These herbs can guide a formula to a particular channel, organ, or region of the body.

In many cases guiding herbs are instrumental in the central effect of classical formula.

From Dui Yao by Philippe Sionneau:

• Lung channel: Jie geng, Sheng ma, Cong bai, Bai zhi
• Large Intestine channel: Da huang, Bai zhi, Sheng ma, Shi gao
• Stomach channel: Bai zhi, Sheng ma, Shi gao, Ge gen
• Spleen channel: Bai zhu, Ge gen, Cang zhu, Sheng ma, Bai shao, Gan jiang, Sheng jiang, Da zao, Gan cao
• Heart channel: Huang lian, Xi xin
• Small Intestine channel: Mu tong, Deng xin cao, Gao ben, Huang bai
• Bladder channel: Ge gen, Qiang huo, Gao ben
• Kidney channel: Du huo, Rou gui, Zhi mu, Xi xin
• Pericardium channel: Chai hu, Mu dan pi
• San Jiao channel: Upper Jiao: Zhi zi, Gui zhi, Wan qian, Di gu pi / Middle Jiao: Qing pi / Lower Jiao: Fu zi, Chen xiang, Niu xi
• Gallbladder channel: Chai hu, Qing pi
• Liver channel: Wu zhu yu, Chai hu, Chuan xiong, Qing pi

Herbs That Guide to Particular Regions of the Body

• Exterior/Skin – Ma huang
• Extremities – Sang zhi, Gui zhi, Chuan wu
• Upper body – Chai hu
• Lower body – Niu xi
• Head – Feng feng, Tian ma, Chuan xiong
• Vertex of Head – Gao ben
• Back of Head – Qiang huo
• Sinuses – Cang er zi, Xin yi hua
• Forehead – Bai zhi
• Temples – Man jing zi
• Throat – Jie geng, Niu bang zi, Chan tui
• Neck & Shoulders – Qiang huo, Gou teng, Ge gen
• Shoulders – Jiang huang (also upper extremity)
• Right Shoulder (Chronic) – Huang qi
• Left Shoulder (Chronic) – Dang gui
• Chest – Chai hu, Xiang fu, Yu jin, Gua lou pi
• Upper Back – Chuan xiong, Ma huang (indirectly, use chest herbs)
• Spine – Gou ji
• Flanks – Chuan lian zi
• Lower Back – Du zhong, Du huo
• Lower Abdomen – Wu yao, Chuan lian zi
• Urethra – Gan cao shao (tips)
• Testes – Li zhi he
• Legs – Niu xi, Mu gua
• Knees – Niu xi, Gu sui bu, Xu duan
• Heels – Bu gu zhi
• Channels, Network Vessels, Muscles and Sinews: Di long, Chuang shan jia, Luo shi teng

Herbs That Enter the Eight Extraordinary Vessels

Herbs Ascribed to the Extraordinary Vessels by Eric Brand. From Eric Brand’s Blog. Posted September 16th,
2010. Accessed October 1, 2010. The source material for this blog comes from the Qing dynasty text “De Pei
Ben Cao”, found in Chinese @ http://www.zysj.com.cn/lilunshuji/depeibencao/689-16-0.html#m0-0

• Bai shao: Governs yang wei (yang linking vessel) [aversion to] cold and heat [effusion] and dai mai (girdling vessel) abdominal pain
• Lu hui: Governs disease in the chong mai (thoroughfare vessel), counterflow qi and abdominal urgency
• Ba ji tian: Enters the chong mai (thoroughfare vessel)
• Bing lang: Governs chong mai (thoroughfare vessel) counterflow qi and abdominal urgency
• Wu zhu yu: Governs chong mai (thoroughfare vessel) counterflow qi and abdominal urgency
• Dang gui: Governs chong mai (thoroughfare vessel) disease with counterflow qi and abdominal urgency; dai mai (girdling vessel) disease with abdominal fullness; broad lumbus as if sitting in water
• Huang bai: Governs chong mai (thoroughfare vessel) counterflow qi
• Bai zhu: Governs chong mai (thoroughfare vessel) disease, counterflow qi and abdominal urgency, umbilical and abdominal disease
• Xiang fu: Enters the chong mai (thoroughfare vessel)
• Chuan xiong: Moves in the chong mai (thoroughfare vessel)
• Huang qin: Moves in the chong mai (thoroughfare vessel)
• Bie jia: Moves in the chong mai (thoroughfare vessel)
• Mu xiang: Governs chong mai (thoroughfare vessel) disease, counterflow qi and abdominal urgency
• Gou qi zi: Supplements essence-blood of the chong mai (thoroughfare vessel) and du mai (governing vessel)
• Huang qi: Governs yang wei (yang linking vessel) disease with [aversion to] cold and heat [effusion], and du mai (governing vessel) disease with counterflow qi and abdominal urgency
• Cang er zi: Moves in the du mai (governing vessel)
• Xi xin: Governs du mai (governing vessel) disease, stiffness of the spine and reversal
• Fu zi: Governs du mai (governing vessel) disease, stiffness of the spine and reversal
• Goat (or sheep) spine: Frees the du mai (governing vessel)
• Bai guo: Frees the du mai (governing vessel)
• Lu jiao shuang: Frees qi abiding in the du mai (governing vessel)
• Lu rong: Frees the essence chamber of the du mai (governing vessel)
• Lu jiao jiao: Warms the blood of the du mai (governing vessel)
• Gui ban: Frees the ren mai (controlling vessel)
• Gao ben: Governs du mai (governing vessel) stiffness of the spine and reversal
• Gui zhi: Moves in the yang wei (yang linking vessel)
• Fang ji (Stephania): Enters the yang qiao mai (yang springing vessel)
• Rou gui: Frees the yang qiao mai (yang springing vessel) and du mai (governing vessel)
• Chuan shan jia: Enters the yang qiao mai (yang springing vessel) and yin qiao mai (yin springing vessel)
• Hu gu: Enters the yang qiao mai (yang springing vessel) and yin qiao mai (yin springing vessel)
• Xu duan: Governs dai mai (girdling vessel) disease
• Ai ye: Governs dai mai (girdling vessel) disease with abdominal fullness, and broad lumbus as if sitting in water
• Long gu: Treats dai mai (girdling vessel) disease
• Wang bu liu xing: Frees the chong mai (thoroughfare vessel) and ren mai (controlling vessel)
• Ze lan: Regulates disease damaging the eight [extraordinary] vessels
• Sheng ma: Relaxes retraction and tension in the dai mai (girdling vessel)
• Gan cao: Harmonizes counterflow of the chong mai (thoroughfare vessel), and relaxes tension in the dai mai (girdling vessel)
• Dan shen: Boosts the chong mai (thoroughfare vessel) and ren mai (controlling vessel)

More Channel Guiding Properties from Dr. Tian De Yang

Liver, Kidney and All 8 Extras:
Gou Qi Zi
Sha Ren Zi
Du Zhong
Niu Xi
Xu Duan
Sheng Di Huang
Hei Zhi Ma
Sang Shen
Tu Si Zi
Shan Zhu Yu
Nu Zhen Zi
Hao Ren Zao
Suo Yang
Fu Pen Zi
Ling Ci Shi
Long Gu

Yang Wei Mai:
Gui Zhi
Bai Shao
Huang Qi

Yin Wei Mai:
Gui Zhi
Bai Shao
Huang Qi
Dang Gui
Chuan Xiong

Ren/Du:
Lu Rong
Gui Ban
Bie Jia
E Jiao
Zi He Che

Du Mai:
Lu Jiao
Yang Gou (sheep
vertebra)
Lou Shen Cao (deer
teeth herb)
Fu Zi
Rou Gui
Cang Er Zi
Gao Ben
Gou Qi Zi
Huang Qi

Chong/Ren Mai:
Gui Ban
Wang Bu Liu Xing
Bie Jia
Ba Ji Tian
Xiang Fu
Chuan Xiong
Mu Xiang
Dang Gui
Cang Zhu
Bai Zhu
Wu Zhu Yu
Gou Qi Zi
Dang Shen

Regulate and Strengthen Chong Mai Qi and Blood:
Chuan Lian Zi
Xiang Fu
Yi Mu Cao
Jiang Xiang

Stomach and Chong Mai:
Dang Gui
Dan Shen
Chuan Xiong
Cang Zhu
Wu Zhu Yu
Ban Xia
Hou Po

Dai Mai: 
Wu Wei Zi
Qian Shi
Lian Zi
Jing Ying Zi
Dang Gui
Bai Shao
Xu Duan
Ai Ye
Sheng Ma
Wu Wei Zi

Yin/Yang Qiao Mai:
Rou Gui
Fang Ji
Chuan Shan Jia
Hu Gu

Herbs that Enter the Chong and Ren

From The Chong and Ren Channels in Gynecology, Selected Writings from Zhu Xiao Nan’s Gynecological
Experience, People’s Medical Publication House, Beijing, 2005, Pages 165 – 172
Translation by: Diana Hester, Laura Camus, Ryan Kirkby

Herbs that Enter the Chong Mai

Tonify Qi of the Chong Mai:
Wu Zhu Yu
Ba Ji Tian
Gou Qi Zi
Gan Cao
Lu Xian
Lu Rong
Zi He Che
Rou Cong Rong
Zi Shi Ying
Du Zhong
Tonify Blood of Chong Mai:
Dang Gui
Bie Jia
Dan Shen
Chuan Xiong
Descend Counterflow of Chong Mai:
Mu Xiang
Bing Lang
Consolidate Chong Mai:
Shan Yao
Lian Zi

Herbs that Enter the Ren Mai

Tonify Qi of Ren Mai:
Lu Rong
Fu Pen Zi
Zi He Che
Tonify Blood of Ren Mai:
Gui Jia
Dan Shen
Consolidate Ren Mai:
Bai Guo

Herbs that Enter the Extraordinary Vessels

The following is excerpted from Ye Tian-shi’s Medicinals Entering the Extraordinary Vessels
by By Bob Flaws, Dipl. Ac. & C.H., FNAAOM

Retrieved from:
http://bluepoppy.com/cfwebstore/index.cfm?fuseaction=feature.display&feature_ID=91&ParentCat=182

Governing vessel (Du mai):

The governing vessel is the sea of yang and mainly treats diseases located in the shao yin. Ye’s choice of
medicinals entering the governing vessel were Cornu Parvuum Cervi (Lu Rong), Gelatinum Cornu Cervi (Lu
Jiao Jiao), and Cornu Degelatinum Cervi (Lu Jiao Shuang). According to Ye, Lu Rong strengthens governing
vessel yang, Lu Jiao Jiao supplements kidney vessel blood, and Lu Jiao Shuang frees the flow of governing
vessel qi. Because the governing vessel and the foot tai yang are mutually connected, these can be combined
with Radix Lateralis Praeparatus Aconiti Carmichaeli (Fu Zi), Cortex Cinnamomi Cassiae (Rou Gui), dry
Rhizoma Zingiberis (Gan Jiang), Fructus Zanthoxyli Bungeani (Chuan Jiao), Ramulus Cinnamomi Cassiae (Gui
Zhi), Herba Asari Cum Radice (Xi Xin), and Radix Et Rhizoma Ligustici Chinensis (Gao Ben).

Conception vessel (Ren mai):

The conception vessel is the sea of yin and mainly treats disease located in the jue yin. Ye’s choice of medicinals
entering the conception vessel were Gelatinum Corii Asini (E Jiao), Carapax Amydae Sinensis (Bei Jia),
Placenta Hominis (Zi He Che), Flouritum (Zi Shi Ying), Folium Artemisiae Argyii (Ai Ye), Radix Salviae
Miltiorrhizae (Dan Shen), and Fructus Rubi Chingii (Fu Pen Zi). Because the conception vessel and the liver
and kidneys are mutually connected, these can be combined with Rhizoma Anemarrhenae Aspheloidis (Zhi
Mu), Cortex Phellodendri (Huang Bai), Radix Scrophulariae Ningpoensis (Xuan Shen), and uncooked Radix
Rehmanniae (Sheng Di) to downbear kidney fire.

Penetrating vessel (Chong mai):

The penetrating vessel is the sea of blood and mainly treats the jue yin and yang ming. Ye’s choice of medicinal
entering the penetrating vessel was mainly Flouritum (Zi Shi Ying). Other medicinals which can be added are
cooked Radix Rehmanniae (Shu Di), Fructus Lycii Chinensis (Gou Qi Zi), Semen Astragali Complanati (Sha
Yuan Zi), Placenta Hominis (Zi He Che), Fructus Schisandrae Chinensis (Wu Wei Zi), Haemitium (Dai Zhe
Shi), Semen Juglandis Regiae (Hu Tao Ren), Radix Angelicae Sinensis (Dang Gui), Carapax Amydae Sinensis
(Bei Jia), Herba Cistanchis Deserticolae (Rou Cong Rong), Cortex Eucommiae Ulmoidis (Du Zhong), Radix
Dioscoreae Oppositae (Shan Yao), and Radix Morindae Officinalis (Ba Ji Tian). Because the penetrating vessel
and the liver and kidneys are mutually connected, these can be combined with Fructus Meliae Toosendan
(Chuan Lian Zi), Lignum Dalbergiae Odoriferae (Jiang Xiang), Fructus Evodiae Rutecarpae (Wu Zhu Yu),
Fructus Foeniculi Vulgaris (Xiao Hui Xiang), Sclerotium Poriae Cocos (Fu Ling), Semen Biotae Orientalis (Bai
Zi Ren), Rhizoma Cyperi Rotundi (Xiang Fu), and Cortex Phellodendri (Huang Bai)

Girdling vessel (Dai mai):

Ye’s choice of medicinals entering the girdling vessel were Radix Angelicae Sinensis (Dang Gui), Flouritum (Zi
Shi Ying), Semen Astragali Complanati (Sha Yuan Zi), Os Sepiae Seu Sepiellae (Wu Zei Gu), Radix Albus
Paeoniae Lactiflorae (Bai Shao), cooked Radix Rehmanniae (Shu Di), and Fructus Lycii Chinensis (Gou Qi Zi).
These may be combined with the following medicinals for the purposes of securing and gathering: Radix
Dioscoreae Oppositae (Shan Yao), Semen Euryalis Ferocis (Qian Shi), Fructus Rosae Laevigatae (Jin Ying Zi),
Fructus Rubi Chingii (Fu Pen Zi), Ootheca Mantidis (Sang Piao Xiao), Os Draconis (Long Gu), Concha Ostreae
(Mu Li).

Linking vessels (Wei mai):

Yang linking vessel disease mostly involves cold and heat. Yin linking vessel disease mostly involves heart
pain. Treatment resides in the middle burner. For linking vessel diseases, Ye commonly used Dang Gui Gui Zhi
Tang (Dang Gui & Cinnamon Twig Decoction) plus Cornu Degaltinum Cervi (Lu Jiao Shuang), Semen
Astragali Complanati (Sha Yuan Zi), and Fructus Lycii Chinensis (Gou Qi Zi). He commonly combined these
with Fructus Foeniculi Vulgaris (Xiao Hui Xiang), Semen Biotae Orientalis (Bai Zi Ren), and Sclerotium Poriae
Cocos (Fu Ling) to free the flow of the network vessels.

Springing vessels (Qiao mai):

Yang springing vessel disease mostly involves slack yin (i.e., the medial side of the body) and tense or cramped
yang (the lateral side of the body), while yin springing vessel disease usually involves slack yang and tense or
contracted yin. Treatment resides in the liver and kidneys. For springing vessel diseases, Ye commonly used
Radix Albus Paeoniae Lactiflorae (Bai Shao), Fructus Corni Officinalis (Shan Zhu Yu), cooked Radix
Rehmanniae (Shu Di), Plastrum Testudinis (Gui Ban), Fructus Tritici Aestivi (Huai Xiao Mai), Fructus Zizyphi
Jujubae (Da Zao), mix-fried Radix Glycrrhizae (Gan Cao), Fructus Schisandrae Chinensis (Wu Wei Zi). For
yang springing vessel emptiness (kong), Ye commonly used Plastrum Testudinis (Gui Ban), cooked Radix
Rehmanniae (Shu Di), Cortex Phellodendri (Huang Bai), Sclerotium Poriae Cocos (Fu Ling), Fructus Corni
Officinalis (Shan Zhu Yu), Fructus Schisandrae Chinensis (Wu Wei Zi), and Radix Polygalae Tenuifoliae (Yuan
Zhi). For yin springing vessel emptiness (kong), Ye commonly used Radix Albus Paeoniae Lactiflorae (Bai
Shao), Fructus Corni Officinalis (Shan Zhu Yu), Hallyositum Album (Bai Shi Ying), Fructus Tritici Aestivi
(Huai Xiao Mai), Fructus Zizyphi Jujubae (Da Zao), and mix-fried Radix Glycyrrhizae (Gan Cao).