Hui Yang Jiu Ji Tang — Restore Yang & Rescue from Devastation Decoction

On this page

1. Overview
2. TCM pattern
3. Key herbs
4. Formula actions
5. Conditions treated
6. Cautions

Overview

Hui Yang Jiu Ji Tang — the “Restore Yang and Rescue from Devastation Decoction” — is from the Ming-dynasty Shang Han Liu Shu (Six Texts on Cold Damage). It expands Si Ni Tang with additional warming and tonifying herbs to address life-threatening Yang collapse: profuse cold sweat, severely cold extremities, weak or barely-felt pulse, watery diarrhoea, vomiting and possible loss of consciousness. This is a hospital-level intervention historically used before modern resuscitation; in contemporary practice it is occasionally used adjunctively in cardiogenic shock, septic shock and severe acute heart failure under conventional medical care.

I prescribe Hui Yang Jiu Ji Tang as part of bespoke herbal formulas from pharmaceutical-grade granules sourced from Sun Ten in Taiwan, always alongside hospital-level conventional management.

TCM pattern

Hui Yang Jiu Ji Tang is prescribed for Yang collapse (life-threatening Yang exhaustion):

• Severe aversion to cold, lying curled up
• Cold extremities up to elbows and knees
• Profuse cold sweat
• Watery diarrhoea with undigested food
• Vomiting
• Possible drowsiness or loss of consciousness
• Pale or blue-grey complexion
• Tongue — pale, possibly purplish
• Pulse — deep, faint, possibly imperceptible

Key herbs

1. Zhi Fu Zi — chief; rescues collapsing Yang; warms the Kidney
2. Gan Jiang, Rou Gui — warm the middle and Kidney
3. Ren Shen — tonifies Original Qi; stabilises collapse
4. Bai Zhu, Fu Ling, Zhi Gan Cao — tonify Spleen Qi
5. Chen Pi, Ban Xia — harmonise the Stomach; descend rebellious Qi
6. Wu Wei Zi — astringes the collapsing Yang; stabilises Qi
7. Sheng Jiang, She Xiang alternative (or Shi Chang Pu) — opens the orifices (musk is endangered and excluded; Shi Chang Pu used instead)

Formula actions

1. Restores collapsing Yang
2. Tonifies Qi and stabilises collapse
3. Warms the middle and rescues from cold

Conditions treated

1. Severe acute heart failure with Yang collapse (alongside conventional care)
2. Cardiogenic shock (adjunctive only, with conventional resuscitation)
3. Septic shock with cold-pattern presentation (adjunctive)
4. Severe gastroenteritis with collapse
5. Hypothermia with severe Yang depletion
6. Severe adrenal crisis (adjunctive, with steroid replacement)

Cautions

Yang collapse is a medical emergency requiring hospital care — call 999. This formula is adjunctive only.

Contains Fu Zi — must use pharmaceutical-grade processed (zhi/pao) Fu Zi only; raw Fu Zi is toxic. Even processed Fu Zi requires expert prescription and dose titration.

The original formula contains She Xiang (musk) — this is from an endangered species and is excluded; Shi Chang Pu is substituted.

Strictly not for use in any Heat pattern, Yin-deficient pattern, or pregnancy.

For short-term acute use only under expert supervision.

Always consult a qualified Chinese herbalist registered with the RCHM.

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