Glossary

The Eight Formations were mentioned in ancient texts and developed by Zhang Jingyue 張景岳 (Collected Works, Jing Yue Quan Shu 景岳全书, 1637) as a way of describing the different stratagems that a physician can take to tackle disease. They are:

1. 補 Bu: Supplementing
2. 和 He: Harmonising
3. 攻 Gong: Attacking
4. 散 San: Dispersing
5. 寒 Han: Cooling
6. 熱 Re: Warming
7. 固 Gu: Securing
8. 因 Yin: Corresponding