Zi Shui Qing Gan Yin
Star滋水清肝饮 (Nourishing the Water and Clearing the Liver Decoction)
Source: Gao Gu Feng's formula (1725)
Last updated October 1, 2026
Description
Zi Shui Qing Gan Yin (Nourishing the Water and Clearing the Liver Decoction), from the Gao Gu Feng's formula, is used to nourish Liver- and Kidney-Yin; reduce heat; spread the Liver-Qi.
Presentation: dizziness; tinnitus; hot flushes; irritability; palpitations; irregular menstruation; tongue: red without coating; pulse: thready, wiry and rapid.
Syndrome: Syndrome of Liver-Yin deficiency.
Composition strategy:
- A variation of Liu Wei Di Huang Wan, whose three tonify/reduce pairs (Shu Di/Ze Xie, Shan Zhu Yu/Mu Dan Pi, Shan Yao/Fu Ling) nourish Kidney, Liver and Spleen Yin
- Focus shifts from nourishing Kidney-Yin only to nourishing Liver/Kidney Yin, reducing heat and spreading Liver-Qi
- With sufficient Liver blood and Yin the Qi moves smoothly
Source: Yang Y. Chinese Herbal Formulas: Treatment Principles and Composition Strategies. Churchill Livingstone Elsevier, 2010, p. 170.
Composition
| Herb | Amount | % | Role | Function |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Ze Xie
as printed: Ze Xie (Alismatis rhizoma)
|
6g | 4.26% | Zuo (Assistant) | reduce turbid dampness; low dosage |
|
Mu Dan Pi
as printed: Mu Dan Pi (Moutan cortex)
|
9g | 6.38% | Zuo (Assistant) | reduce empty-heat of the Liver; low dosage |
|
Sheng Di Huang
as printed: Sheng Di Huang (Rehmanniae radix)
|
24g | 17.02% | replaces Shu Di of Liu Wei; reduce empty-heat, cool blood, nourish Kidney-Yin | |
|
Shan Zhu Yu
as printed: Shan Zhu Yu (Corni fructus)
|
12g | 8.51% | nourish and stabilize Liver-Yin | |
|
Shan Yao
as printed: Shan Yao (Dioscoreae rhizoma)
|
18g | 12.77% | nourish and stabilize Spleen-Yin | |
|
Fu Ling
as printed: Fu Ling (Poria)
|
12g | 8.51% | drain dampness from the Spleen | |
|
Dang Gui
as printed: Dang Gui (Angelicae sinensis radix)
|
9g | 6.38% | tonify blood | |
|
Bai Shao
as printed: Bai Shao Yao (Paeoniae radix lactiflora)
|
30g | 21.28% | large dose; tonify blood, enhance Sheng Di in nourishing Yin and reducing Liver heat | |
|
Chai Hu
as printed: Chai Hu (Bupleuri radix)
|
12g | 8.51% | spread Liver-Qi | |
|
Zhi Zi
as printed: Zhi Zi (Gardeniae fructus)
|
9g | 6.38% | reduce excess heat of Heart and Liver from Qi stagnation | |
|
Da Zao
as printed: Da Zao (Jujubae fructus)
|
4pieces | 100% | tonify blood |
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 (-0.77)
From 100% of the weighed grams.
Grams by band: cold 28%, cool 36%, neutral 21%, warm 15%.
Small but decisive: Ze Xie 6g (cold, 4% of the grams), Zhi Zi 9g (cold, 6% of the grams). Dose weighting nearly cancels a herb this small, but it may be what the formula is for.
Taste
- pungent 11%
- sweet 31%
- sour 19%
- bitter 33%
- bland 6%
From 100% of the weighed grams.
Channels reached
- Liver 68%
- Kidney 57%
- Spleen 49%
- Heart 45%
- Lung 28%
- Pericardium 9%
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: Da Zao.
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.
Source: Scheid V, Bensky D, Ellis A, Barolet R. Chinese Herbal Medicine: Formulas & Strategies, 2nd ed. Eastland Press, 2009, p. 383.
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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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