Fu Zi Tang
Star附子汤 (Prepared Aconite Decoction)
Source: Shang Han Lun — Zhang Zhong-Jing (Eastern Han, c. 220)
Last updated October 1, 2026
Description
Fu Zi Tang (Prepared Aconite Decoction), from the Shang Han Lun (Discussion of Cold-Induced Disorders) by Zhang Zhong-Jing — a variation of Zhen Wu Tang.
Actions: Warms the channels, tonifies yang, dispels cold and resolves dampness.
Presentation: Muscle aches and joint pain from yang deficiency with damp-cold: cold limbs, aversion to cold, white slippery tongue coating, deep faint pulse.
Composition: Zhen Wu Tang with Ren Shen in place of Sheng Jiang and larger doses of Fu Zi and Bai Zhu.
Source: Chen JK, Chen TT. Chinese Herbal Formulas and Applications: Pharmacological Effects & Clinical Research. Art of Medicine Press, 2009, p. 1137.
Composition
| Herb | Amount | % | Role | Function |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Fu Ling
as printed: Fu Ling (Poria) 9g
|
9g | 25% | Chen (Deputy) | — |
|
Bai Zhu
as printed: Bai Zhu (Rhizoma Atractylodis Macrocephalae) 12g
|
12g | 33.33% | Chen (Deputy) | — |
|
Ren Shen
as printed: Ren Shen (Radix et Rhizoma Ginseng) 6g
|
6g | 16.67% | Zuo (Assistant) | — |
|
Bai Shao
as printed: Bai Shao (Radix Paeoniae Alba) 9g
|
9g | 25% | Zuo (Assistant) | — |
|
Zhi Fu Zi
pao (blast-fried); dose printed as 12-18g; as printed: Fu Zi (Radix Aconiti Lateralis Praeparata) 2 pieces [12-18g]
|
g | — | — |
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 neutral (+0.25)
From 100% of the weighed grams.
Grams by band: cool 25%, neutral 25%, warm 50%.
Pairs warm and cool. 50% of the weighed grams are warm or hot and 25% cool or cold — the net is their average, not the whole story.
Taste
- sweet 38%
- sour 13%
- bitter 38%
- bland 13%
From 100% of the weighed grams.
Channels reached
- Spleen 100%
- Lung 42%
- Heart 42%
- Kidney 42%
- Stomach 33%
- Liver 25%
Share of the grams entering each channel, from 100% of the weighed grams.
1 herb without a dose in grams, so left out of every figure above: Zhi Fu Zi.
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
Cook in 8 cups [1,600 mL] water down to 3 cups [600 mL]; take 1 cup [200 mL] warm three times daily.
Relationships
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Formula family
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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