The representative formula for concurrent qi and yin damage, composed of only three herbs: ren shen supplements qi, mai dong nourishes yin, and wu wei zi astringes the Lung. When qi recovers, fluids are generated; when fluids are generated, the pulse is restored—hence the name 'Generate the Pulse.' It is the essential formula for summerheat-heat damaging qi and consuming fluids, and modern practice applies it widely in coronary heart disease and heart failure with qi-yin dual vacuity.
Augment qi and nourish yin; engender fluids and arrest sweating
Formula Rhyme
生脉麦味与人参，保肺清心治暑淫。气少汗多兼口渴，病危脉绝急煎斟。
—— 方剂学 (中医药出版社)
Sheng Mai Tang: Mai Dong, Wu Wei Zi and Ren Shen — protects the Lung, clears the Heart, and treats summerheat repletion. For scant qi, profuse sweating and thirst — when the pulse is expiring, decoct urgently.
This prescription is provided only by the dispensing TCM practitioner. Take as directed; do not modify the dose or share it. If you experience any adverse effect, stop immediately and contact your practitioner. The content of this platform is educational reference, not medical advice. Bencao Dian · https://bencaodian.org · CC BY-SA 4.0
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Cite this entry
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@misc{bencaodian-sheng-mai-san,
author = {{Bencaodian Editorial}},
title = {Shēng Mài Sǎn 生脉散 (Generate the Pulse Powder)},
year = {2026},
howpublished = {Bencao Dian: A Bilingual Knowledge Graph of Traditional Chinese Medicine},
url = {https://bencaodian.org/en/formulas/sheng-mai-san},
urldate = {2026-04-17},
note = {CC BY-SA 4.0}
}