Dang Gui Liu Huang Tang
Star当归六黄汤 (Tangkuei and Six Yellow Decoction)
Source: Lan Shi Mi Cang (1336)
Last updated October 1, 2026
Description
Dang Gui Liu Huang Tang (Tangkuei and Six Yellow Decoction), from the Lan Shi Mi Cang, is used to nourish Yin and reduce Kidney heat; stop sweating from Yin deficiency with severe empty-heat.
Presentation: night sweats; red face; dry lips; irritability; constipation; dark scanty urine; tongue: red with a yellow coating; pulse: rapid.
Syndrome: Syndrome of heat in the Kidney and Bladder.
Composition strategy:
- Two groups (Yin-nourishing and fire-reducing) support each other
- Herbs normally for excess fire (Huang Lian, Huang Qin) can reduce intense empty-heat, but only combined with Yin tonics such as Sheng Di Huang and Shu Di Huang
- Once heat lessens, switch to herbs that reduce empty-heat and nourish Yin, e.g. Zhi Mu (Anemarrhenae rhizoma) and Han Lian Cao (Ecliptae herba)
Cautions:
- The bitter-cold 'yellow' herbs should not be used long term for empty-heat
Source: Yang Y. Chinese Herbal Formulas: Treatment Principles and Composition Strategies. Churchill Livingstone Elsevier, 2010, p. 113.
Composition
| Herb | Amount | % | Role | Function |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Dang Gui
as printed: Dang Gui (Angelicae sinensis radix)
|
12g | 12.5% | Jun (Chief) | tonify blood |
|
Sheng Di Huang
as printed: Sheng Di Huang (Rehmanniae radix)
|
12g | 12.5% | Jun (Chief) | tonify Yin |
|
Shu Di Huang
as printed: Shu Di Huang (Rehmanniae radix praeparata)
|
12g | 12.5% | Jun (Chief) | tonify blood and Yin |
|
Huang Qin
as printed: Huang Qin (Scutellariae radix)
|
12g | 12.5% | Chen (Deputy) | clear Upper-Jiao heat |
|
Huang Lian
as printed: Huang Lian (Coptidis rhizoma)
|
12g | 12.5% | Chen (Deputy) | clear Middle-Jiao heat |
|
Huang Bai
as printed: Huang Bai (Phellodendri cortex)
|
12g | 12.5% | Chen (Deputy) | clear Lower-Jiao heat |
|
Huang Qi
as printed: Huang Qi (Astragali radix)
|
24g | 25% | Zuo (Assistant) | tonify Qi, strengthen exterior to stop sweating |
Energetics dose-weighted
The formula's overall nature, taste balance and channel reach, weighted by each herb's dose. Classical formulas often pair warm and cool herbs on purpose, so a net figure summarises the mix — it doesn't describe every herb in it.
Nature
Net slightly cool (-0.50)
From 100% of the weighed grams.
Grams by band: cold 50%, warm 50%.
Pairs warm and cool. 50% of the weighed grams are warm or hot and 50% cool or cold — the net is their average, not the whole story.
Taste
- pungent 6%
- sweet 50%
- bitter 44%
From 100% of the weighed grams.
Channels reached
- Spleen 63%
- Heart 50%
- Liver 50%
- Lung 38%
- Large intestine 38%
- Kidney 38%
Share of the grams entering each channel, from 100% of the weighed grams.
Dose-weighted from each herb's recorded nature, taste and channels (missing values are left out, never counted as neutral). It describes the composition — it is not a recommendation.
Preparation
Source: equal amounts powdered except double Astragalus, 15g taken before meals as a draft; now more often decocted at the listed doses.
Source: Scheid V, Bensky D, Ellis A, Barolet R. Chinese Herbal Medicine: Formulas & Strategies, 2nd ed. Eastland Press, 2009, p. 218.
Relationships
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Formula family
Full herb lists
- This formula = Dang Gui Bu Xue Tang + Sheng Di Huang, Shu Di Huang, Huang Bai, Huang Lian and Huang Qin
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.
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