🌿 Folk Prescriptions

Simultaneous Blood and Qi Tonification Formulas
These formulas both nourish blood and strengthen Qi, suitable for cases of both Qi and blood deficiency. Clinically, this means both Qi deficiency (shortness of breath, fatigue, poor endurance, exhaustion) and blood deficiency (dizziness, palpitations, pale complexion, insomnia, forgetfulness) are present. In such cases, simultaneous blood and Qi tonification formulas are needed. Common traditional remedies include:
[Formula One]
1000 grams beef, salt to taste, 250 ml cooking wine. Wash beef, cut into small pieces, place in a pot with sufficient water, boil over high heat, remove blood impurities and foam, then simmer over low heat for half an hour. Add cooking wine and salt, cook until meat is tender and broth thick. Cool and serve with meals.
This formula strengthens spleen and stomach, nourishes blood and Qi, builds physique. Suitable for weak, underweight, poor appetite, fatigue, and mental exhaustion.
[Formula Two]
1 young chicken, cooking wine, ginger, salt, green onions, all in appropriate amounts. Kill chicken, remove internal organs and feathers, wash, cut into pieces. Place in a steam pot with green onions, ginger, cooking wine, salt, no added water—using steam condensation to create “chicken dew.” Serve with the dew and eat the meat.
This formula strengthens Qi, nourishes essence, builds physique. Suitable for weak individuals, postpartum, post-illness, and elderly underweight persons.
[Formula Three]
50 grams pine nut kernels, 25 grams honey, 50 grams walnut meat. Crush pine nut kernels and walnut meat into fine powder, mix with honey, boil briefly, cool, store for later use.
This formula moistens lungs, nourishes kidneys, strengthens the middle, builds physique. Suitable for long-term use by underweight individuals.
[Formula Four]
15 grams Prince Ginseng, 10 grams yam, 10 grams white Atractylodes, 15 grams raw Astragalus, 10 grams Ophiopogon, 10 grams Astragalus, 15 grams Polygonatum, 15 grams Chicken Blood Vine. Decoct and drink one dose weekly.
This formula strengthens Qi and nourishes blood. Treats emaciation, dull complexion, and mental fatigue.
[Formula Five]
100 grams black soybeans, lard in appropriate amounts. Process black soybeans as for soybean paste, mash into powder, mix with lard and cook into a paste. Take one spoonful with warm water twice daily.
This formula enhances skin, improves complexion, increases strength, builds physique. *Tujing Bencao* says: “Long-term use causes heaviness in the body.”
[Formula Six]
500 grams donkey meat, fermented soybean, cooking wine, salt, all in appropriate amounts. Wash donkey meat, cut into pieces, place in a pot with fermented soybean, cooking wine, salt, and water. Boil over high heat, then simmer over low heat until tender.
This formula strengthens blood and Qi. Suitable for weakness from overwork, vertigo, and irritability.
From *Yinshan Zhengyao*, originally used for “mania, sadness, calming the heart and Qi.” A blood and Qi tonifying formula. Chronic illness or overwork depletes Qi and blood, leading to weakness. Insufficient blood and Qi fail to nourish the head and eyes, causing dizziness. Qi and blood deficiency deprives the heart of nourishment, causing irritability. Treatment should strengthen blood and Qi. The formula uses donkey meat as the main ingredient—blood and flesh with emotional qualities, highly effective in nourishing blood and Qi. Fermented soybean serves as auxiliary, clearing the heart and relieving irritability. Combined, it forms a blood and Qi tonifying formula. This formula emphasizes blood tonification, suitable for blood deficiency predominance.
[Formula Seven]
10 grams ginseng, 5 jujubes. Slice ginseng and wash jujubes. Place ginseng in a clay pot, soak in water overnight, add jujubes, simmer for about one hour.
This formula greatly strengthens Qi and blood. Suitable for Qi and blood deficiency, weakness from overwork.
From *Shiyao Shen Shu*, originally used for “tonifying after bleeding,” a representative formula for strengthening Qi and blood. Long-term improper care, chronic illness without proper treatment, or excessive blood loss can lead to severe Qi and blood deficiency and weakness. Treatment should greatly strengthen Qi and blood. The formula uses ginseng as the main ingredient to greatly strengthen primordial Qi; jujubes as auxiliary to strengthen Qi and nourish blood. Combined, they enhance Qi and blood production. This formula can be used for anemia.
This formula has strong tonifying power—avoid in real or heat syndromes.
[Formula Eight]
500 ml fresh grape juice, 1000 ml honey. Gently simmer grape juice until thick and syrupy, add honey, heat to boiling, stop heating, cool, bottle for storage. Take one tablespoon, dissolve in boiling water as tea. Suitable for feverish thirst or poor appetite.
Grapes are sweet and sour, neutral in nature. They nourish liver and kidney yin. Combined with honey, they strengthen blood and Qi, moisten dryness.
[Formula Nine]
50 grams Polygonatum, 100 grams glutinous rice. Soak Polygonatum in water, drain, chop. Wash rice. Place Polygonatum and rice in a pot, add water, boil over high heat, then simmer until porridge is ready.
This formula treats deficiency and weakness, strengthens Qi and yin. Suitable for weakness from overwork.
From *Diao Ji Yinshi Bian*, originally used for “all kinds of deficiencies and damages, regardless of Yin or Yang, Qi or blood depletion—none are unsuitable.” A common formula for treating weakness from overwork. Overwork and neglect lead to depletion of Qi and yin. Treatment should address deficiency and strengthen Qi and yin. Polygonatum is the main ingredient, treating deficiency, filling essence, strengthening Qi and yin. Glutinous rice is auxiliary, strengthening Qi and nourishing blood to enhance Polygonatum’s effect. Combined, they form a formula for tonifying deficiency. This formula has strong tonifying power—particularly suitable for deficiency from overwork with yin deficiency and essence depletion.
Add rock sugar to enhance moistening and lung-nourishing effects. Suitable for pulmonary tuberculosis cough and hemoptysis.
Can be used for.
Due to its greasy nature, it may promote dampness and phlegm—avoid in cases of spleen deficiency with dampness, phlegm cough, or cold diarrhea.
[Formula Ten]
500 grams lean mutton, 20 grams Angelica, 20 grams Rehmannia, 15 grams dried ginger, soy sauce, cooking wine, sugar, salt, all in appropriate amounts. Wash mutton, cut into pieces, place in a pot with water, Angelica, Rehmannia, dried ginger, cooking wine. Cook until 70% done, then add soy sauce, sugar, salt, simmer slowly until sauce thickens.
This formula strengthens Qi and nourishes blood, warms the middle and lower abdomen. Suitable for blood deficiency with cold uterus, menorrhagia, postpartum cold abdominal pain, and weakness from overwork.
From *Qianjin Fang*, originally used for “menorrhagia lasting for extended periods,” a warming formula for strengthening Qi and blood. Qi and blood deficiency fail to warm and nourish the uterus, causing menorrhagia. Treatment should warm and strengthen Qi and blood. The formula uses mutton as the main ingredient—blood and flesh with emotional qualities, highly effective in nourishing blood and Qi, warming the uterus. Angelica and Rehmannia assist mutton in nourishing blood and regulating menstruation; dried ginger assists mutton in warming the middle and lower abdomen. Combined, they form a warming formula for strengthening Qi and blood. This formula focuses on warming and strengthening, so avoid in cases of blood heat and menorrhagia.
[Formula Eleven]
1 sheep liver, 250 grams lamb loin, 12 grams Lycium root bark, 10 grams Shenqu, egg white, green onions, fermented soybean, vegetable oil, cooking wine, sugar, dry starch, wet starch, all in appropriate amounts. Wash sheep liver and lamb, finely chop, place in a bowl, add egg white and dry starch, mix well. Place Lycium root bark and Shenqu in a pot, add water, concentrate into decoction. Heat vegetable oil in a wok, fry until golden, add sheep liver and lamb, blanch, drain. Pour the Lycium root bark and Shenqu decoction into the wok, boil, add sheep liver and lamb, then add green onions, fermented soybean, salt, sugar, cooking wine, vegetable oil, wet starch, stir and thicken, stir until sauce is absorbed.
This formula strengthens blood and Qi, treats deficiency and fatigue. Suitable for weakness and emaciation.
From *Shengji Zonglu*, originally named “Yang Gan Fang,” used for “deficiency and fatigue.” A formula for treating deficiency and fatigue. Chronic illness without proper care leads to Qi and blood deficiency, organ depletion, resulting in fatigue. Treatment should strengthen blood and Qi, treat deficiency. The formula uses sheep liver and lamb as main ingredients—blood and flesh with emotional qualities, highly effective in nourishing blood and Qi, treating deficiency. Lycium root bark and Shenqu serve as auxiliary, Lycium root bark clears internal heat from deficiency, balances lamb’s heat; Shenqu strengthens spleen and aids digestion to support blood and Qi production. Combined, they form a formula strengthening blood and Qi, treating deficiency. This formula uses both cold and warm properties, balancing yin and yang—ideal for general weakness and emaciation.
[Formula Twelve]
1 pig kidney, 10 grams ginseng, 10 grams Angelica, 30 grams yam, sesame oil, soy sauce, green onions, ginger, all in appropriate amounts. Split pig kidney, remove membranes, wash, score diagonally on back, slice. Place ginseng and Angelica in a clay pot, add water, boil for 10 minutes, then add pig kidney and yam, cook briefly until tender. Remove pig kidney, cool, add sesame oil, green onions, ginger, mix well.
This formula strengthens Qi and nourishes blood. Suitable for Qi and blood deficiency, palpitations, restlessness, shortness of breath, spontaneous sweating, and lower back pain.
From *Bai Yi Xuan Fang*, originally used for “heart Qi deficiency, palpitations with spontaneous sweating,” a common formula for strengthening Qi and nourishing blood. Qi and blood deficiency leads to weak exterior defense and reduced function—causing spontaneous sweating and shortness of breath; blood deficiency fails to nourish—causing palpitations. Treatment should strengthen Qi and nourish blood. The formula uses ginseng and Angelica as main ingredients—ginseng greatly strengthens primordial Qi, Angelica nourishes blood and replenishes blood. Combined, they strengthen Qi and nourish blood. Yam and pig kidney serve as auxiliary—yam strengthens spleen and kidneys, moderately nourishing without drying; pig kidney strengthens kidneys and stops spontaneous sweating. Combined, they form a formula strengthening Qi and nourishing blood. This formula strongly strengthens Qi and blood, particularly suitable for Qi and blood deficiency with predominant Qi deficiency.
[Formula Thirteen]
500 grams cherries, 250 grams sugar. Cook together into jam; or crush cherries, extract juice, heat to boiling, add sugar to taste, serve as a side dish.
Cherries are the fruit of *Prunus pseudocerasus* (Rosaceae), also known as “Jing Tao.” Modern nutritional analysis shows cherries contain various sugars, B vitamins, vitamin C, carotene, iron, calcium, phosphorus, and other nutrients. High iron content—beneficial for anemia, promoting hemoglobin regeneration.
Cherries are not only a beloved sweet fruit but also a natural beauty enhancer. *Tujing Bencao* records: “Eating cherries harmonizes the middle, strengthens Qi, beautifies complexion.” Ming Dynasty Lan Mao’s *Dian Nan Bencao* further elaborates: “Treats all deficiencies, greatly strengthens primordial Qi, moisturizes skin.” Regular consumption benefits facial beauty.
[Formula Fourteen]
250 grams grapes, sugar to taste. Wash grapes, cut into pieces, place in a pot with water, boil to extract juice, add a little sugar to taste, drink as tea.
Grapes, anciently called “Pu Tao,” are sweet and sour, neutral in nature. Drinking the decoction greatly strengthens Qi and blood, relieves annoyance and thirst, strengthens the heart, promotes urination to stabilize pregnancy. Useful for chest fullness, abdominal distension, restlessness, shortness of breath, and fetal qi rising in pregnant women.
Grapes are rich in nutrients. Carbohydrates are mainly glucose, easily absorbed without digestion, supplying energy. Also contain organic acids, aiding digestion. Beneficial for pregnant women.
If no grapes, use grapevine roots or leaves to decoct instead.
[Formula Fifteen]
10–15 jujubes, 2 liang glutinous rice. Add water and cook together into porridge.
This formula strengthens Qi and blood, strengthens the spleen and stomach. Effective for weak stomach with poor appetite, spleen deficiency with loose stools, Qi and blood deficiency, thrombocytopenia, anemia, chronic hepatitis, malnutrition.
[Formula Sixteen]
2 liang glutinous rice, 1/2 pound fresh milk. First cook rice into porridge, when nearly done, add milk and continue cooking into porridge.
This formula treats deficiency, moistens the five zang organs, benefits the elderly. Suitable for elderly with weak constitution, Qi and blood deficiency, post-illness weakness, dry mouth and thirst, regurgitation, difficulty swallowing, constipation.
[Formula Seventeen]
1 hen, 2 liang glutinous rice. Clean and prepare the hen, decoct to extract broth, use the broth to cook rice in portions. Start with high heat to boil, then switch to low heat until porridge is thick.
This formula nourishes the five zang organs, strengthens Qi and blood. Suitable for the elderly and weak, post-illness emaciation, and all weakness caused by Qi and blood deficiency.
[Formula Eighteen]
50 grams water-soaked sea cucumber, 15 grams winter bamboo shoots, 5 grams water-soaked dried mushrooms, 2 grams cooked ham, cooking wine, salt, monosodium glutamate, white pepper powder, green onions, ginger, lard, clear broth, all in appropriate amounts. Cut sea cucumber into cubes, chop winter bamboo shoots and dried mushrooms. Heat lard in a wok, add green onions and ginger, fry until fragrant, pour in clear broth, strain out green onions and ginger, then add sea cucumber, dried mushrooms, winter bamboo shoots, salt, cooking wine, monosodium glutamate, boil, thicken with cornstarch, add ham, sprinkle white pepper powder.
Sea cucumber is a prized seafood delicacy. Known as “sea ginseng” for its tonifying power comparable to ginseng. A high-protein, low-fat dietary staple. Sweet and warm, slightly salty in nature. It strengthens kidneys and yang, strengthens Qi, nourishes yin, promotes bowel movements, moistens dryness, stops bleeding, and reduces inflammation. *Bencao Gangmu* records: “Can replenish primordial Qi, benefit the five zang and six fu organs.” Modern medicine believes sea cucumber contains sea cucumber saponin—an antifungal agent that inhibits various fungi and certain tumors, effective for spastic paralysis in stroke, and has blood pressure-lowering effects. Commonly used for various diseases caused by Qi and blood deficiency, kidney yang deficiency, liver and kidney insufficiency, organ deficiency, hypertension, vascular sclerosis.
[Formula Nineteen]
500 grams squid meat, cooking wine, salt, sugar, green onion segments, ginger slices, soy sauce, cooking oil, sesame oil, all in appropriate amounts. Blanch fresh squid in boiling water, remove, wash, drain. Heat cooking oil in a wok, add green onions and ginger, fry until fragrant, add squid meat, sugar, soy sauce, salt, cooking wine, water. Boil, then stew until tender and sauce thick. Remove green onions and ginger, drizzle with sesame oil, mix and serve.
Squid meat, also known as cuttlefish meat, is highly nutritious. Fresh squid contains abundant protein, some carbohydrates, inorganic salts, vitamins, and polypeptides. Low in fat—68.4 grams protein per 100 grams dry weight. Rich in calcium, phosphorus, iron, and iodine. TCM considers it salty and neutral in nature, nourishing yin and blood.
*Yilin Zuanyao* says: “Nourishes the heart, promotes blood circulation, harmonizes blood, clears heat, preserves essence. Especially beneficial when cooked as a stew.” This dish is suitable for women with blood deficiency, amenorrhea, menorrhagia, and leukorrhea. For those with Qi and blood deficiency, it also provides tonifying benefits. Healthy individuals consuming it can strengthen the body.
[Formula Twenty]
200 grams octopus, 2 pig hooves, cooking wine, salt, white pepper powder, green onion, meat broth, all in appropriate amounts. Clean octopus, remove sand, soak in boiling water for 10 minutes, remove black skin, wash, cut into strips. Pluck hair from pig hooves, wash, split into two pieces. Place octopus, pig hooves, cooking wine, salt, white pepper powder, green onion, and meat broth in a pot, boil, then simmer over low heat until tender. Serve.
Octopus is sweet and salty, cold in nature, non-toxic. It nourishes blood and strengthens Qi. *Quanzhou Bencao* states: “Strengthens Qi and nourishes blood, constricts, promotes tissue regeneration. Treats Qi and blood deficiency, carbuncles, and chronic ulcers.” Cooking octopus with pig hooves enhances Qi and blood tonification. Ideal for postpartum blood and Qi deficiency. Pig hooves contain abundant collagen protein—main raw material for skin cell growth. Long-term use can also moisturize the skin.
[Formula Twenty-One]
500 grams eel, 15 grams Angelica, 15 grams Codonopsis. Cooking wine, green onions, ginger, garlic, monosodium glutamate, salt, soy sauce, all in appropriate amounts. Open eel along the back, remove bones, internal organs, head, and tail, cut into strips. Place Angelica and Codonopsis in a gauze bag, tie closed. Place eel in an aluminum pot, insert the herb bag, add cooking wine, green onions, ginger, garlic, salt, and sufficient water.
Place pot on stove, boil over high heat, skim off foam, then simmer over low heat for one hour. Remove herb bag, add monosodium glutamate.
Strengthens Qi and nourishes blood. Can assist in treating Qi and blood deficiency, chronic illness, fatigue, pallor, and emaciation.
<Blood Tonification>