Zhang Zhongjing’s Xiexin Tang

Zhang Zhongjing’s Xiexin Tang

Two qian of rhubarb stir-fried with wine, three qian of coptis, four qian of scutellaria.

The heart is the “lord fire,” generating blood. Blood is the soul of fire, and fire is the spirit of blood. When fire rises, blood rises; when fire falls, blood falls. Knowing that blood is born from fire and fire is governed by the heart, we can conclude that draining the heart is equivalent to draining fire, and draining fire is equivalent to stopping bleeding. Rhubarb alone is powerful enough to reverse the flow and descend, while also breaking up stasis and eliminating old accumulations, preventing future problems. Nowadays, many people dare not use this herb, unaware that when qi rebels and blood rises, this potent descending medicine can harm both yin and yang, truly a miraculous remedy. Moreover, it does not only act on qi in the stomach; it also reaches the meridians and skin, effectively addressing any qi rebellion within the blood category. Its qi is so strong that whenever qi and blood in the body coalesce, this medicine can overcome and treat them, forcing rebellious qi to submit. Many people today hesitate to use it, often leaving pathogenic factors to cause trouble—what a pity! The name of the formula is “draining the heart,” reflecting Zhang Zhongjing’s original intention. Through this formula, we can realize that blood is born from the heart and that the heart is the source of fire, which accounts for more than half of our understanding of blood-related illnesses.

[Note] The formula comes from "Shanghan Lun." Xiexin Tang is named for draining the heart, but in reality, it drains fire and stops bleeding. Since the heart governs fire and blood shares the same origin, the author particularly emphasizes that rhubarb in the formula has the effects of "reversing the flow and descending" and "breaking up stasis and eliminating old accumulations," capable of not only lowering rebellious qi in the stomach but also addressing all rebellious qi in the meridians and skin. Given this, the formula has become an important prescription for treating hemoptysis.

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