Application of the Tang Ye Jing Fa Diagram in Chikungunya Fever through a Traditional Chinese Medicine Prescription Framework Integrating Heat-Clearing, Dampness-Resolving, and Exterior-Releasing Therapy

Chikungunya Fever (CHIKF) is an acute arboviral illness characterized by high fever, debilitating polyarthralgia, and rash. Despite its global emergence, specific antiviral treatments remain elusive. Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) offers an individualized approach to epidemics, grounded in classical theories and rich clinical heritage. This review explores the theoretical integration of the ancient TCM diagram Tang Ye Jing Fa Diagram (from the Dunhuang manuscript Fu Xing Jue) with clinical TCM practice in managing acute CHIKF. Tang Ye Jing Fa Diagram encodes fundamental principles of herbal prescription that define the relationships between the five flavors, five Zang organs, and the reinforcing or reducing therapeutic actions. We examine how this five-flavor logic can illuminate the syndrome differentiation and formula design for CHIKF, which TCM classifies as a “warm pestilence” with damp-heat invasion.