Wei Jing Tang
Chinese: 苇茎汤
Pinyin: Wěi Jīng Tāng
Other names: Reed Decoction
Number of ingredients: 4 herbs
Formula category: Formulas that clear internal abscesses and sores
Conditions for which it may be prescribed: PneumoniaPertussisBronchitis and three other conditions
- Clears heat from the Lungs
- Transforms Phlegm
- Drives out Blood-Stagnation
- Discharges pus
Contraindications: Contraindicated during pregnancy
Source date: 627 AD
Source book: Records of Proven Formulas Past and Present
The information provided here is not a replacement for a doctor. You shouldn't use it for the purpose of self-diagnosing or self-medicating but rather so you can have a more informed discussion with a professional TCM practitioner.
Wei Jing Tang is a 4-ingredient Chinese Medicine formula with Common Reed Rhizomes (Lu Gen) as a principal ingredient.
Invented in 627 AD, it belongs to the category of formulas that clear internal abscesses and sores. Its main actions are: 1) clears heat from the Lungs and 2) transforms Phlegm.
In Chinese Medicine health conditions are thought to arise due to "disharmonies" in the body as a system. These disharmonies are called "patterns" and the very purpose of herbal formulas is to fight them in order to restore the body's harmony.
In this case Wei Jing Tang is used by TCM practitioners to fight patterns like Phlegm in the Lungs, Qi and Blood Stagnation or Wind-Heat entering the Lungs. From a Western Medicine standpoint, such patterns can give rise to a range of conditions such as absence of menstruation, bronchitis or bronchiectasis for instance.
On this page, after a detailed description of each of the four ingredients in Wei Jing Tang, we review the patterns and conditions that Wei Jing Tang helps treat.
The four ingredients in Wei Jing Tang
Lu Gen is a king ingredient in Wei Jing Tang. Like the name indicates, it means it has more power than other ingredients in the formula.
1. Common Reed Rhizomes (Lu Gen)
Part used: Fresh or dried rhizome
Nature: Cold
Taste(s): Sweet
Meridian affinity: StomachLung
Category: Herbs that clear Heat and purge Fire and/or clear Summer Heat
Lu Gen clears Heat from the Lungs. In Encountering the Sources of the Classic of Materia Medica, the 17th-century physician Zhang Lu wrote that it "specializes in facilitating passage through the orifices and thus is good at treating Lung abscess."
Yi Yi Ren is a deputy ingredient in Wei Jing Tang. This means it helps the king ingredient(s) treat the main pattern or it serves to treat a coexisting pattern.
2. Job's Tears (Yi Yi Ren)
Part used: Dried ripe kernel
Nature: Cool
Taste(s): Sweet
Meridian affinity: SpleenStomachLung
Category: Herbs that drain Dampness
Yi Yi Ren clears Heat from the Lungs and disperses pus from the upper parts of the body. It also leaches out Dampness and helps restore proper function to the Intestines, thereby providing an outlet for Dampness and Heat through the urine.
Dong Gua Zi is a deputy ingredient in Wei Jing Tang. This means it helps the king ingredient(s) treat the main pattern or it serves to treat a coexisting pattern.
3. Wax Gourd Seeds (Dong Gua Zi)
Part used: The seeds, dried
Nature: Cold
Taste(s): Sweet
Meridian affinity: StomachLarge intestineLungSmall intestine
Category: Herbs that drain Dampness
In general Dong Gua Zi's main actions are as follows: "Clears Heat, expels Phlegm, expels pus and moistens the Lungs. Clears Heat and drains Dampness."
In the context of Wei Jing Tang, it is used because it clears and transforms Phlegm-Heat, resolves Dampness and eliminates pus.
Tao Ren is an assistant ingredient in Wei Jing Tang. This means that it either serves to reinforces the effect of other ingredients or it moderates their toxicity.
4. Peach Kernels (Tao Ren)
Part used: Dried ripe seed
Nature: Neutral
Meridian affinity: HeartLarge intestineLiver
Category: Herbs that invigorate the Blood
Tao Ren invigorates the Blood and eliminates Blood Stagnation, which reduces the clumping and thereby breaks up the abscess.
Conditions and patterns for which Wei Jing Tang may be prescribed
It's important to remember that herbal formulas are meant to treat patterns, not "diseases" as understood in Western Medicine. According to Chinese Medicine patterns, which are disruptions to the body as a system, are the underlying root cause for diseases and conditions.
As such Wei Jing Tang is used by TCM practitioners to treat three different patterns which we describe below.
But before we delve into these patterns here is an overview of the Western conditions they're commonly associated with:
Absence of menstruation Bronchitis Bronchiectasis Pneumonia Pertussis Asthmatic bronchitis
Again it wouldn't be correct to say "Wei Jing Tang treats absence of menstruation" for instance. Rather, Wei Jing Tang is used to treat patterns that are sometimes the root cause behind absence of menstruation.
Now let's look at the three patterns commonly treated with Wei Jing Tang.
The Lungs is a so-called "Zang" Organ. Learn more about the Lungs in Chinese Medicine
Phlegm in the Lungs
Pulse type(s): Slippery (Hua), Wiry (Xian)
Tongue coating: Sticky coating, Thick coating
Tongue shape: Swollen
Symptoms: Asthma Sputum in the lungs and throat
Wei Jing Tang is sometimes prescribed by TCM practitioners to treat Phlegm in the Lungs. This pattern leads to symptoms such as asthma and sputum in the lungs and throat. Patients with Phlegm in the Lungs typically exhibit slippery (Hua) or wiry (Xian) pulses as well as a tongue with sticky coating, thick coating.
Phlegm in the Lungs is synonymous with Substantial Phlegm. It is Phlegm that is located in the Lungs and that can be seen. The main symptoms, on top of general Phlegm symptoms, are the heavy sputum that develops in the Lungs and throat as well as, in some cases, asthma or difficulty to breath.
read more about Phlegm in the Lungs
Qi is one of Chinese Medicine's vital subtances. Learn more about Qi in Chinese Medicine
Qi and Blood Stagnation
Pulse type(s): Choppy (Se), Wiry (Xian)
Tongue color: Normal (light red), Red, Red sides
Symptoms: Insomnia Moodiness Dark face Dizziness Depression Chest pain Breast pain Hot flushes Restlessness Irritability Breast lumps Restlnessness Scanty periods Clots in blood Abdominal pain Chest fullness Breast distention Abdominal fullness Dark colored blood Intense period pain High blood pressure Lower abdominal pain Dark menstrual blood Flooding and leaking Abdominal distension Pre-menstrual tension Irregular menstruation Pre-menstrual irritability Dark clots in menstrual blood Menstruation decreases gratually Feeling of fullness in the chest Abdominal distention and fullness Pain relief after clots discharge
Wei Jing Tang is sometimes prescribed by TCM practitioners to treat Qi and Blood Stagnation. This pattern leads to symptoms such as lower abdominal pain, breast distention, abdominal distention and fullness and pre-menstrual tension. Patients with Qi and Blood Stagnation typically exhibit choppy (Se) or wiry (Xian) pulses as well as a normal (light red), red, red sides tongue.
The Lungs is a so-called "Zang" Organ. Learn more about the Lungs in Chinese Medicine
Wind-Heat entering the Lungs
Pulse type(s): Rapid (Shu), Slippery (Hua)
Tongue coating: Yellow coating
Tongue color: Red
Symptoms: Slight fever Mild chest pain Dry and scaly skin Cough with foul-smelling sputum
Wei Jing Tang is sometimes prescribed by TCM practitioners to treat Wind-Heat entering the Lungs. This pattern leads to symptoms such as cough with foul-smelling sputum, slight fever, mild chest pain and dry and scaly skin. Patients with Wind-Heat entering the Lungs typically exhibit rapid (Shu) or slippery (Hua) pulses as well as a red tongue with yellow coating.
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