【Naming】

*Shan Bu* (Supplement and Revision) says: Zhen Wu is the deity who controls water in the north. Naming this formula after him implies its function of subduing water.

 【Source】

*Shang Han Lun* (Treatise on Cold Damage)

 【Composition】

Poria (Fu Ling), White Peony Root (Shao Yao), Fresh Ginger (Sheng Jiang), Atractylodes Macrocephala (Bai Zhu), Prepared Aconite Root (Pao Fu Zi)
(5 ingredients)

 【Categories】

<Blood Tonifying>: White Peony Root (Shao Yao)

<Spleen and Middle-Jiao Tonifying>: Atractylodes Macrocephala (Bai Zhu)

<Acrid-Warm to Release the Exterior>: Fresh Ginger (Sheng Jiang)

<Warming the Interior>: Aconite Root (Fu Zi)

<Spleen Tonifying and Water-Draining>: Poria (Fu Ling)

【Formula Principles】

*Yi Fang* (Medical Formulas) says: This is a formula for the Foot Shaoyin meridian. (1) Poria (Fu Ling), Atractylodes Macrocephala (Bai Zhu): Tonify Earth and drain water, capable of removing kidney pathology and treating palpitations. (2)Fresh Ginger (Sheng Jiang), Aconite Root (Fu Zi): Restore Yang and benefit Wei (defensive Qi), capable of strengthening true fire and dispelling deficiency cold. (3)White Peony Root (Shao Yao): Sour and astringent, capable of astringing Yin and harmonizing Ying (nutritive Qi), thereby stopping abdominal pain. *Shan Bu* (Supplement and Revision) says: Xiao Qing Long Tang (Minor Green Dragon Decoction) treats conditions where the exterior is not resolved and there is water retention, with both interior and exterior being cold and excessive. Zhen Wu Tang treats conditions where the exterior has been resolved but there is still water retention, with both interior and exterior being cold and deficient. Zhen Wu is the deity who controls water in the north, and naming this formula after him implies its function of subduing water. Using the acrid-hot nature of Aconite Root (Fu Zi) strengthens the Kidney’s primordial Yang, thereby giving water a ruler. The bitter-drying nature of Atractylodes Macrocephala (Bai Zhu) establishes the Middle Earth, thereby providing a means to control water. The acrid-dispersing nature of Fresh Ginger (Sheng Jiang) assists Aconite Root (Fu Zi) in tonifying Yang, embodying the idea of dispersing water within the context of controlling it. The bland-permeating nature of Poria (Fu Ling) assists Atractylodes Macrocephala (Bai Zhu) in strengthening Earth, embodying the principle of draining water within the context of controlling it. The particular ingenuity lies in the sour-astringent action of White Peony Root (Shao Yao), a subtle point in Zhang Zhongjing’s philosophy. This is because the body’s Yang has its root in Yin; if one merely tonifies Yang with acrid-hot substances without some sour-astringent assistance, the true Yang may become unrestrained. The use of White Peony Root (Shao Yao) is to promptly gather Yang Qi back to its root in Yin. From this, it can be inferred that for those who mistakenly took Qing Long (Xiao Qing Long Tang) and suffered Yang collapse due to excessive sweating, White Peony Root (Shao Yao) is an essential ingredient in Yang-tonifying formulas. *Han Dian* (Chinese Medicine Dictionary) says: This formula was originally named Xuan Wu Tang and is also known as <a href='https://whatsintcm.com/dt_articles/Ge Gen Tang/’>Ge Gen Tang for Shaoyin disease, having a very wide range of applications. In the *Shang Han Lun*, this formula appears in both the Taiyang disease chapter and the Shaoyin disease chapter. In the Taiyang disease chapter, it is used for Taiyang disease that has not resolved after sweating, still presenting with fever, palpitations in the epigastrium, dizziness, and swaying as if about to fall. However, such cases are relatively few. In general, it can be used when sweating fails to reduce fever, and there are symptoms of cold Qi, cold feet, and a weak pulse. This formula is composed of five ingredients: Poria (Fu Ling), Atractylodes (Zhu), White Peony Root (Shao Yao), Aconite Root (Fu Zi), and Fresh Ginger (Sheng Jiang). Aconite Root (Fu Zi) and Fresh Ginger (Sheng Jiang) stimulate metabolism, promoting vigorous blood circulation and warming the body. Poria (Fu Ling) and Atractylodes Macrocephala (Bai Zhu) regulate fluid distribution, eliminate stagnant water in the gastrointestinal tract, thereby treating diarrhea, dizziness, and severe palpitations. White Peony Root (Shao Yao) regulates gastrointestinal motility.

 【Functions】

Warms the Kidneys and dispels cold, strengthens the Spleen and drains water

 【Indications】

(1) Spleen Yang deficiency with internal stagnation of water-dampness, presenting with symptoms such as difficult urination, heavy and painful limbs, aversion to abdominal pain, diarrhea, or edema of the extremities, pale tongue with white slippery coating, and a deep pulse; and also for external invasion of wind-cold, where sweating has occurred but the condition is unresolved, with persistent fever and aversion to cold, epigastric palpitations, dizziness, muscle twitching and tremors, feeling as if about to fall to the ground. (2) A remedy for those with weakened metabolism leading to water toxins retained in the gastrointestinal tract, causing abdominal pain, diarrhea, dizziness, severe palpitations, lack of vitality, and other symptoms. *Yi Fang* (Medical Formulas) says: (1) Treats Shaoyin cold damage with abdominal pain, difficult urination, heavy and painful limbs, and diarrhea; this indicates water retention, or cough, or vomiting, or frequent urination (Shang Han, Shaoyin chapter). (2) Also for Taiyang disease where sweating has occurred but the condition is unresolved, with persistent fever, palpitations, dizziness, muscle spasms and twitching, tremors as if about to fall to the ground, Qi deficiency, and aversion to cold (Shang Han, Taiyang lower chapter). *Shan Bu* (Supplement and Revision) says: For Shaoyin water retention manifesting as abdominal pain, diarrhea, heavy and painful limbs, difficult urination, or when the patient coughs, vomits, or experiences frequent urination with diarrhea, this formula can be used with modifications.

 【Applications】

Gastrointestinal weakness, chronic enteritis, dyspepsia, intestinal tuberculosis, chronic nephritis, chronic renal failure, bronchial asthma, edema, urticaria, eczema, Meniere’s disease (aural dizziness), and other conditions belonging to Spleen and Kidney Yang deficiency.

 【Contraindications】

(1) It is not appropriate to use Zhen Wu Tang immediately for acute onset vomiting. (2) Contraindicated for pregnant women.

 【Mnemonic】

The young master leads the blessed generals, truly mighty (Shao [Yao], Zhu [Bai Zhu], Ling [Fu Ling], Fu [Fu Zi], Jiang [Sheng Jiang]).

 【Modifications】

*Yi Fang* (Medical Formulas) says: (1) For cough due to interaction of water and cold: Add Schisandra Berry (Wu Wei Zi), Asarum (Xi Xin), Dried Ginger (Gan Jiang). (2) For frequent urination: Remove Poria (Fu Ling). (3) For diarrhea: Remove White Peony Root (Shao Yao), add Dried Ginger (Gan Jiang). (4) For vomiting: Remove Aconite Root (Fu Zi), double the amount of Fresh Ginger (Sheng Jiang). *Shan Bu* (Supplement and Revision) says: (1) If coughing: Add half *sheng* of Schisandra Berry (Wu Wei Zi), one *liang* each of Asarum (Xi Xin) and Dried Ginger (Gan Jiang). (2) If frequent urination: Remove Poria (Fu Ling). If diarrhea: Remove White Peony Root (Shao Yao) and add two *liang* of Dried Ginger (Gan Jiang). (3) If vomiting: Remove Aconite Root (Fu Zi) and add Fresh Ginger (Sheng Jiang) to a total of half a *jin*. (1) If coughing: Add Asarum (Xi Xin), Dried Ginger (Gan Jiang), Schisandra Berry (Wu Wei Zi) to warm the lungs and resolve phlegm-fluid. (2) If frequent urination: Remove Poria (Fu Ling). (3) If diarrhea: Remove White Peony Root (Shao Yao) and add Dried Ginger (Gan Jiang), Nutmeg (Rou Dou Kou) to warm the middle and stop diarrhea. (4) If vomiting: Increase the amount of Fresh Ginger (Sheng Jiang) or add Evodia Fruit (Wu Zhu Yu), Pinellia (Ban Xia) to warm the stomach and stop vomiting. (5) If the dosage of Aconite Root (Fu Zi) and Atractylodes Macrocephala (Bai Zhu) in this formula is increased, Fresh Ginger (Sheng Jiang) is removed, and Ginseng (Ren Shen) is added, it becomes <a href='https://whatsintcm.com/dt_articles/Fu Zi Tang/’>Fu Zi Tang from *Shang Han Lun*. Its functions are to warm the meridians, assist Yang, expel cold, and eliminate dampness. It primarily treats Yang deficiency with internal invasion of cold-dampness, manifested by pain in the body and joints, aversion to cold, cold limbs, white tongue coating, and a deep, weak pulse.

 【Pharmacology】

It has effects such as enhancing myocardial contractility, improving blood oxygen supply to ischemic myocardium, increasing urine output, and reducing creatinine and blood urea nitrogen.