Classic formula · Tonify qi
Si Jun Zi Tang
四君子汤 Four-Gentlemen Decoction
The base qi formula and the gentlest Spleen tonic. Four mild herbs for the person who is tired, pale, soft-voiced, eats little, and has loose stools. Nearly every digestion formula in Chinese medicine starts here.
Four gentlemen: mild, balanced, and never loud. That is the point. A weak Spleen cannot handle a strong tonic, so the first step is four herbs it can actually digest.
Also sold as: Si Jun Zi Wan · Four Gentlemen Teapills · Major Four Herb Combination
Who Si Jun Zi 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
- Tiredness, worse after meals
- Pale face, weak voice, no wish to talk
- Poor appetite
- Loose or soft stools
- Heavy limbs
- Easy bruising
- A child who is pale, thin, and eats poorly
- Tongue
- Pale with a thin white coat.
- Pulse
- Thin and weak.
What is in Si Jun Zi 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dang Shen Dang Shen Root | 9 g | Chief | Codonopsis, or ginseng in the classic, restores the qi of the Spleen and Lung. |
| Bai Zhu Rhizome of Largehead Atractylodes | 9 g | Deputy | Atractylodes strengthens the Spleen and dries damp. |
| Fu Ling Poria | 9 g | Assistant | Poria drains damp and calms the mind. |
| Zhi Gan Cao Honey-Fried Licorice Root Use caution | 6 g | Envoy | Honey-fried licorice warms the middle and harmonizes. |
How Si Jun Zi Tang works
Codonopsis gives the Spleen qi. Atractylodes and poria clear the damp that a weak Spleen always leaves behind, one by drying and one by draining. Licorice ties it together. Nothing lifts, nothing moves blood, nothing cools or heats. It is the plain foundation that the whole family is built on.
Actions in classic terms
- Tonifies the qi and strengthens the Spleen
Common changes to Si Jun Zi Tang
A practitioner rarely gives the bare formula. These are the classic additions for a specific picture.
- Nausea, phlegm, a greasy coat add Chen Pi, Ban Xia This becomes Liu Jun Zi Tang.
- Bloating, belching, stomach pain add Mu Xiang, Sha Ren With the two above, this becomes Xiang Sha Liu Jun Zi Tang.
- Chronic loose stools add Shan Yao, Bai Bian Dou, Yi Yi Ren Toward Shen Ling Bai Zhu San.
- Pallor and blood deficiency add Shu Di Huang, Dang Gui, Bai Shao, Chuan Xiong This becomes Ba Zhen Tang.
Cautions with Si Jun Zi Tang
- Mild, but still a tonic. Pause during a cold, flu, or fever.
- Not for a hot picture with a yellow coat, or a full, bloated, constipated one.
- If even this bloats you, the digestion needs moving herbs first, such as Xiang Sha Liu Jun Zi Tang.
Forms and typical dose
Sold as teapills, concentrated tablets, granules, decoction.
- Teapills
- 8 pills, three times a day with warm water, the usual label dose
- Decoction
- One bag a day in two doses, with the amounts above
- Course
- One to three months.
Follow the label of the brand you buy. Pill sizes differ between makers.
Buying Si Jun Zi Tang
The box reads Si Jun Zi Tang or Wan with the characters 四君子. Four ingredients: Codonopsis or Ginseng, Atractylodes, Poria, and honey-fried Licorice.
Brand comparisons for formulas live on Supplements Apothecary, the buying side of this library.
Formulas often confused with Si Jun Zi Tang
- Liu Jun Zi Tang 六君子汤 Adds tangerine peel and pinellia for nausea and phlegm.
- Xiang Sha Liu Jun Zi Tang 香砂六君子汤 Adds costus and amomum on top of that for bloating and pain.
- Shen Ling Bai Zhu San 参苓白术散 A larger formula aimed at chronic loose stools and dampness.
- Bu Zhong Yi Qi Tang 补中益气汤 Adds astragalus and two lifting herbs for exhaustion with sagging and prolapse.
Conditions where Si Jun Zi Tang comes up
Sources
- Bensky, Scheid, Ellis and Barolet, Chinese Herbal Medicine: Formulas and Strategies, 2nd edition Composition, actions, indications, and the family of modifications.
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.