Zi Wei He Zhong Dai Tea: A Traditional Chinese Medicine Prescription for Qi Deficiency and Fatigue

Zi Wei He Zhong Dai Tea, a prescription name in traditional Chinese medicine, comes from "The Selected Medical Recipes of Empress Dowager Cixi and Emperor Guangxu". It is used to treat qi deficiency with phlegm, mental fatigue, short tongue with dry mouth, and loss of appetite. "Dai Tea" refers to herbal decoction or herbal tea made by brewing herbs with boiling water as a substitute for regular tea.

Picture of Magnolia officinalis flower

【Prescription Name】

　　Zi Wei He Zhong Dai Tea

【Ingredients】

　　1 qian of Bamboo Shavings (powdered), 10 fresh Green Fruits (without the tip, ground), 5 fen of Magnolia officinalis flower, 5 fen of Antelope Horn.

【Functions and Indications】

　　Treats qi deficiency with phlegm, mental fatigue, short tongue with dry mouth, and loss of appetite.

【Usage and Dosage】

　　Decoction with water, warm consumption.

【Introduction of Herbal Ingredients】

　　Bamboo Shavings: Clears heat, cools blood, transforms phlegm, stops vomiting. Used for restlessness, heat-induced vomiting, belching, phlegm-heat cough, asthma, vomiting blood, nosebleeds, excessive menstruation, morning sickness, epilepsy.

　　Green Fruits: Clears heat, benefits the throat, generates fluids, detoxifies. Used for sore throat, cough, irritability, and thirst, fish and crab poisoning.

　　Magnolia officinalis flower: It has the effect of regulating qi, invigorating the middle burner, and dispelling turbidity. It is used to treat chest and epigastric stuffiness, stomachache, and loss of appetite.

　　Antelope Horn: Treats softening tendons and strengthening bones, dispels wind and detoxifies. Used for stroke with severe muscle and bone pain, ulcers, and snake bites.

【Functions and Effects of Magnolia officinalis flower】

　　Magnolia officinalis flower has the effect of regulating qi, invigorating the middle burner, and dispelling turbidity. It is used to treat chest and epigastric stuffiness, stomachache, and loss of appetite.

　　① "New Reference of Medicinal Materials": "Invigorates the middle burner and regulates qi. Used for chest stuffiness and spleen and stomach dampness erosion."

　　② "Sichuan Journal of Chinese Medicine": "Relieves chest stuffiness and diaphragm, and lowers rebellious qi."

【What is Dai Tea?】

　　In Dai Tea, the majority of plants belong to the Magnoliaceae family because their leaves are bitter and have similar medicinal effects as tea. For example, when people talk about "Bitter Orange Tea", it is not just one kind. According to literature, there are at least 30 different types of bitter orange plants that can be used to make tea.

　　The imperial court's Dai Tea is more sophisticated and takes into consideration the targeted treatment. For example, Empress Dowager Cixi often had symptoms of "imbalanced stomach qi and slow digestion", so she used 2 qian of fried rice sprouts, 2 qian of betel nut, and water to make a decoction as a substitute for tea.

　　Before Empress Dowager Cixi passed away due to her weak physical condition, she could no longer take medicine orally. The imperial physician Zhang Zhongyuan had to prepare the "Zi Wei He Zhong Dai Tea" made from bamboo shavings, fresh green fruits, magnolia officinalis flower, and antelope horn. However, this was just a last resort.

　　Interestingly, Empress Dowager Cixi also used "Slimming Tea" made from tea and medicinal herbs, known as "Fairy Medicine". This tea consisted of 8 types of tea and herbs, including Oolong tea, Liu'an tea, and the Chinese herb Ze Xie. Experiments showed that the "Fairy Medicine" tea could accelerate the breakdown of fat in the blood.