Yu Ping Feng San: A Simple Guide to an Immune-Boosting, Sweat-Stopping Herbal Formula
Health Lab- Dec 29, 2024
- 4 min read
Updated: May 5
Yu Ping Feng San, or "Jade Screen Powder," is a classic Chinese herbal formula from Shiyi Dexiao Fang. Known for preventing colds, it strengthens the body’s protective energy, called Wei Qi, to ward off wind and cold.
By boosting qi, tightening the skin’s defenses, and stopping excessive sweating, this formula is a gem for those prone to frequent illnesses or sweating due to weakness.
What’s in Yu Ping Feng San?
Yu Ping Feng San combines three key herbs (with ginger and jujube sometimes added for balance):
Astragalus (Huang Qi): Sweet and warm, it boosts spleen and lung qi, strengthens the body’s surface, and stops sweating, acting like a shield against external threats.
Atractylodes (Bai Zhu): Supports the spleen, dries dampness, and enhances astragalus’ qi-boosting power, nourishing digestion to fuel lung strength.
Siler Root (Fang Feng): Moves to the skin’s surface, gently dispels wind, and fights pathogens without weakening the body.
Ginger (Sheng Jiang) and Jujube (Da Zao) (optional): Warm the stomach, boost qi, and harmonize the formula.
Traditional Recipe: 15g astragalus, 5g siler root, 5g atractylodes, sometimes with 3g ginger and 2g jujube. Boil or grind into powder, take 2–3 times daily with warm water.
Understanding Wei Qi
Wei Qi is your body’s protective shield, like immunity in modern terms. Originating in the chest and powered by lung qi, it warms the skin, regulates sweat pores, and guards against cold or wind. Weak Wei Qi leads to loose pores, excessive sweating, and frequent colds, often with pale skin or fatigue.
Since the spleen (Earth) supports the lung (Metal), nourishing the spleen strengthens lung qi—a TCM principle called “cultivating Earth to produce Metal.”
How Yu Ping Feng San Works
Yu Ping Feng San bolsters Wei Qi to:
Boost Qi: Astragalus and atractylodes replenish spleen and lung energy.
Strengthen the Surface: Tightens pores to stop sweating and block wind or cold.
Dispel Wind: Siler root gently clears external pathogens without harming the body.
It’s ideal for symptoms like:
Frequent colds or fear of wind
Excessive sweating, especially spontaneous
Pale complexion, weak pulse
Thin white tongue coating, floating pulse
The name “Jade Screen” reflects its role as a precious, wind-blocking barrier.
Modern Uses
Yu Ping Feng San is used for:
Preventing colds and flu, especially in kids or adults with weak immunity
Managing allergic rhinitis, chronic urticaria, or asthma triggered by external irritants
Treating post-surgery or postpartum sweating due to weakness
Supporting glomerulonephritis or chronic conditions worsened by colds
It enhances immune function, regulates sweat glands, and strengthens skin defenses.
Customizing the Formula
For specific needs:
Excessive Sweating: Add floating wheat, oyster, or ephedra root to enhance sweat control.
Cold with Wind Symptoms: Combine with Guizhi Tang (Cinnamon Twig Decoction) to harmonize Ying and Wei qi, easing headaches or nasal congestion.
Comparison to Guizhi Tang
Both Yu Ping Feng San and Guizhi Tang treat spontaneous sweating from weak Wei Qi, but:
Guizhi Tang: Targets sweating from wind-cold invasion and Ying-Wei disharmony.
Yu Ping Feng San: Focuses on strengthening Wei Qi and stopping sweat due to internal weakness, with mild wind-dispelling effects.
Dietary and Lifestyle Support
To boost the formula’s effects:
Ginger Tea: Warms the body and supports digestion.
Barley Soup: Strengthens the spleen and reduces dampness.
Red Date Porridge: Nourishes qi and blood.
Stay Warm: Avoid drafts to protect Wei Qi.
Moderate Exercise: Gentle activities like walking support lung qi.
Things to Keep in Mind
Not for External Infections: Avoid if sweating is due to active wind-cold or flu.
Yin Deficiency: Not suitable for those with night sweats or dry mouth from yin deficiency.
Pregnancy/Breastfeeding: Use only under a doctor’s guidance.
Professional Advice: Consult a TCM practitioner for proper dosing and safety.
Why Yu Ping Feng San Matters
Yu Ping Feng San is a TCM treasure, blending astragalus, atractylodes, and siler root to fortify Wei Qi, stop sweating, and shield against colds. Like a jade screen, it protects the body with elegance and strength.
From preventing sniffles to supporting chronic conditions, it shines in modern clinics when used with care. Paired with warming foods and expert guidance, this formula empowers your body’s natural defenses, rooted in ancient wisdom.
Chinese Name | 玉屏風散 |
Phonetic | Yu Ping Feng San |
English Name | Jade Wind-Barrier Powder |
Classification | Tonic formulas |
Source | 《Categorized Collection of Medical Formulas》Yi Fang Lei Ju《醫方類聚》 |
Combination | Saposhnikoviae Radix (Fang Feng) 1 liang (30g), Astragali Radix (Zhi Huang Qi honey-fried) 2 liang (60g), Atractylodis Macrocephalae Rhizoma (Bai Zhu) 2 liang (60g) |
Method | Cut the ingredients into small pieces and take three qian (9g) each time. Add one and a half zhan of water and a piece of da zao and decoct until thirty percent of the water vaporizes. Remove the dregs and take it when warm. |
Action | Boosts qi, consolidates the exterior, and arrests sweating. |
Indication | Yu Ping Feng San is indicated for patterns of spontaneous sweating due to exterior deficiency. Sweating, aversion to wind, a pale complexion, a pale tongue with a thin and white coating, and a floating, deficient pulse mark the clinical manifestations. It is also used to treat patients with a deficient constitution and deficient wei qi that is vulnerable to external wind pathogens. |
Pathogenesis | Yu Ping Feng San is used to treat patterns of wei qi deficiency that fails to consolidate the exterior. Wei qi deficiency means that the striae and interstices are loose and not consolidated which leaves the body vulnerable, easy to be attacked by pathogenic wind. So an aversion to wind develops and it becomes easy to catch a cold. When wei qi fails to consolidate the exterior, ying-yin leaks out to cause frequent spontaneous sweating. A pale complexion, a pale tongue, and a floating, deficient pulse all reflect qi deficiency. Hence the treatment is to boost qi, reinforce zheng qi, consolidate the exterior, and arrest sweating. |
Application | 1. Essential pattern differentiation Yu Ping Feng San is commonly used to treat spontaneous sweating due to exterior deficiency. This clinical pattern is marked by spontaneous sweating, aversion to wind, pale complexion, acid swallowing, pale tongue, deficiency pulse. 2. Modern applications Yu Ping Feng San is currently used to treat patients with allergic rhinitis, upper respiratory tract infection, and glomerulonephritis when their condition is differentiated as a pattern of exterior deficiency. 3. Cautions and contraindications It is inappropriate for sweating due to external contraction or night sweat due to yin deficiency. |
Comments