sijunzi tang

Sijunzi Tang (四君子汤), also known as the Four Gentlemen Decoction, is a classic traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) herbal formula designed to tonify and replenish spleen and stomach qi. It was first recorded in the "Formulary of the Pharmacy Service for Benefiting the People in the Taiping Era" (1107 AD). The formula consists of four main herbs—Ginseng root (Ren Shen or Codonopsis/Dang Shen as a substitute), White Atractylodes Rhizome (Bai Zhu), Poria mushroom (Fu Ling), and Processed Licorice Root (Zhi Gan Cao)—combined in equal ratios. Its primary mechanism is to strengthen digestive function by supporting spleen qi, thereby improving appetite and alleviating symptoms such as fatigue, loose stools/diarrhea, poor appetite, nausea, and general weakness. In TCM theory it addresses patterns like spleen qi deficiency or combined heart/lung/spleen deficiencies. Modern uses include support for chronic fatigue syndrome and recovery from illness[1][2][5][6].

Other names

四君子汤Four Gentlemen DecoctionSì Jūn Zǐ TāngSi Jun Zi Tang WanFour Gentlemen Formula