Ginger and Aconite Decoction for Warding Off Cold，From *Dongyuan’s Prescriptions of Proven Efficacy*, Volume 2.，Deficiency of the middle qi; when winter cold invades the space between the spleen and stomach, it causes the flanks to contract and become tight and painful; frequent sneezing; incessant discharge of turbid nasal mucus; loss of sense of smell; coughing and headache; heat above like fire, cold below like ice; intermittent or sudden severe headaches; a burning sensation in both eyes, with blurred vision; or tinnitus and deafness;a preference for bright, clear light and an aversion to阴寒; inability to sleep soundly at night; phlegm in the chest obstructing the diaphragm and throat; loss of taste for food; a damp, clammy sensation in the mouth; loose teeth making it impossible to chew; coldness in the lower back, navel, buttocks, kidneys, knees, and shins; spontaneous night sweats; weakness when walking; numbness from wind-induced bi syndrome; frequent urination; shortness of breath and wheezing; insufficient breath to sustain breathing; and sudden, uncontrolled incontinence.In women, leukorrhea accompanied by severe pain in the vulva, with pain radiating upward to the heart, and a sallow, ashen complexion;In men: pain upon grasping the testicles, pain radiating from the heart to the abdomen and genital area, a face as red as ochre, poor appetite, irregular bowel and urinary movements, restlessness, cholera-like symptoms, counterflow of qi, abdominal cramping, with the abdominal skin appearing white or black; belching accompanied by abdominal rumbling; tight tendons below the knees; and severe pain in the lower back, shoulders, and shoulder blades—these are symptoms of yin excess and yang deficiency.
Ginger and Aconite Decoction for Warding Off Cold
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Formulas Name : Ginger and Aconite Decoction for Warding Off Cold
Chinese Name : 姜附御寒汤
Drug Formulation
Dried ginger (roasted) 1 qian 2 fen, Pinellia (washed in boiling water) 5 fen, Bupleurum (stems removed) 1 qian, Saposhnikovia (root base removed) half a qian, Notopterygium 1 qian, Ligusticum (soil removed) 8 fen,Ginseng (root, without the root crown) half qian, White Sunflower Blossoms 5 (with centers and sepals removed), Licorice (roasted) 8 fen, Cimicifuga 7 fen, Prunus mume seeds (soaked in hot water, with skin and tips removed) half qian, Angelica sinensis root 6 fen (processed with wine),Peach Kernels half qian (soaked in hot water, with skin and tip removed; ground into a paste with Prunus mume seeds and added to the main formula), Black Aconite Root (roasted, with skin and pith removed) 4 qian.
Source
From *Dongyuan’s Prescriptions of Proven Efficacy*, Volume 2.
Benefits
Deficiency of the middle qi; when winter cold invades the space between the spleen and stomach, it causes the flanks to contract and become tight and painful; frequent sneezing; incessant discharge of turbid nasal mucus; loss of sense of smell; coughing and headache; heat above like fire, cold below like ice; intermittent or sudden severe headaches; a burning sensation in both eyes, with blurred vision; or tinnitus and deafness;a preference for bright, clear light and an aversion to阴寒; inability to sleep soundly at night; phlegm in the chest obstructing the diaphragm and throat; loss of taste for food; a damp, clammy sensation in the mouth; loose teeth making it impossible to chew; coldness in the lower back, navel, buttocks, kidneys, knees, and shins; spontaneous night sweats; weakness when walking; numbness from wind-induced bi syndrome; frequent urination; shortness of breath and wheezing; insufficient breath to sustain breathing; and sudden, uncontrolled incontinence.In women, leukorrhea accompanied by severe pain in the vulva, with pain radiating upward to the heart, and a sallow, ashen complexion;In men: pain upon grasping the testicles, pain radiating from the heart to the abdomen and genital area, a face as red as ochre, poor appetite, irregular bowel and urinary movements, restlessness, cholera-like symptoms, counterflow of qi, abdominal cramping, with the abdominal skin appearing white or black; belching accompanied by abdominal rumbling; tight tendons below the knees; and severe pain in the lower back, shoulders, and shoulder blades—these are symptoms of yin excess and yang deficiency.
Instructions for Use
Coarsely crush the ingredients listed above and combine them into a single dose. Decoct in 5 large bowls of water until reduced to 3 bowls; then add 1 qian of Astragalus, 0.5 fen of tangerine peel, and 1 qian of cardamom. Decoct further until reduced to 2 bowls; then add 0.3 fen of wine-processed Phellodendron, 0.3 fen of wine-processed Coptis, and 0.3 fen of Trifoliate Orange Peel,2 fen of wine-processed Rehmannia (these four ingredients should be coarsely chopped and soaked separately in fresh water—half a bowl each—overnight one day in advance), and 2 fen of Schisandra berries (also soaked separately in fresh water one day in advance). Strain the previous decoction, add these three ingredients, and simmer together over heat until reduced to 1 bowl. Strain again and take it hot on an empty stomach; after a short while, follow with a light meal.
Note
Avoid meat broth; meat may be consumed.
Copyright: Excerpt from From *Dongyuan’s Prescriptions of Proven Efficacy*, Volume 2., 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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Ginger and Aconite Decoction for Warding Off Cold,Deficiency of the middle qi; when winter cold invades the space between the spleen and stomach, it causes the flanks to contract and become tight and painful; frequent sneezing; incessant discharge of turbid nasal mucus; loss of sense of smell; coughing and headache; heat above like fire, cold below like ice; intermittent or sudden severe headaches; a burning sensation in both eyes, with blurred vision; or tinnitus and deafness;a preference for bright, clear light and an aversion to阴寒; inability to sleep soundly at night; phlegm in the chest obstructing the diaphragm and throat; loss of taste for food; a damp, clammy sensation in the mouth; loose teeth making it impossible to chew; coldness in the lower back, navel, buttocks, kidneys, knees, and shins; spontaneous night sweats; weakness when walking; numbness from wind-induced bi syndrome; frequent urination; shortness of breath and wheezing; insufficient breath to sustain breathing; and sudden, uncontrolled incontinence.In women, leukorrhea accompanied by severe pain in the vulva, with pain radiating upward to the heart, and a sallow, ashen complexion;In men: pain upon grasping the testicles, pain radiating from the heart to the abdomen and genital area, a face as red as ochre, poor appetite, irregular bowel and urinary movements, restlessness, cholera-like symptoms, counterflow of qi, abdominal cramping, with the abdominal skin appearing white or black; belching accompanied by abdominal rumbling; tight tendons below the knees; and severe pain in the lower back, shoulders, and shoulder blades—these are symptoms of yin excess and yang deficiency.