Qing Yi Tang
Star清胰汤 (Clear the Pancreas Decoction)
Source: Integrated Chinese and Western Medical Treatment of the Acute Abdomen (1973)
Last updated October 1, 2026
Description
Qing Yi Tang (Clear the Pancreas Decoction), from Integrated Chinese and Western Medical Treatment of the Acute Abdomen (1973).
Associated formula of Da Chai Hu Tang.
Actions: Clears and drains heat excess; Spreads the Liver qi; Promotes the movement of qi; Alleviates pain
Indications: Stabbing, diffuse epigastric pain extending to the back, loss of appetite, alternating fever and chills, abdominal pain, and constipation
Pattern: Excess heat with Liver qi constraint, typically acute pancreatitis
Usage: Nankai Hospital (Tianjin) formula, the best known of several by this name, for acute pancreatitis.
Modifications:
- Severe dampness with jaundice: add yin chen, zhi zi, long dan cao
- Severe vomiting: add zhi ban xia and dai zhe shi
- Severe pain: add chuan lian zi and increase yan hu suo
- Food accumulation: add lai fu zi, shen qu, mai ya, shan zha
- Fullness of the chest: add hou po and zhi shi
- Back pain: add quan gua lou, xie bai, fang feng, qin jiao
- Tapeworms in the bile duct: add bing lang, shi jun zi, ku lian gen pi
- Deficient constitution with interior cold: remove da huang and mang xiao; add zhi fu zi and gan jiang
Category: Formulas that Release the Exterior and Purge the Interior.
Source: Scheid V, Bensky D, Ellis A, Barolet R. Chinese Herbal Medicine: Formulas & Strategies, 2nd ed. Eastland Press, 2009, p. 289.
Composition
| Herb | Amount | % | Role | Function |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Chai Hu
as printed: Bupleuri Radix (chai hu) 15g
|
15g | 16.67% | — | |
|
Huang Qin
as printed: Scutellariae Radix (huang qin) 9g
|
9g | 10% | — | |
|
Hu Huang Lian
as printed: Picrorhizae Rhizoma (hu huang lian) 9g
|
9g | 10% | — | |
|
Bai Shao
as printed: Paeoniae Radix alba (bai shao) 15g
|
15g | 16.67% | — | |
|
Mu Xiang
add near end; as printed: Aucklandiae Radix (mu xiang) [add near end] 9g
|
9g | 10% | — | |
|
Yan Hu Suo
as printed: Corydalis Rhizoma (yan hu suo) 9g
|
9g | 10% | — | |
|
Da Huang
add near end; as printed: Rhei Radix et Rhizoma (da huang) [add near end] 15g
|
15g | 16.67% | — | |
|
Mang Xiao
add to strained decoction; as printed: Natrii Sulfas (mang xiao) [add to strained decoction] 9g
|
9g | 10% | — |
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 cool (-1.07)
From 100% of the weighed grams.
Grams by band: cold 47%, cool 33%, warm 20%.
Taste
- pungent 18%
- sour 8%
- bitter 68%
- salty 5%
From 100% of the weighed grams.
Channels reached
- Liver 70%
- Spleen 63%
- Large intestine 57%
- Stomach 57%
- Gallbladder 37%
- Pericardium 33%
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.
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Formula family
Full herb lists
- This formula = Bai Hu Cheng Qi Tang + Bai Shao, Chai Hu, Hu Huang Lian, Huang Qin, Mu Xiang and Yan Hu Suo
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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