Regulate qi herbs

16 herbs in the Shen Study library belong to the Regulate qi category.

Regulate qi herbs are mostly warm or hot, acrid and bitter, and most enter the Spleen and Stomach channels.

Herb	Nature	Flavour	Channels	Main action
Chén Pí Tangerine peel	Warm	Acrid, Bitter	Spleen, Lung	Regulates qi, strengthens Spleen, stops vomiting
Zhǐ Shí Immature bitter orange	Cool	Bitter, Acrid	Spleen, Stomach, Large Intestine	Breaks up stagnant qi, reduces accumulation
Mù Xiāng Costus root	Warm	Acrid, Bitter	Spleen, Stomach, Large Intestine, Gallbladder	Moves qi, relieves pain — especially Middle and Lower Jiao
Xiāng Fù Cyperus rhizome	Neutral	Acrid, Slightly bitter, Slightly sweet	Liver, Spleen, Triple Burner	Spreads Liver qi, relieves constraint
Chén Xiāng Agarwood	Warm	Acrid, Bitter	Kidney, Spleen, Stomach	Promotes qi movement, relieves pain
Qīng Pí Unripe tangerine peel	Warm	Bitter, Acrid	Liver, Gallbladder, Stomach	Spreads Liver qi, breaks up stagnation (stronger than Chen Pi)
Fó Shǒu Finger citron	Warm	Acrid, Bitter, Sweet	Liver, Spleen, Stomach, Lung	Spreads Liver qi, harmonises Middle Jiao
Chuān Liàn Zǐ Sichuan pagoda tree fruit	Cold	Bitter	Liver, Small Intestine, Bladder, Stomach	Spreads Liver qi, relieves pain (with Heat signs)
Lì Zhī Hé Lychee seed	Warm	Sweet, Slightly bitter	Liver, Stomach	Moves qi, disperses Cold, relieves pain
Dà Fù Pí Areca peel	Warm	Acrid	Spleen, Stomach, Large Intestine, Small Intestine	Promotes qi movement, reduces distension
Wū Yào Lindera root	Warm	Acrid	Lung, Spleen, Kidney, Bladder	Moves qi, relieves pain
Zhǐ Ké Bitter orange	Cool	Bitter, Acrid, Sour	Spleen, Stomach	Moves qi, loosens the chest
Jú Hóng Red tangerine peel	Warm	Acrid, Bitter	Lung, Spleen	Moves qi, loosens Middle Jiao
Xiè Bái Chinese chive bulb	Warm	Acrid, Bitter	Heart, Lung, Stomach, Large Intestine	Unblocks Yang, disperses clumping in the chest
Tán Xiāng Sandalwood	Warm	Acrid	Spleen, Stomach, Heart, Lung	Moves qi, warms Middle Jiao
Méi Guī Huā Rose bud	Warm	Sweet, Slightly bitter	Liver, Spleen	Moves qi, relieves constraint

Other herb categories

• Release exterior (Cold)
• Release exterior (Heat)
• Clear heat
• Drain downward
• Warm interior
• Invigorate blood
• Resolve phlegm
• Tonify qi
• Tonify blood
• Tonify yin
• Tonify yang
• Calm shen
• Stabilise & bind
• Expel wind-damp
• Aromatic, transform damp
• Drain damp
• Stop bleeding
• Relieve food stagnation
• Expel parasites
• Anchor Yang / extinguish Wind
• Open orifices
• Topical use