Siwu Tang

Siwu Tang

Four qian of angelica root, four qian of rehmannia, two qian of chuanxiong, three qian of white peony.

Ke Yunbo said: The heart generates blood, and the liver stores blood. Therefore, whenever blood is generated, we should look to the heart; whenever blood is regulated, we should look to the liver. This formula is specifically designed to regulate blood in the liver, not to generate blood in the heart. Angelica root promotes blood, chuanxiong activates blood, peony contracts blood, and rehmannia supplements blood. The four herbs have the functions of growth and storage, so they can ensure that the body’s qi flows smoothly through the meridians. If blood is deficient, add ginseng and astragalus; if blood is clotted, add peach kernel and safflower; if blood is blocked, add rhubarb and mirabilite; if blood is cold, add cinnamon and fuzi; if blood is hot, add scutellaria and coptis. If you want to promote blood flow, reduce peony; if you want to stop bleeding, reduce chuanxiong. By adjusting the formula as needed, you are not limited to the four herbs. For example, if you encounter cases of blood collapse or fainting, the four herbs alone cannot quickly replenish the blood, but rather help it slip away. In such cases, you should also supplement qi to generate blood, and support yang to nurture yin—this is the principle of nurturing true yin. After all, this formula can replenish tangible blood in everyday life, but it cannot generate intangible qi in emergencies. It can regulate blood in the yin category, but it cannot cultivate true yin. Although Yunbo’s argument has some shortcomings regarding the four herbs, his assertion that the four herbs are specifically designed to regulate blood in the liver shows that he understands the strengths of the four herbs very well. After all, the liver is responsible for storing blood, and the Ren and Chong meridians are both part of the liver, so regulating blood without using the four herbs is simply impossible.

[Note] The formula comes from "Jufang." The author agrees with Ke Yunbo’s view that this formula is “not primarily for generating blood in the heart,” but rather “specifically for regulating blood in the liver.”

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