Ban Xia San Ji Tang
Star半夏散及汤 (Pinellia Powder and Decoction)
Source: Shang Han Lun — Zhang Zhong-Jing (Eastern Han, c. 220)
Last updated October 20, 2026
Explain this formula AI · professionals
An AI tool for verified professionals
Our AI tools are available only to verified practitioners, who can weigh what a language model drafts against their own training and a patient in front of them.
Already verified? Sign in to use it. Practitioners can register a professional account; we review your credentials before the AI tools unlock.
Description
Ban Xia San Ji Tang (Pinellia Powder and Decoction) is the formula given in Line 313 of the Shang Han Lun for lesser yīn disease with soreness in the throat (sore throat from lesser yīn visiting cold with phlegm). The three ingredients are taken in equal parts, as a powder or a decoction; no weights are printed.
Source: Mitchell C, Feng Y, Wiseman N. Shang Han Lun: On Cold Damage, Translation & Commentaries. Paradigm Publications, 1999, pp. 520–521.
Composition
Liquorice: no gram amount — glycyrrhizic acid not estimated.
| Herb | Amount | % | Role | Function |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Ban Xia
as printed: 半夏（洗） (washed); equal parts of the three ingredients, no amount printed
|
g | — | — | |
|
Gui Zhi
as printed: 桂枝（去皮） (remove bark); equal parts of the three ingredients, no amount printed
|
g | — | — | |
|
Gan Cao
as printed: 甘草（炙） (mix-fried); equal parts of the three ingredients, no amount printed
|
g | — | — |
Preparation
(1) For the above three ingredients use equal parts. Pound and sieve each separately, and combine. (2) Mix with a white [rice] cool decoction and take a square-inch-spoonful three times a day. (3) If one cannot take the powder, boil one shēng of water seven times and add two square-inch-spoonfuls of powder. Boil three more times, remove from the flame, and allow to cool slightly. Swallow a small amount. (4) Pinellia (bàn xià) has toxin, and should not be taken in powdered [form]. (Mitchell, Feng & Wiseman 1999, pp. 520–521, Line 313)
Click a node for details · double-click to expand it · Ctrl/⌘ + scroll or two fingers to zoom and pan.
Formula family
Full equations
- Bian Zhi Xin Qi Yin = this formula + Bie Jia, Bing Lang, Fu Ling, Mu Tong, Sang Bai Pi, Wu Zhu Yu, Zhi Shi and Zi Su Zi. Proportions not compared: the catalogue's Ban Xia San Ji Tang has no gram dose for Ban Xia, Gan Cao and Gui Zhi.
Each entry reads as the larger formula written out: “+” adds its other catalogue cores, then the herbs none of them hold. A catalogue formula counts as a core only when at least 80% of its herbs are present, no more than 1 is absent, and the absent herb is not its chief.
Formula Network
Formulas that share herbs with this one — the closer to the centre, the stronger the match. Click a node to explore.
Similar Formulas by composition
Match score combines dosage-weighted composition (cosine, 70%) with shared-herb overlap (Jaccard, 30%).
Traditional formula information is for educational purposes only. Herbal formulas should be prescribed by a qualified practitioner — dosages and combinations are individualized and can interact with medications.
📝 Notes
Public notes from the community and your own private notes on Ban Xia San Ji Tang.
No notes yet.