Yan Nian Ban Xia Tang
Star延年半夏汤 (Pinellia Decoction to Extend Life)
Source: Wai Tai Mi Yao (752)
Last updated October 1, 2026
Description
Yan Nian Ban Xia Tang (Pinellia Decoction to Extend Life), from Arcane Essentials from the Imperial Library (752).
Associated formula of Wu Zhu Yu Tang.
Indications: Internal cold with fluid stagnation generating phlegm and blocking qi descent: chest pain, shoulder stiffness, abdominal distention and pain, tendency to constipation, with cold feet, aversion to cold, pallor, fatigue, and heavy-headed headaches; especially left-sided symptoms.
Usage: Mainly a Kampo formula, used for chronic pancreatitis, intercostal neuralgia, and digestive disorders with a psychosomatic component.
Category: Formulas that Warm the Middle and Dispel Cold.
Source: Scheid V, Bensky D, Ellis A, Barolet R. Chinese Herbal Medicine: Formulas & Strategies, 2nd ed. Eastland Press, 2009, p. 264.
Composition
| Herb | Amount | % | Role | Function |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Ren Shen
as printed: Ginseng Radix (ren shen) 2g
|
2g | 8.7% | — | |
|
Zhi Shi
as printed: Aurantii Fructus immaturus (zhi shi) 1g
|
1g | 4.35% | — | |
|
Wu Zhu Yu
as printed: Evodiae Fructus (wu zhu yu) 1g
|
1g | 4.35% | — | |
|
Ban Xia
as printed: Pinelliae Rhizoma preparatum (zhi ban xia) 5g
|
5g | 21.74% | — | |
|
Gan Jiang
as printed: Zingiberis Rhizoma (gan jiang) 2g
|
2g | 8.7% | — | |
|
Bie Jia
as printed: Trionycis Carapax (bie jia) 3g
|
3g | 13.04% | — | |
|
Jie Geng
as printed: Platycodi Radix (jie geng) 3g
|
3g | 13.04% | — | |
|
Bing Lang
as printed: Arecae Semen (bing lang) 3g
|
3g | 13.04% | — | |
|
Qian Hu
as printed: Peucedani Radix (qian hu) 3g
|
3g | 13.04% | — |
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 warm (+0.39)
From 100% of the weighed grams.
Grams by band: cool 30%, neutral 13%, warm 44%, hot 13%.
Pairs warm and cool. 56% of the weighed grams are warm or hot and 30% cool or cold — the net is their average, not the whole story.
Small but decisive: Wu Zhu Yu 1g (hot, 4% of the grams), Gan Jiang 2g (hot, 9% of the grams). Dose weighting nearly cancels a herb this small, but it may be what the formula is for.
Taste
- pungent 54%
- sweet 4%
- sour 1%
- bitter 28%
- salty 13%
From 100% of the weighed grams.
Channels reached
- Lung 65%
- Stomach 52%
- Spleen 48%
- Kidney 26%
- Large intestine 17%
- Heart 17%
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
Decoction; doses are from contemporary Japanese (Kampo) sources.
Relationships
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Formula family
Full herb lists
- This formula = Gan Jiang Ren Shen Ban Xia Wan + Bie Jia, Bing Lang, Jie Geng, Qian Hu, Wu Zhu Yu and Zhi Shi
- This formula = Da Ban Xia Tang + Gan Jiang Ren Shen Ban Xia Wan + Bie Jia, Bing Lang, Jie Geng, Qian Hu, Wu Zhu Yu and Zhi Shi
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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