A gentle, cooling formula used to restore moisture and fluids to the Lungs and Stomach when they have become dried out. It is commonly used for persistent dry cough, dry throat, thirst, and other symptoms of dryness, particularly during autumn or following a feverish illness. The formula nourishes without being heavy, making it well-suited for conditions where the body's natural moistening fluids have been depleted.

This formula addresses a situation in which the Lungs and Stomach have been depleted of their vital moisture. In TCM, the Lungs are called the "tender organ" (娇脏) because they are particularly vulnerable to external drying forces. The Stomach similarly depends on a steady supply of fluids to carry out its digestive functions. When a warm-dryness pathogen (温燥) invades during autumn, or when lingering Heat from a febrile illness has consumed the body's Yin fluids, both organs are left parched.

Without adequate moisture, the Lungs cannot perform their normal function of dispersing and descending Qi. This causes Lung Qi to rebel upward, producing a dry, hacking cough with little or no phlegm. The throat and nose become dry and irritated. When the Stomach is also affected, its fluids are depleted, leading to thirst, a dry mouth, and poor appetite. The tongue typically appears red with little coating or a bare, shiny surface, reflecting the loss of nourishing fluids.

The key insight of Wu Jutong's approach is that this condition sits at a specific severity level: the external pathogen has largely been dealt with, but the damage it caused to the body's fluids remains. It is deeper than a simple Wind-Dryness invasion (which would be treated with Sang Xing Tang) but less severe than extreme fluid depletion with intense residual Heat (treated with Qing Zao Jiu Fei Tang). The formula's gentle, sweet, and cool nature is perfectly calibrated for this middle ground, restoring lost fluids without being too heavy or stagnating.