Empirical Formula for Regulating Qi，From *The Great Compendium of Medical Formulas*, Volume 3, citing a formula by Xu Tongzhi.，For various types of qi stagnation and obstruction, distension of the chest and diaphragm, bitter taste in the mouth and dry throat, vomiting and poor appetite, wandering, stabbing, or pricking pain in the shoulders, back, abdomen, and flanks, as well as shortness of breath, phlegm-related cough, puffy face and eyes, swelling and fullness of the limbs, severe constipation, red and scanty urine, excessive worry and overthinking, mental agitation and emotional stagnation, beriberi and rheumatism, mass-like swelling, and shortness of breath with chest fullness and tightness.
Empirical Formula for Regulating Qi
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Formulas Name : Empirical Formula for Regulating Qi
Chinese Name : 经验调气方
Drug Formulation
Ginseng 2 liang, Red Poria (peeled) 2 liang, Bitter Papaya 2 liang, Ophiopogon 2 liang, Atractylodes 2 liang, Angelica dahurica 2 liang, Pinellia (washed in hot water) 2 liang, Dried Tangerine Peel 1 jin, Magnolia Bark (processed with ginger, stir-fried) 1 jin,Green tangerine peel (white pith removed) 1 jin, licorice 1 jin, cyperus rhizome (roasted and dehaired) 1 jin, perilla leaf (stems and stalks removed) 1 jin, agarwood 8 liang, trichosanthes peel 4 liang (roasted), rhubarb (wrapped in flour and braised, sliced) 2 liang,Cardamom seeds 6 liang, Cinnamon bark (peeled, not roasted) 6 liang, Atractylodes (steamed and sliced) 6 liang, Areca nut peel 6 liang, Clove bark 6 liang, Areca nut 6 liang, Frankincense (not roasted) 6 liang, Akebia stem (knots removed) 8 liang.
Source
From *The Great Compendium of Medical Formulas*, Volume 3, citing a formula by Xu Tongzhi.
Processing
Grind the above ingredients into a coarse powder.
Benefits
For various types of qi stagnation and obstruction, distension of the chest and diaphragm, bitter taste in the mouth and dry throat, vomiting and poor appetite, wandering, stabbing, or pricking pain in the shoulders, back, abdomen, and flanks, as well as shortness of breath, phlegm-related cough, puffy face and eyes, swelling and fullness of the limbs, severe constipation, red and scanty urine, excessive worry and overthinking, mental agitation and emotional stagnation, beriberi and rheumatism, mass-like swelling, and shortness of breath with chest fullness and tightness.
Instructions for Use
For each dose, use one and a half bowls of water, add three slices of fresh ginger and two jujubes, decoct until reduced to seven-tenths of the original volume, strain, and drink while hot. For typhoid fever with headache and early onset of illness, add 3 cun of scallion white (including the root) and decoct together; this regulates the rise and fall of yin and yang, induces sweating, and brings immediate relief. If bowel movements occur spontaneously, add glutinous rice and decoct. For women with blood and qi masses or masses in the abdomen, add mugwort and vinegar and decoct; this may be taken at any time.
Copyright: Excerpt from From *The Great Compendium of Medical Formulas*, Volume 3, citing a formula by Xu Tongzhi., Copyright belongs to the Original Author and all original sources, This article was shared by DeDe on August 26, 2026, Please credit the source and include a link to the original article when reposting.
Terminology Proofreading: [Cheng Bo] | August 26, 2026 Reviewed by: [Wang Zhongxiang, Associate Chief TCM Physician (China)] | August 26, 2026
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Empirical Formula for Regulating Qi,For various types of qi stagnation and obstruction, distension of the chest and diaphragm, bitter taste in the mouth and dry throat, vomiting and poor appetite, wandering, stabbing, or pricking pain in the shoulders, back, abdomen, and flanks, as well as shortness of breath, phlegm-related cough, puffy face and eyes, swelling and fullness of the limbs, severe constipation, red and scanty urine, excessive worry and overthinking, mental agitation and emotional stagnation, beriberi and rheumatism, mass-like swelling, and shortness of breath with chest fullness and tightness.