Classic formula · Release the exterior
Gui Zhi Tang
桂枝汤 Cinnamon Twig Decoction
The first formula in the oldest formula book. For a cold with chills, a mild fever, a stiff neck, and sweating that does not make you feel better, in a person who dislikes wind. Five kitchen herbs that harmonize the body's defenses rather than forcing a sweat. Take it hot, then eat rice porridge and go under the blankets.
Most cold formulas kick the door open and push the invader out. Gui Zhi Tang is for the person whose door is already ajar and leaking: it steadies the frame, warms the hall, and lets the body finish the job.
Also sold as: Gui Zhi Wan · Cinnamon Combination
Who Gui Zhi Tang is for
This formula is chosen for 2 patterns. Match your own picture before you match the name.
Signs it is classically given for
- Chills and mild fever with sweating that brings no relief
- Dislike of wind and drafts
- Headache and stiff neck
- Stuffy nose, dry heaves
- Sweating for no reason in a weak person, outside of a cold
- A cold in someone who is tired, elderly, or just recovered from illness
- Muscle aches after exposure to wind
- Tongue
- Thin white moist coat.
- Pulse
- Floating and relaxed.
What is in Gui Zhi Tang
Amounts are the classic decoction range in grams. Patent pills use the same herbs in the same proportion, so read the box for these names.
| Herb | Amount | Role | Job in the formula |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gui Zhi Cassia Twig Use caution | 9 g | Chief | Cinnamon twig warms the surface and disperses the cold. |
| Bai Shao White Peony Root | 9 g | Deputy | White peony holds the nutritive layer so the sweating stops; it balances the cinnamon. |
| Sheng Jiang Fresh Ginger Use caution | 9 g | Assistant | Fresh ginger helps the cinnamon disperse and settles the stomach. |
| Da Zao Chinese Date | 12 g | Assistant | Jujube dates help the peony nourish. |
| Zhi Gan Cao Honey-Fried Licorice Root Use caution | 6 g | Envoy | Honey-fried licorice harmonizes everything. |
How Gui Zhi Tang works
Cinnamon opens and warms; peony closes and nourishes. The pair is the whole formula: it pushes the cold out and holds the body together at the same time, which is why it treats both a cold with sweating and plain sweating with no cold. The porridge and blankets afterward are part of the prescription.
Actions in classic terms
- Releases the exterior and harmonizes the nutritive and defensive layers
- Warms and disperses wind-cold in a person who is already sweating
Common changes to Gui Zhi Tang
A practitioner rarely gives the bare formula. These are the classic additions for a specific picture.
Cautions with Gui Zhi Tang
- Not for a cold with a sore throat, thirst, and a yellow coat; that is wind-heat and needs Yin Qiao San.
- Not for a cold with chills and no sweating at all; that is the stronger Ma Huang Tang picture.
- Warm. Stop if a fever climbs or heat signs appear.
- Pregnancy: use only under a qualified practitioner.
Forms and typical dose
Sold as teapills, granules, decoction.
- Decoction
- One bag, drunk hot, followed by a bowl of hot rice porridge and rest under covers. Repeat in a few hours if there is no light sweat.
- Teapills
- 8 pills, three times a day with hot water, the usual label dose
- Course
- One to three days for a cold.
Follow the label of the brand you buy. Pill sizes differ between makers.
Buying Gui Zhi Tang
The box reads Gui Zhi Tang or Wan with the characters 桂枝汤. Five ingredients: Cinnamon twig, White peony, Ginger, Jujube, and Licorice.
Brand comparisons for formulas live on Supplements Apothecary, the buying side of this library.
Formulas often confused with Gui Zhi Tang
- Yu Ping Feng San 玉屏风散 Prevents the cold in the same kind of person; Gui Zhi Tang treats it once it has arrived.
- Yin Qiao San 银翘散 For wind-heat colds: sore throat, thirst, a yellow coat.
Conditions where Gui Zhi Tang comes up
Sources
- Bensky, Scheid, Ellis and Barolet, Chinese Herbal Medicine: Formulas and Strategies, 2nd edition Composition, actions, indications, and the porridge instruction.
Important Note
Formula pages describe classic use so you can read a label, ask a better question, and find the right monographs. They are education, not a prescription. A formula that fits the wrong pattern can make things worse, so match the picture first.