Qing Hao Bie Jia Tang青蒿鳖甲汤

Sweet Wormwood and Soft-Shelled Turtle Shell Decoction

Clearing Heat 清热剂Clear Deficiency Heat 清虚热

Ingredients5 herbs

HerbDosageRoleWhat it does in this formula

青Qing Hao青蒿Artemisiae Annuae Herba6g君 ChiefLight and aromatic, it leads the heat Bie Jia has found out through the exterior 鳖Bie Jia鳖甲Trionycis Carapax15g君 ChiefSalty and cold, it enters the yin level to nourish yin and grip the lurking heat

细细生地12g臣 Deputy

知Zhi Mu知母Anemarrhenae Rhizoma6g臣 DeputyDrains deficiency fire and moistens the dryness it leaves behind

丹丹皮9g佐 Assistant

Indications

Nourishes yin and vents lurking heatClears heat from the yin level at nightRestores fluids after a febrile illness

Lurking heat in the yin level in the late stage of a warm disease: the residual pathogen has hidden in the yin and the yin has already been consumed. Its signature is fever at night that is cool by dawn and breaks without sweat — heat coming out of the yin rather than out of the exterior.

Clinical Manifestations

Fever at night that is gone by morning, with no sweating as it breaks
Persistent low-grade fever in the convalescence of an infection
Emaciation and a dry mouth after a prolonged fever
Unexplained afternoon or evening fever with a red peeled tongue
Night sweats and heat in the palms and soles

TongueRed with little or no coating

PulseThin and rapid

Health Categories

Energy & FatigueCold & Flu Relief

Modern Applications

Low-grade fever Post-infectious fever Night sweats Fever of unknown origin Convalescence

Common adjustments

Yin depletion marked, tongue mirror-smooth — add Mai Men Dong 麦门冬 and Sheng Di Huang 生地黄
Night sweats prominent — add Di Gu Pi 地骨皮 and Fu Xiao Mai 浮小麦
Heat still tangible in the qi level during the day — add Yin Chai Hu 银柴胡 or Bai Wei 白薇
Cough with a dry throat lingering — add Bei Sha Shen 北沙参 and Chuan Bei Mu 川贝母

Contraindications

Not for the early or middle stage of a febrile illness while the pathogen is still in the exterior or the qi level — enriching yin at that point holds the pathogen in. Not for fever with a thick greasy coating, which indicates damp rather than yin depletion. Bie Jia is unsuitable for Spleen deficiency with loose stools. An unexplained persistent fever needs a medical diagnosis.

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

Pregnancy

Avoid in pregnancy unless a practitioner judges otherwise — Bie Jia is classically blood-moving and softening and is conventionally withheld during pregnancy. Persistent fever in pregnancy requires medical evaluation.

References

Source Wen Bing Tiao Bian 《温病条辨》 · Qing

「夜热早凉，热退无汗，热自阴来者，青蒿鳖甲汤主之。」
— 《温病条辨》(classical source, public domain)

Classical source (public domain), cited in the source-quote section.
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）— 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.