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New to this? Read about Sovereign, Minister, Assistant, Courier and Eight Principles
A 方剂 (fāng jì) — formula — is a structured combination of herbs assembled according to therapeutic logic. The hallmark of Chinese formula composition is the 君臣佐使 hierarchy: a sovereign herb (君) addresses the main pattern, a minister (臣) reinforces the sovereign, assistants (佐) support the principal action and moderate side effects, and a courier (使) guides the herbs to their target or harmonizes them. Each formula embodies the diagnostic logic of pattern differentiation; the same pattern may be treated by different formulas, and a single formula may be modified to fit subtly different presentations.