Soothing the liver and regulating qi, that is, soothing the liver and dispersing stagnation of liver qi. According to the five elements, the liver belongs to wood and its nature is joyful. It governs dispersion and is the organ that stores blood. If the emotions are not functioning properly, the liver wood will lose its integrity, and the liver body will lose its softness, resulting in liver qi being reversed, stagnation, and various pathological changes. Soothing the liver and regulating qi can regulate liver qi and restore liver function. Liver Qi stagnation manifests as swelling and pain in both flanks, chest tightness or nausea and vomiting, loss of appetite, abdominal distension, bowel sounds and abdominal pain; women may see irregular menstruation, breast swelling and pain, dysmenorrhea, etc. Commonly used drugs include Bupleurum, white peony root, Citrus aurantium, Cyperus rotunda, Yujin, Yuanhu, tangerine peel, etc. Representative prescriptions include Bupleurum Shugan Powder, Xiaoyao Powder, etc.

Clinical precautions: When using soothing liver and regulating qi, attention should be paid to mastering the main symptoms of stagnation. Long-term use of evacuation products can easily damage Qi and Yin, so patients with blood deficiency and Qi deficiency must be combined with blood-nourishing and Qi-enhancing drugs