Qing Luo Yin清络饮
Clear the Collaterals Beverage
Ingredients6 herbs
Indications
Mild summer-heat lodged in the qi level of the Lung. The pathogen is shallow and there is neither marked damp nor injured yin, so it is dispersed with fresh, fragrant, food-like medicinals rather than heavy cold ones.
Clinical Manifestations
- Lingering low-grade heat after a hot spell
- Head distension and dull headache in hot weather
- Thirst and a dry mouth without high fever
- Convalescence from mild heat exhaustion
- Flushed face and light irritability in summer
Health Categories
Modern Applications
Common adjustments
- Dry cough, clear high-pitched, no phlegm — add Jie Geng 桔梗, sweet apricot kernel, Mai Men Dong 麦门冬 and Zhi Mu 知母 — the classical Qing Luo Yin Jia Gan Jie Tian Xing Ren Mai Dong Tang
- Summer-heat complicated by damp, chest oppression — add Xing Ren 杏仁, Yi Yi Ren 薏苡仁 and Hua Shi 滑石
- Thirst and dryness more pronounced — add Lu Gen 芦根; where qi is also spent, a little Xi Yang Shen 西洋参
Contraindications
Too light for high fever with drenching sweat, great thirst and a flooding pulse — that presentation belongs to the Bai Hu Tang family. Not suitable when summer-heat has combined with heavy damp and a thick greasy coating, nor for chills-and-fever with an unopened exterior.
For licensed practitioners’ reference only — not a self-treatment guide.
Pregnancy
Generally compatible in pregnancy — the ingredients are light and largely food-grade; practitioner judgment still applies.
References
Source Wen Bing Tiao Bian 《温病条辨》 · Qing
「凡暑伤肺经气分之轻证，皆可用之。」
- 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.