Tonify qi herbs

13 herbs in the Shen Study library belong to the Tonify qi category.

Tonify qi herbs are mostly sweet, and most enter the Spleen, Lung and Stomach channels.

Herb	Nature	Flavour	Channels	Main action
Rén Shēn Ginseng	Warm	Sweet, Slightly bitter	Spleen, Lung, Heart, Kidney	Strongly tonifies Yuan qi, rescues collapse
Huáng Qí Astragalus	Warm	Sweet	Spleen, Lung	Tonifies Spleen and Lung qi, raises Yang
Bái Zhú White atractylodes	Warm	Bitter, Sweet	Spleen, Stomach	Tonifies Spleen qi, dries Damp
Dǎng Shēn Codonopsis	Neutral	Sweet	Spleen, Lung	Tonifies Middle Jiao qi, nourishes Blood and fluids
Tài Zǐ Shēn Prince ginseng	Neutral	Sweet, Slightly bitter	Spleen, Lung	Tonifies qi, nourishes Yin and generates fluids (gentler and more moistening than Dang Shen)
Xī Yáng Shēn American ginseng	Cool	Sweet, Slightly bitter	Heart, Lung, Kidney	Tonifies qi, nourishes Yin, generates fluids — cooling tonic
Shān Yào Chinese yam	Neutral	Sweet	Spleen, Lung, Kidney	Tonifies Spleen and Stomach, stops diarrhoea
Dà Zǎo Chinese jujube/date	Warm	Sweet	Spleen, Stomach	Tonifies Spleen and Stomach qi, nourishes Blood
Gān Cǎo Licorice root	Neutral	Sweet	Heart, Lung, Spleen, Stomach	Tonifies Spleen and Stomach qi
Yí Táng Malt sugar	Warm	Sweet	Spleen, Stomach, Lung	Tonifies Middle Jiao, relieves spasmodic abdominal pain
Biǎn Dòu Hyacinth bean	Neutral	Sweet	Spleen, Stomach	Tonifies Spleen, transforms Damp
Jīng Mǐ Rice (non-glutinous)	Neutral	Sweet	Spleen, Stomach	Tonifies qi, strengthens Spleen and Stomach
Fēng Mì Honey	Neutral	Sweet	Lung, Spleen, Large Intestine	Tonifies the middle and eases spasmodic pain

Other herb categories

• Release exterior (Cold)
• Release exterior (Heat)
• Clear heat
• Drain downward
• Warm interior
• Regulate qi
• Invigorate blood
• Resolve phlegm
• 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