Qingying Tang: Clewing Heat and Nourishing Yin to Clear the Nutritive Level
Qingying Tang (Nutritive-Level-Clearing Decoction) comes from the Wenbing Tiaobian (Systematized Identification of Warm-Heat Diseases). It is a classic formula commonly used in TCM for heat entering the nutritive (ying) level. Signs: fever worse at night, irritability and insomnia, occasional delirium, eyes often either wide open or closed, thirst or no thirst, faint macules, rapid fine pulse, crimson and dry tongue.
The key to using it is the tongue: a crimson-purple or red-purple tongue, dry and lacking moisture, indicates heat in the nutritive-blood level, and such patients suit Qingying Tang. A pale white or white-greasy tongue contraindicates it.
Composition: Xijiao (rhinoceros horn) three qian (now replaced by water buffalo horn 30 g), Shengdihuang (raw Rehmannia) five qian (15 g), Xuanshen (Scrophularia) three qian (9 g), Zhuyexin (bamboo leaf heart) one qian (3 g), Maidong (Ophiopogon) three qian (9 g), Danshen (Salvia) two qian (6 g), Huanglian (Coptis) one qian five fen (5 g), Jinyinhua (Lonicera) three qian (9 g), Lianqiao (Forsythia) two qian (6 g).
Decoct with 800 ml water down to 300 ml, divided into three servings. Qingying Tang treats emergencies; if critical, take 2-3 doses daily, plus 1-2 at night, every 1-2 hours. Once fever and distress resolve, reduce frequency, maintain a day or two, then stop or switch if no relapse. For emergencies, give every 2-4 hours; once stable, stop.
Modern uses include Japanese encephalitis, sepsis, persistent high fever, typhus, drug allergy, leukemia, malignant lymphoma, cancer fever and pain, glomerular hematuria, and pediatric epistaxis. It also treats severe dry mouth/throat and internal heat after targeted therapy or chemotherapy in cancer patients.
When using Qingying Tang to nourish yin, clear the nutritive level, reduce fever and pain, watch the tongue carefully: only a red tongue without coating, or crimson-purple, suits it. If not that advanced, using it causes the TCM side effect called 'ice suppression'—cold herbs overapplied when heat is not severe.