SHEN LING BAI ZHU SAN

Tonify Spleen Qi & Leach Dampness • The "Earth Harmonizer" Formula

Symptoms

Chronic Digestive Weakness: Loose stools, chronic diarrhea, or stools with undigested food particles.

Spleen Qi Deficiency: General fatigue, weakness in the limbs, poor appetite, and weight loss despite eating, or a tendency to gain "water weight" easily.

Damp Accumulation: A feeling of heaviness in the body, epigastric bloating/fullness after eating, and borborygmus (abdominal gurgling).

Respiratory Fluid Accumulation: Chronic coughing with copious, clear, or white phlegm (where the Spleen creates the phlegm and the Lungs store it).

Key Indicator: "The Earth is Weak and Cannot Transform Fluid"—where a deficient Spleen fails to transport nutrients and transform dampness, leading to internal leakage (diarrhea or phlegm).

Tongue: Pale, swollen, with teeth marks (indentations) on the sides, and a white, greasy or thick coating.

Pulse: Deficient (Xu), Soft (Ru), or Weak (Ruog).

Ingredients

Dang Shen (Radix Codonopsis)
Raw Herbs: 15g | Granules: 13.0g

Bai Zhu (Rhizoma Atractylodes Macrocephala)
Raw Herbs: 15g | Granules: 13.2g

Fu Ling (Poria)
Raw Herbs: 15g | Granules: 13.2g

Gan Cao – Zhi (Radix Glycyrrhizae Preparata)
Raw Herbs: 9g | Granules: 7.9g

Shan Yao – Fu Chao (Rhizoma Dioscoreae, Dry-fried)
Raw Herbs: 15g | Granules: 13.2g

Yi Yi Ren – Fu Chao (Semen Coicis, Dry-fried)
Raw Herbs: 30g | Granules: 26.3g

Sha Ren (Fructus Amomi)
Raw Herbs: 6g | Granules: 5.3g

Jie Geng (Radix Platycodi)
Raw Herbs: 9g | Granules: 7.9g

Description

Shen Ling Bai Zhu San is an evolution of the classic Si Jun Zi Tang (Four Gentlemen Decoction). While Si Jun Zi Tang purely tonifies Spleen Qi, this formula adds herbs to dry dampness, astringe the intestines, and direct Qi appropriately.

The Powerhouse Tonifiers (Dang Shen, Bai Zhu, Fu Ling, Zhi Gan Cao): This is the core Si Jun Zi Tang. Dang Shen and Bai Zhu powerfully boost the Spleen Qi, while Fu Ling drains the dampness that accumulates when the Spleen is weak.

The Earth Astringents (Shan Yao & Yi Yi Ren): Both dry-fried (Fu Chao) to enhance their Spleen-warming properties. Shan Yao tonifies both the Spleen and Kidneys to bind the stools, while Yi Yi Ren clears damp-heat from the digestive tract without injuring fluids.

The Qi Awakener (Sha Ren): An aromatic herb that "awakens the Spleen." Because tonifying herbs can be heavy and cloying, Sha Ren moves the Qi in the middle burner, prevents bloating, and ensures the other herbs don't create stagnation.

The Guide to the Upper Burner (Jie Geng): It conducts the formula's action upward toward the Lungs. In MTC, the Lungs are the "child" of the Spleen (Earth generates Metal). By lifting the clear Qi, Jie Geng helps resolve chronic phlegm and helps the Spleen lift organ prolapses.

Posology

Granules
3 to 9g daily, divided into 2–3 doses, taken with warm water (preferably before meals to optimize absorption).

Raw Plants
Decoct in 1200ml of water, reduced to 3 cups. Take warm. Since this is a tonifying formula, it is usually taken consistently over a medium-to-long period until the Spleen Qi is restored and stools are formed.

Cautions

Strictly contraindicated for Excess Heat or Yin Deficiency patterns (dry stools, burning sensation in the stomach, red tongue without coating, or high fever). Because this formula is highly tonifying and drying, using it during an acute, infectious fluid-loss episode (like acute bacterial dysentery with heat signs) will lock the pathogen inside. Discontinue or modify once the digestion is robust and the tongue coating returns to a normal thin, white state.