Chai Ping Tang柴平汤

Bupleurum and Calm the Stomach Decoction

Expelling Dampness 祛湿剂Dry Damp and Harmonize the Stomach 燥湿和胃

Ingredients8 herbs

HerbDosageWhat it does in this formula

柴Chai Hu柴胡Bupleuri RadixOpens the Shao Yang pivot and vents the lodged pathogen 黄Huang Qin黄芩Scutellariae RadixClears the heat half of the alternating fever 人Ren Shen人参Ginseng Radix et RhizomaSupports the upright qi so the pathogen is expelled rather than driven inward 半Zhi Ban Xia半夏Pinelliae Rhizoma praeparatumDries damp and settles nausea 甘Zhi Gan Cao甘草Glycyrrhizae Radix PraeparataHarmonizes two formulas that pull in different directions 陈Chen Pi陈皮Citri Reticulatae PericarpiumRegulates middle-burner qi so damp has a way out 苍Cang Zhu苍术Atractylodis RhizomaDries damp out of the Spleen — the lead herb of the Ping Wei San half 厚Hou Po厚朴Magnoliae Officinalis CortexMoves qi and disperses damp fullness

Indications

Harmonizes the Shao YangDries damp and harmonizes the StomachResolves damp-type intermittent feverRelieves generalized heaviness and aching

Damp-type intermittent fever: a pathogen lodged at the Shao Yang pivot while damp encumbers the Spleen and Stomach, so the alternating fever runs together with heaviness and turbid obstruction.

Clinical Manifestations

Alternating chills and fever with more chill than heat
Malarial-type intermittent fever with a heavy body
Aching of the whole body with heavy limbs
Chest and rib fullness with nausea and no appetite
Bitter taste with a thick greasy coating

TongueWhite greasy coating

PulseWiry and soggy

Health Categories

Digestive HealthEnergy & FatigueImmune SupportCold & Flu Relief

Modern Applications

Malaria Intermittent fever Fever of unknown origin Gastritis Post-viral fatigue

Common adjustments

Damp is very heavy — add Cao Guo 草果 and Bai Dou Kou 白豆蔻
More heat than chill — increase Huang Qin 黄芩 and add Qing Hao 青蒿
The patient is not deficient — remove Ren Shen 人参
Marked epigastric fullness — increase Hou Po 厚朴 and add Zhi Ke 枳壳

Contraindications

Not for a fever of yin deficiency, and not where the tongue is red and dry — the aromatic drying herbs will make that worse. Intermittent fever with a travel history needs malaria excluded by testing before it is treated as a pattern alone.

For licensed practitioners’ reference only — not a self-treatment guide.

Pregnancy

Use with caution in pregnancy — it carries the drying Ping Wei San herbs plus Ban Xia. Only on a practitioner's assessment, and an intermittent fever in pregnancy needs medical investigation first.

Related Formulas

References

Source Jing Yue Quan Shu 《景岳全书》 · Ming

Classical source of record (public domain).
2. Scheid, Bensky, Ellis & Barolet. Chinese Herbal Medicine: Formulas & Strategies, 2nd ed. — composition & dosage cross-checked.
3. 《方剂学》（全国中医药行业高等教育规划教材）— 附方 note and pattern analysis cross-checked.

Professional reference notice. Entries are scholarly references for licensed TCM practitioners and students — not medical advice, and not a recommendation to self-prescribe. Chinese herbal formulas should be used under the guidance of a qualified practitioner. Content is an original editorial compilation by Cura x Cura, cross-checked against the cited references.