Feng Yin Tang - 风阴湯 - Wind Drawing Decoction

Author: Zhang Zhong-Jing, 張仲景

Year: c. 220

Source: Essentials from the Golden Cabinet (Jin Gui Yao Lue, 金匱要略)

Category: Formulas that Expel Wind

Pattern: Wind-Stroke or Child Fright Wind caused by exuberant Heat and stirring of Internal Liver Wind

Key Symptoms: Sudden collapse where the person falls to the ground, convulsions with upturned eyeballs, deviation of the mouth and eyes, gurgling sounds in the throat, irritability and restlessness, mental confusion
Secondary Symptoms: Also for hemiplegia or hemilateral withering

Tongue: Red body
Pulse: Foreceful, wiry and/or rapid

Ingredients

Da Huang

120g

Pinyin: Da Huang Chinese: 大黄 Pharmaceutical: Radix et Rhizoma Rhei Taxonomy: Rheum palmatum English: Chinese Rhubarb Root
Tastes: Bitter, cold Meridians Entered: Large Intestine, Spleen, Stomach, Liver and Heart
Actions & Indications: Drains Heat and purges accumulations Intestinal Heat Excess, with high fever, profuse sweating, thirst, constipation, abdominal distention and pain, delirium, a yellow tongue coat and a full pulse Yang-Ming Fu Stage Qi Level Heat in the Intestines Drains Fire Fire from Excess with intense fever, sore throat, and painful eyes and constipation Fire toxin sores due to Xue Level Heat, especially with constipation Clears Heat, transforms Dampness and promotes urination Damp-Heat with oedema, jaundice, painful urinary dysfunction and acute, hot dysenteric disorders Drains Heat from the Blood Bloody stool either from hemorrhoids or Heat in the Intestines Chaotic movement of hot Blood with hemoptysis or epistaxis with constipation It can be powdered and administered orally for bleeding in the upper digestive tract Invigorates the Blood and dispels Blood Stasis Blood Stasis with amenorrhea, fixed abdominal masses or fixed pain Blood Stasis due to traumatic injury Intestinal abscess Clears Heat and reduces Fire toxicity Topically or internally for burns or skin lesions (Chuang Yung) due to Heat Clears Heat and eliminates Phlegm Chronic Accumulation of Phlegm-Heat with cough, dyspnea, mania, disorientation and other symptoms of Phlegm Misting the Heart
Standard Dosage: 10-15g in decoction. Excessive decoction will reduce the purgative action. Therefore it should be added at end to achieve this purpose and over-decocted to eliminate this action. Cautions: It should be used with caution in case of spleen and stomach deficiency for its bitter and cold property which is easily to damage stomach qi. It is contraindicated to women during pregnancy, menstruation or lactation for it has actions of activating blood and resolving stasis, and can make the purged substances follow lactating out.

Gan Jiang

120g

Long Gu

120g

Pinyin: Long Gu Chinese: 龙骨 Pharmaceutical: Ossa Draconis English: Fossilised Bones
Tastes: Sweet, astringent, neutral Meridians Entered: Liver, Heart and Kidney
Actions & Indications: Settles anxiety and calms the Spirit Agitated Heart and Spirit with emotional distress, restlessness, insomnia, palpitations with anxiety, seizures, or withdrawal mania Calms the Liver and anchors and preserves Floating Yang Irritability, restlessness, dizziness, vertigo, blurred vision and a bad temper due to Liver Yin Deficiency with Liver Yang Rising Prevents leakage of fluids Loss of fluids due to Deficiency with spermatorrhea, night sweats, spontaneous sweating, nocturnal emissions, vaginal discharge and uterine bleeding Topically generates muscles and astringes ulcers Chronic non-healing sores and ulcerations Treats Ghost Possession Said in the Shen Nong Ben Cao Jing to treat Heart and Abdomen Ghost Possession, Spiritual Matters (精物 Jing Wu) and Old Ghosts (老鬼). This refers to difficult to treat disorders thought to be of supernatural origin. Aids fasting Mentioned in the Shen Nong Ben Cao Jing as part of the superior class of animal parts which can, with protracted taking, make the body light, enable one to communicate with the Spirit Light (Shen Ming 神明), and lengthen the lifespan. This may suggest it was part of supplementing the diet when engaging in an "avoiding grain" (Bigu 辟穀) fasting regime to cultivate life (Yangsheng 養生).
Standard Dosage: 15-30g in decoction. Cautions: The high mineral content of this medication may prevent the oral absorption of the fluoroquinolone class of antibiotics. Animal products are prohibited from use in the UK under the Medicines Act 1968 ch. 67 which restricts herbalists to the use of plant products only. It is generally substituted with Bai Shao and Wu Wei Zi. If viewed from a western perspective as a source of calcium which may cause sleep disturbances, then supplementation or inclusion of high calcium/magnesium content herbs (e.g. Kun Bu) could be considered, especially if other signs such as oesteoporosis or muscle cramps are present and risk of side effects from calcium/magnesium supplements are low (stones, calcified arteries, GI issues). However, this assumes a mechanism which does not match many of the traditional patterns for which it is prescribed.

Gui Zhi

90g

Pinyin: Gui Zhi Chinese: 桂枝 Pharmaceutical: Ramulus Cinnamomi Taxonomy: Cinnamomum cassia English: Cinnamon Twig
Tastes: Pungent, sweet, warm Meridians Entered: Lung, Heart, Kidney, Liver
Actions & Indications: *Releases the Exterior, assists Yang, adjusts the Ying* and Wei and releases the muscle layer** Taiyang Wind Strike (Taiyang Zhongfeng, 太阳中风) - a weak person who catches cold easily with spontaneous sweating, aversion to drafts, fever and chills, nasal congestion, stiff and aching head and muscles Warms the channels and collaterals to relieve pain Wind-Cold-Damp Bi *Unblocks Yang* and transforms Qi and thin mucus Edema due to Cold-Phlegm or Yang Qi Deficiency with urinary dysfunction, dizziness and palpitations Assists Heart Yang and warms and facilitates the flow of Yang Qi in the chest** Palpitations due to Yang Obstruction in the chest due to Stagnation or Deficiency Listless chest Yang with upward movement of Phlegm and thin mucus and disorderly descent of Lung Qi with shortness of breath, chest and back pain and palpitations Heart and Spleen Yang Deficiency Warms and facilitates the flow of Qi through the channels and collaterals and Blood through the vessels Wind-Cold-Damp Bi Blood Stasis due to Cold, causing amenorrhea or dysmenorrhea with or without abdominal masses *Warms the Middle and directs Turbid Yin* downward** Middle Jiao Yang Deficiency Heart and Spleen Yang Deficiency (patient usually craves sweets) Aids fasting Mentioned in the Shen Nong Ben Cao Jing as part of the superior class of herbs which can, with protracted taking, make the body light, prevent forgetfulness, and render the face bright and efflorescent, thus forever looking charming, like a child's face. This may suggest it was part of supplementing the diet when engaging in an "avoiding grain" (Bigu 辟穀) fasting regime to cultivate life (Yangsheng 養生).
Standard Dosage: 3-10g in decoction for exterior conditions, or up to 15g for Bi Syndromes. Cautions: This herb induces heat, damages the yin and moves blood. It is prohibited for those with warm pathogens, yin deficiency with effulgent fire, or reckless movement of the blood due to heat in the blood. Use with caution in pregnant women.

Gan Cao

60g

Pinyin: Gan Cao Chinese: 甘草 Pharmaceutical: Radix Glycyrrhizae Taxonomy: Glycyrrhiza uralensis seu glabra seu inflata English: Liquorice Root
Tastes: Sweet, slightly cold Meridians Entered: Heart, Lung and Spleen (and all 12 meridians)
Actions & Indications: Tonifies the Spleen and augments Qi Spleen Qi Deficiency with shortness of breath, lassitude and loose stools Qi and Blood Deficiency with an irregular pulse and/or palpitations Heart Qi Deficiency or Heart Yang Deficiency Moistens the Lungs, resolves Phlegm and stops coughing Lung Heat or Cold Productive or non-productive coughing Moderates spasms and alleviates pain Painful muscle spasms of the abdomen and legs Clears Heat and relieves Fire Toxicity Raw for Toxic Heat with sore throat or carbuncles and sores (Chuang Yung) Antidote for many toxic substances (internal and topical) Poisoning Bites (after washing the wound, chew Gan Cao and apply a thick layer on the bite wound, changing whenever it dries out; Bao Xiang-Ao, 1846, New Compilation of Proven Formulas) Moderates and harmonizes the harsh properties of other herbs and guides the herbs to all twelve channels Often added in small doses to harmonise formulas Tonifies the Qi while suppressing Parasites Gu Sydnrome (Fruehauf, 1998) Chronic inflammatory disease (Fruehauf, 2015) Aids fasting Mentioned in the Shen Nong Ben Cao Jing as part of the superior class of herbs which can, with protracted taking, make the body light and prolong life. This may suggest it was part of supplementing the diet when engaging in an "avoiding grain" (Bigu 辟穀) fasting regime to cultivate life (Yangsheng 養生).
Standard Dosage: Typically 1.5-9g in decoction. Large doses can be up 30g. Cautions: It is contraindicated for combining with Hai Zao, Da Ji, Gan Sui and Yuan Hua because of "eighteen antagonisms". It is also contraindicated in cases of dampness obstruction in middle energizer and edema because it can help dampness obstruct qi, and it is prohibited from long-term usage in large dosage (more than 20g/day) and should be avoided or used with extreme caution in patients with high blood pressure because it may raise aldosterone levels in the blood causing retention of sodium. The NHS recommends avoiding during pregnancy.

Mu Li

60g

Pinyin: Mu Li Chinese: 牡蛎 Pharmaceutical: Concha Ostreae English: Oyster Shell
Tastes: Salty, astringent, slightly cold Meridians Entered: Liver and Kidney
Actions & Indications: Heavily settles and calms the Spirit Agitated Heart and Spirit with palpitations with anxiety, restlessness and insomnia Calms the Liver, benefits Yin and anchors Floating Yang Liver Yin Deficiency with Liver Yang Rising or Yin Deficiency with internal Heat with restlessness, irritability, palpitations and spontaneous sweating Prevents leakage of fluids Continuous sweat after febrile disease or in patients with steaming bone disorder Loss of fluids due to Deficiency with night sweats, spontaneous sweating, nocturnal emissions, spermatorrhea or vaginal discharge and uterine bleeding Softens hardness and dissipates nodules Various kinds of lumps particularly neck lumps such as goiter or scrofula Absorbs acidity and alleviates pain (calcined) Excessive Stomach pain with a sour taste in the mouth Aids fasting Mentioned in the Shen Nong Ben Cao Jing as part of the superior class of animal parts which can, with protracted taking, fortify the bones and joints (骨节 Gu Jie), kill evil ghosts (邪鬼 Xie Gui), and prolong life. This may suggest it was part of supplementing the diet when engaging in an "avoiding grain" (Bigu 辟穀) fasting regime to cultivate life (Yangsheng 養生).
Standard Dosage: 15-30g in decoction. Cautions: The high mineral content of this medication may prevent the oral absorption of the fluoroquinolone class of antibiotics. Caution should also be taken due to the possibility of heavy metal absorption from the oysters' environment. If decocting it is advisable to leave the dregs at the bottom as heavy metal particles will naturally sink. It is still probably advisable to avoid for long term use unless the source is known to be clean. Animal products are prohibited from use in the UK under the Medicines Act 1968 ch. 67 which restricts herbalists to the use of plant products only. It is generally substituted with Xuan Shen, Bai Shao and Wu Wei Zi or Tian Ma. If viewed from a western perspective as a source of calcium which may cause sleep disturbances, then supplementation or inclusion of high calcium/magnesium content herbs (e.g. Kun Bu which is also salty and softens nodulation) could be considered, especially if other signs such as oesteoporosis or muscle cramps are present and the risk of side effects from calcium/magnesium supplements are low (stones, calcified arteries, GI issues). However, this assumes a mechanism which does not match many of the traditional patterns for which it is prescribed.

Han Shui Shi

180g

Hua Shi

180g

Pinyin: Hua Shi Chinese: 滑石 Pharmaceutical: Talcum / Magnesium Silicate Taxonomy: Mg₃Si₄O₁₀(OH)₂ English: Talc / Talcum Powder
Tastes: Sweet, bland and cold Meridians Entered: Bladder, Lung and Stomach
Actions & Indications: Promotes urination and drains Heat from the Urinary Bladder (aids the movement of gravel and stones), (expels Damp-Heat) Hot Painful Urinary Dysfunction (Lin Syndrome) with hot, painful urination, dark, painful, burning, scanty urine Damp-Heat diarrhoea Qi Level Heat with Dampness with unremitting fever, heavy feeling in the body, thirst, yellow tongue coat Releases Summeheat and resolves Dampness Summerheat (fever, urinary difficulty, thirst) Absorbs Dampness and clears Heat (topically) Damp skin lesions (eczema, damp sores, prickly heat) Stops bleeding due to Heat Heat type bleeding Nosebleed, vomiting blood (taken internally) Bleeding from wounds and sores (topical) Aids fasting Mentioned in the Shen Nong Ben Cao Jing as part of the superior class of minerals which can, with protracted taking, make the body light, free from hunger and prolong life. This may suggest it was part of supplementing the diet when engaging in an "avoiding grain" (Bigu 辟穀) fasting regime to cultivate life (Yangsheng 養生).
Standard Dosage: 10-20g in decoction, or applied externally. Cautions: Talc can cause granulomas in the rectum, vagina or wounds and prolonged external use has also been linked to ovarian (Wentzensen & O'Brien, 2021), stomach (Chang et al., 2020) and lung (Chang et al., 2017) cancer but other reviews contradict these findings (Goodman et al., 2020) suggesting this may only be an effect seen in rats (Prueitt et al., 2024). For safety it should therefore not be used for prolonged periods. It should also not be in inhaled as it can cause lung irritation and remain in the body for up to 40 years (Johnson, 2021). Mineral products are prohibited from use in the UK under the Medicines Act 1968 ch. 67 which restricts herbalists to the use of plant products only. It is generally substituted with Chi Fu Ling and Ze Xie.

180g

180g

180g

180g

Subsitutions:
Due to the large number of mineral and animal products in this formula a lot of substitution in necessary in the UK. Some suggestions include:
Long Gu == Bai Shao Yao + Wu Wei Zi
Mu Li == Xuan Shen + Tian Ma
Hua Shi == Chi Fu Ling + Ze Xie
Chi Shi Zhi == He Zi + Jin Guan Hua
Zhi Shi Ying == Yuan Zhi + Fu Shen
Shi Gao, Han Shui Shi and Bai Shi Zhi may be harder to substitute but could be attempted with other Heat clearing, Wind pacifying and astringent herbs, although the formula is likely to lose its action of pacifying Wind through heavy medicinals whatever the substitution. Some possible thoughts include Huang Lian or Huang Qin, Xia Ku Cao, Jue Ming Zi or Gou Teng to clear Heat, Zhi Mu to cool and protect the fluids, Lian Zi to astringe in order to protect the fluids and calm the mind, and Hu Po to provide the heaviest Spirit Calming medicinal that is still a plant product.
Zhu Ru, Shi Chang Pu or Tian Nan Xing may be appropriate if there is also Phlegm and seizures.

Preparation: Grind the herbs into a coarse powder and pill a soft leather pouch with three pinches of the powder. Decoct with 3 cups of water, bringing to the boil three times. One cup per dose is taken warm. Today it is prepares as a decoction with an appropriate reduction in dosage.

Actions: Extinguishes and pacifies Wind with heavy medicinals, clears Heat, calms the spirit

Contraindications: Should not be used in cases of Liver Yang rising due to Blood or Yin deficiency due to its draining nature.

Notes:
One liang is taken as 3g in modern sources but in Eastern Han times it was equivalent to 13.875g. This means that the dosages in classical formulae could have been more than 4x what is given today making them far higher than recommended safe dosages today but prompts consideration of what an effective dose may be (He, 2013).

Research Links:

American Dragon

TCMWiki

Journal of Chinese Medicine

National Resource Centre for Chinese Materia Medica, China

TCM-ID Integrated Database, East China Normal University

TCM-ID Information Database, National University of Singapore

Pubmed

Science Direct

Google Scholar

Bai Du (Chinese)

A+ Medical Encyclopedia (Chinese)

Reference Notes: (click to display)

These pages are intended to assist clinicians and are not intended for self-diagnosis or treatment for which a qualified professional should be consulted.

Herb Formulas Notebook

风 阴 湯  Feng Yin Tang

Wind Drawing Decoction