…
- Qing Gong Tang 清宫汤 qīng gōng tāng A rash that appears in the middle of a severe febrile illness, with the mind clouded, is the only skin picture this formula belongs to. Shui Niu Jiao and Xuan Shen cool…
- Qing Wei San 清胃散 qīng wèi sǎn Redness and greasy scaling around the mouth, nose and cheeks, with swollen or bleeding gums, is the facial picture this powder is for. Huang Lian clears Stomach Fire at…
- Qing Wen Bai Du Yin 清瘟败毒饮 qīng wēn bài dú yǐn A spreading rash or purpuric spots with high fever, a deep crimson tongue and a restless mind is the severe picture this large formula is for. Shi Gao clears Qi-level…
- Qing Ying Tang 清营汤 qīng yíng tāng A faint rash of small red points with a fever worse at night, a dry mouth and broken sleep is what this decoction is for. Shui Niu Jiao and Sheng Di Huang cool the Blood…
S
- San Ren Tang 三仁汤 sān rén tāng Skin that feels oily, clammy and only mildly warm, with small papules slow to clear and heaviness that worsens in humid weather, is the damp picture this decoction is…
- Sang Xing Tang 桑杏汤 sāng xìng tāng Dry, itchy skin on the face that arrives with a dry cough and throat, in autumn or after a mild illness, is the surface picture this light decoction suits. Sang Ye…
- Sha Shen Mai Men Dong Tang 沙参麦门冬汤 shā shēn mài mén dōng tāng Skin left dry, inelastic or patchily discoloured after a fever has passed, with a dry mouth, throat and lingering dry cough, is the recovery picture this gentle formula…
- Shao Fu Zhu Yu Tang 少腹逐瘀汤 shào fù zhú yū tāng Dusky, dark or purplish skin that feels cold and sits over fixed, cold pain in the lower abdomen is the stasis picture this formula warms and moves. Pu Huang, Wu Ling…
- Shen Ling Bai Zhu San 参苓白术散 shēn líng bái zhú sǎn The skin picture is pale, puffy and slow to heal, sometimes with an itch that comes with loose stools, rather than a red weeping eruption. Fu Ling leads as the herb that…
- Shen Tong Zhu Yu Tang 身痛逐瘀汤 shēn tòng zhú yū tāng The skin is thickened, insensitive or tight over a chronically painful area, often dusky, where the change has built up slowly rather than as a fresh rash. Hong Hua…
- Sheng Mai San 生脉散 shēng mài sǎn The skin reads as dry, thin and easily flushed, with sweating that continues after exertion and a surface that does not seem to hold its moisture. Ren Shen restores the…
- Shi Pi Yin 实脾饮 shí pí yǐn The skin shows cold, pale, doughy swelling, most often of the face, ankles or limbs, that feels heavy rather than hot and red. Gan Jiang warms the middle as the leading…
- Shi Quan Da Bu Tang 十全大补汤 shí quán dà bǔ tāng The skin is thin, dry, cold and shrunken, with poor tone, easy bruising and wounds that close very slowly, so the tissue lacks both substance and warmth. Shu Di Huang…
- Si Jun Zi Tang 四君子汤 sì jūn zǐ tāng The skin is pale, soft and slightly puffy, with poor tone and a tendency to hold fluid, and it heals slowly rather than erupting. Bai Zhu leads by strengthening the…
- Si Miao San 四妙散 sì miào sǎn The skin is hot, red, itchy and weeping, settling low on the feet, ankles and lower legs, worse in heat and humidity. Huang Bo leads by clearing Heat and drying Dampness…
- Si Miao Yong An Tang 四妙勇安汤 sì miào yǒng ān tāng The skin is dusky or purple, hot and swollen over an exquisitely painful toe or limb, and ulceration may threaten, so the tissue is damaged faster than it repairs. Jin…
- Si Ni Jia Ren Shen Tang 四逆加人参汤 sì nì jiā rén shēn tāng Skin that stays cold, dusky or blue-tinged and slow to recover its colour after rewarming is the picture here, typically chilblain or frostbite tissue in a deeply…
- Si Wu Tang 四物汤 sì wù tāng Skin that is pale, dry and thin, with a dull complexion, slow healing and numbness, is the picture this formula is built for. Shu Di Huang and Bai Shao nourish the Blood…
- Si Wu Xiao Feng Tang 四物消风汤 sì wù xiāo fēng tāng Chronic dry itchy skin that scales and thickens, with itch worse at night or in dry weather, is the picture this formula addresses. Dang Gui, Sheng Di Huang, Chi Shao…
T
- Tao Hong Si Wu Tang 桃红四物汤 táo hóng sì wù tāng Dusky, discoloured skin on a depleted base is the picture: dark patches and pigmentation, bruises that linger, and dry skin with poor tone that heals slowly. Shu Di…
- Tiao Wei Cheng Qi Tang 调胃承气汤 tiáo wèi chéng qì tāng Facial flushing and heat eruptions of the rosacea type, where the bowel is sluggish, are what this formula addresses on the skin. Da Huang clears the Heat and moves the…
- Tong Qiao Huo Xue Tang 通窍活血汤 tōng qiào huó xuè tāng Skin that has lost its normal colour or sensation through stasis, with a dusky or purple cast to the face and dark patches, is the picture here. She Xiang is used in a…
- Tong Ru Dan 通乳丹 tōng rǔ dān Dry, cracked or slow-healing breast skin in a pale, tired mother, with soft rather than engorged breasts and no redness or heat, is the picture. Dang Gui in a large dose…
- Tou Nong San 透脓散 tòu nóng sǎn A firm, painful, indurated swelling with pus inside that will not come to a head or discharge, in a pale and tired person, is the picture here. Huang Qi and Dang Gui…
- Tuo Li Xiao Du San 托里消毒散 tuō lǐ xiāo dú sǎn Sores stay open because the person has little to heal with: the lesion drains thin fluid, the surrounding skin is pale, and it closes then breaks down again. Ren Shen…
W
- Wei Ling Tang 胃苓汤 wèi líng tāng The skin is puffy, swollen or weeping, with fluid held in the tissue and the surface heavy. Ze Xie, Fu Ling and Zhu Ling drain the fluid out through the urine, Cang Zhu,…
- Wu Tou Tang 乌头汤 wū tóu tāng The skin is cold, pale, firm and tight, with fixed pain that is worse in cold weather and eased by warmth. Zhi Chuan Wu warms and unblocks the channels deeply, Ma Huang…
- Wu Wei Xiao Du Yin 五味消毒饮 wǔ wèi xiāo dú yǐn The skin is hot, red, swollen and painful, with a boil, carbuncle or infected patch that may discharge pus, often with fever and thirst. All five herbs are cold and…
X
- Xian Fang Huo Ming Yin 仙方活命饮 xiān fāng huó mìng yǐn The lesion is hot, red and swollen, still hard and not yet come to a head, with the skin tight over it and the outcome unsettled. Jin Yin Hua, Tian Hua Fen, Zhe Bei Mu…
- Xiang Sha Liu Jun Zi Tang 香砂六君子汤 xiāng shā liù jūn zǐ tāng The skin is oily and congested rather than inflamed, on a digestion that feels full, belches and passes loose stools, with a greasy tongue coat. Ren Shen, Bai Zhu, Fu…
- Xiao Feng San 消风散 xiāo fēng sǎn The skin is itchy, red and weeping; the itch moves and the lesions ooze or crust, worse with heat and stress. Jing Jie, Fang Feng, Niu Bang Zi and Chan Tui disperse the…
- Xiao Huo Luo Dan 小活络丹 xiǎo huó luò dān The skin and limbs are numb, cold and stiff, with fixed pain worse in cold weather and tissue that may thicken or lose feeling. Zhi Chuan Wu and Zhi Cao Wu, prepared…
- Xiao Yao San 逍遥散 xiāo yáo sǎn The skin flares when life tightens: dull or uneven tone, plaques that redden after frustration, and pigmentation that deepens through stressful periods, often with…
- Xie Huang San 泻黄散 xiè huáng sǎn Redness and cracking around the mouth, lips and nose, sometimes with sore lips and a yellow tongue coat, is the skin picture. Shi Gao clears the Heat while protecting…
- Xuan Bi Tang 宣痹汤 xuān bì tāng The skin over a hot, swollen joint is red, shiny or tight, the limb feels heavy, and the fingers or toes may burn. Fang Ji and Yi Yi Ren drain Dampness from the…
- Xue Fu Zhu Yu Tang 血府逐瘀汤 xuè fǔ zhú yū tāng The skin shows purplish, firm, tender patches that heal slowly, with bruises that linger longer than they should. Tao Ren, Hong Hua, Chi Shao, Chuan Xiong and Niu Xi…
Y
- Yang Xue Ding Feng Tang 养血定风汤 yǎng xuè dìng fēng tāng The skin is dry, thin and itchy in a way that outlasts creams, worse at night and often thickened from scratching. Dang Gui, He Shou Wu, Tian Men Dong and Mai Dong…
- Yang Yin Qing Fei Tang 养阴清肺汤 yǎng yīn qīng fèi tāng The skin has turned dry, thin and inelastic, papery over the cheeks and hands, as the throat and mouth also dry. Sheng Di Huang and Mai Dong nourish the Yin that…
- Yi Guan Jian 一贯煎 yī guàn jiān The skin is dry and sensitive, flaring into rash when stress rises, often with a dry mouth and throat and a red thin tongue. Sheng Di Huang, Bei Sha Shen, Mai Dong and…
- Yi Wei Tang 益胃汤 yì wèi tāng The skin has lost its moisture after a fever, feeling dry and inelastic, with a dry mouth and throat that drinking does not relieve. Sheng Di Huang, Mai Dong, Bei Sha…
- Yi Yi Ren Tang 薏苡仁汤 yì yǐ rén tāng Skin that looks puffy and waterlogged, with swollen joints aching more in damp weather, is what this formula drains. Dampness predominates, so fluid sits in the tissue,…
- Yin Chen Hao Tang 茵陈蒿汤 yīn chén hāo tāng Skin that is greasy and inflamed, with a yellow greasy tongue coat, is what this formula clears, as in acne, seborrhoeic patches and mottled discolouration worsened by…
- Yin Qiao San 银翘散 yín qiào sǎn Skin that erupts in the first day or two of a hot illness, as an early rash or hives with a sore throat and fever, is what this powder is for. Wind-Heat is still at the…
- You Gui Wan 右归丸 yòu guī wán Cold, pale, thin skin with dusky extremities and slow healing is the picture this warming pill addresses. Kidney Yang and Essence are both low, so the body cannot warm…
- You Gui Yin 右归饮 yòu guī yǐn Cold, pale skin that feels firm or tight with poor circulation is what this lighter decoction warms. Yang and Essence are depleted, so the tissue is poorly supplied,…
- Yu Nu Jian 玉女煎 yù nǚ jiān Skin that flushes or reddens across the face, with dryness and heat, is what this formula cools from above while it rebuilds below. Stomach Heat is driving the flushing,…
- Yu Ping Feng San 玉屏风散 yù píng fēng sǎn Skin that reacts to wind and drafts, breaks out in recurrent hives, or sweats without exertion is what this powder steadies. The surface is weak and leaky rather than…
Z
- Zeng Ye Tang 增液汤 zēng yè tāng Skin that is thin, dry, shrunken and has lost elasticity is what this three-herb formula rehydrates from within. The fluids are deeply depleted rather than the surface…
- Zhen Wu Tang 真武汤 zhēn wǔ tāng Skin that is cold, puffy and weeping is what this warming formula treats, because it moves fluid collected under a Yang deficiency. The picture is waterlogged: swollen…
- Zhi Bai Di Huang Wan 知柏地黄丸 zhī bǎi dì huáng wán Skin that is dry, warm to the touch, burning or flushing is what this pill treats, because it refills the deep Yin whose absence lets Heat rise to the surface. The…
- Zhi Dai Fang 止带方 zhǐ dài fāng Skin that is hot, itchy and damp in the genital area or skin folds is what this formula clears, because it drains Damp-Heat from the lower body in the urine. The pattern…
- Zuo Gui Wan 左归丸 zuǒ guī wán Skin that has thinned, dried and lost tone, or heals slowly, is what this pill rebuilds, because it fills the deep Yin and Essence that supply moisture and renewal. The…
- Zuo Gui Yin 左归饮 zuǒ guī yǐn Thin, dry, itchy skin in an older person is what this gentle decoction moistens, because it refills the Yin and Essence that keep tissue supple. The pattern is deep…