Qing Zao Jiu Fei Tang — Eliminate Dryness & Rescue the Lung Decoction
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What is Qing Zao Jiu Fei Tang?
Qing Zao Jiu Fei Tang — Eliminate Dryness and Rescue the Lung Decoction — is a classical formula from Yu Chang’s Yi Men Fa Lu (1658) for warm-dryness invading the Lung. It is commonly used in Chinese herbal medicine for autumn dry coughs, post-viral dry hacking cough and stubborn dryness presentations of the Lung.
I prescribe Qing Zao Jiu Fei Tang as part of bespoke herbal formulas from pharmaceutical-grade granules sourced from Sun Ten in Taiwan.
Qing Zao Jiu Fei Tang TCM pattern
Prescribed for warm-dryness damaging Lung fluids: dry hacking cough with little or no sputum, dry throat, dry nose, thirst, chest oppression, possible mild fever, dry red tongue with little coat and a thin rapid pulse.
Key herbs
- Sang Ye — clears Lung dryness and disperses Lung Qi
- Shi Gao — clears Lung heat
- Mai Men Dong — nourishes Lung Yin
- E Jiao — nourishes Yin (modern practice substitutes with Shu Di Huang or Huang Jing on welfare grounds)
- Xing Ren — descends Lung Qi and stops cough
- Hu Ma Ren (sesame seed) — nourishes Yin and moistens
- Pi Pa Ye — descends Lung Qi and clears Lung dryness
- Ren Shen — supports Qi
- Gan Cao — harmonises
Formula actions
- Eliminates dryness in the Lung
- Clears Lung Heat and nourishes Lung Yin
- Descends Lung Qi and stops dry cough
Conditions treated
- Autumn dry cough with throat irritation and dry nose
- Post-viral dry hacking cough that persists for weeks
- Acute pharyngitis with marked dryness and irritable cough
- Chronic cough from air-conditioning and central heating dryness
- Smoker’s dry hacking cough
Cautions
Contraindicated in cold-pattern cough with copious clear sputum and in productive cough with thick phlegm. Per practice policy, the original E Jiao (donkey-hide gelatin) component is substituted with a plant-derived Yin tonic on animal-welfare grounds; this preserves the formula’s clinical effect.
Always consult a qualified Chinese herbalist registered with the Register of Chinese Herbal Medicine (RCHM). Online herbal consultations are available.
Prefer to be treated from home? Chinese herbal medicine online consultations are available throughout the UK and worldwide.
