Chinese herbal formula categories

The classical Chinese herbal formula canon is organised into 17 categories, each corresponding to a primary therapeutic action. Every formula on this site — over 260 in the formula directory — sits within one of these categories. Knowing the category clarifies what a formula does and when to consider it.

The 17 categories

1. Formulas that Release the Exterior (解表剂) — Release Exterior
2. Formulas that Clear Heat (清热剂) — Clear Heat
3. Formulas that Drain Downward (泻下剂) — Drain Downward
4. Formulas that Harmonise (和解剂) — Harmonise
5. Formulas that Treat Dryness (治燥剂) — Treat Dryness
6. Formulas that Expel Dampness (祛湿剂) — Expel Dampness
7. Formulas that Warm the Interior (温里剂) — Warm Interior
8. Formulas that Tonify (补益剂) — Tonify
9. Formulas that Stabilise and Bind (固涩剂) — Stabilise & Bind
10. Formulas that Calm the Spirit (安神剂) — Calm Spirit
11. Formulas that Open the Sensory Orifices (开窍剂) — Open Orifices
12. Formulas that Regulate Qi (理气剂) — Regulate Qi
13. Formulas that Regulate the Blood (理血剂) — Regulate Blood
14. Formulas that Expel Wind (治风剂) — Expel Wind
15. Formulas that Expel Parasites (驱虫剂) — Expel Parasites
16. Formulas that Reduce Food Stagnation (消食剂) — Reduce Food Stagnation
17. Formulas for Cough, Wheezing and Phlegm (止咳化痰平喘剂) — Cough / Phlegm

How categories guide prescribing

Pattern diagnosis (the patient’s configuration of Eight Principles, Zang-Fu involvement, and Six Stages or Wei Qi Ying Xue position) identifies the required category. Within the category, the specific formula is selected for the precise sub-pattern, and modifications are made for the individual patient. This is what makes prescribing in Chinese medicine personalised rather than condition-driven.