Qing Wei San
Star清胃散 (Clear the Stomach Powder)
Source: Lan Shi Mi Cang (1336)
Last updated October 1, 2026
Description
Qing Wei San (Clear the Stomach Powder), from the Lan Shi Mi Cang, is used to clear Stomach-fire and cool the blood.
Presentation: toothache from excess Stomach-fire; flushed cheeks; bleeding or swollen gums; foul breath; thirst and dry mouth; tongue: red with a thin yellow coating; pulse: slippery, rapid and forceful.
Syndrome: Syndrome of heat in the Stomach and Large Intestine.
Composition strategy:
- Heat-draining and heat-dispersing herbs are used together
- Blood-cooling and blood-moving herbs are used together
- Only five herbs but a clear demonstration of principles; good both to study and to use
Source: Yang Y. Chinese Herbal Formulas: Treatment Principles and Composition Strategies. Churchill Livingstone Elsevier, 2010, p. 101.
Composition
| Herb | Amount | % | Role | Function |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Huang Lian
dose printed as 3–5 g; as printed: Huang Lian (Coptidis rhizoma)
|
g | — | Jun (Chief) | reduce Stomach heat, dry dampness, drain fire |
|
Sheng Di Huang
as printed: Sheng Di Huang (Rehmanniae radix)
|
12g | 36.36% | Chen (Deputy) | nourish Yin and cool blood |
|
Mu Dan Pi
also assistant; as printed: Mu Dan Pi (Moutan cortex)
|
9g | 27.27% | Chen (Deputy) | cool blood and move blood to relieve burning pain |
|
Dang Gui
as printed: Dang Gui (Angelicae sinensis radix)
|
6g | 18.18% | Zuo (Assistant) | promote blood circulation, prevent stagnation from cold herbs |
|
Sheng Ma
also envoy; as printed: Sheng Ma (Cimicifugae rhizoma)
|
6g | 18.18% | Zuo (Assistant) | ascend and disperse heat, relieve toxicity; guide to Stomach meridian |
Dui Yao — Core Herb Pairs
The classical two-herb combinations at the heart of this formula, as recorded on the herbs' own pages — each pair has an action neither herb has alone.
Bitter cold clearing is combined with upward venting, so stomach fire is drained while constrained fire is dispersed rather than trapped.
Stomach fire with toothache, gum swelling and bleeding.
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 nature not shown: the chief herb (Huang Lian) has no dose in grams.
From 100% of the weighed grams.
Grams by band: cold 36%, cool 46%, warm 18%.
Taste
- pungent 32%
- sweet 36%
- bitter 32%
From 100% of the weighed grams.
Channels reached
- Heart 82%
- Liver 82%
- Kidney 64%
- Spleen 36%
- Lung 18%
- Large intestine 18%
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: Huang Lian.
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
Originally ground to powder, taken cool as a draft; raise the Coptis dose by one-third if there is no improvement, and raise doses in summer. Now usually decocted at the parenthesized doses.
Source: Scheid V, Bensky D, Ellis A, Barolet R. Chinese Herbal Medicine: Formulas & Strategies, 2nd ed. Eastland Press, 2009, p. 191.
Relationships
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Formula family
Full herb lists
- Liang Xue Di Huang Tang = this formula without Mu Dan Pi + Ce Bai Ye, Chi Shao, Di Yu, Gan Cao, Huai Jiao, Huang Qin, Jing Jie, Tian Hua Fen and Zhi Ke
- Huan Yin Jiu Ku Tang = this formula without Mu Dan Pi + Jiu Wei Qiang Huo Tang + Er Miao San + Chai Hu, Gao Ben, Hong Hua, Jie Geng, Lian Qiao, Long Dan Cao and Zhi Mu
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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