Objective To sort out the evolution of the indicated disease and syndrome of Shengmai Powder（生脉散） in the ancient Chinese literature through the complex network data mining technology. Methods The traditional Chinese medicine（TCM） ancient literature database of Institute of Chinese Medical History and Literature

China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences was used as the data source. The ancient medical records before the year 1912 were searched

and the relevant items of the clinical application of Shengmai Powder were included. The indicated diseases

syndromes

symptoms

and therapeutic drugs of Shengmai Powder in the original text were extracted. The co-occurrence analysis and complex network methods were used to conduct visualized analysis the core drugs

TCM diseases

syndromes

symptoms and other indications of the original prescription

modification and combination of Shengmai Powder. Results A total of 76 ancient books were included

and 312 articles related to the indicated diseases and syndrome of Shengmai Powder were included. Among them

2 articles（0. 6%） were published in the Jin and Yuan Period

80（25. 6%） in the Ming Dynasty

and 230（73. 7%） in the Qing Dynasty. Among the 312 articles in the ancient literatures

109（34. 9%） were from the original prescription of Shengmai Powder

98（31. 4%） were modified Shengmai Powder

and 105（33. 7%） were combined Shengmai Powder; 264 articles（84. 6%） were applied in internal medicine

24（7. 7%） for gynecology

20（6. 4%） for pediatrics

and 4（1. 3%） for surgery. Visual analysis showed that the indicated diseases and syndromes of original prescription of Shengmai Powder were heat damaging the vital qi syndrome; consumptive disease belong to heat syndrome and qi deficiency syndrome; epidemic diseases belong to fluid damage transforming into dryness syndrome. The modified Shengmai Powder was indicated for cough with the deficiency of lung qi syndrome or deficiency of stomach qi syndrome; epidemic cold or wind warm disease belong to prostration syndrome; consumptive disease belong to heat syndrome; insomnia belongs to qi and yin deficiency syndrome. The indicate diseases and syndromes of combined Shengmai Powder were wind warm disease or epidemic cold belong to yin depletion syndrome

which is often treated in combination with Liuwei Dihuang Decoction（六味地黄汤）; asthma or heatstroke disease belong to deficient yang with upper manifestation syndrome

which is often treated together with Yangzheng Pills（养正丹） or Bawei Pills（八味丸）; insufficiency of middle-warmer energy syndrome is often treated with Buzhong Yiqi Decoction（补中益气汤）; hot gonorrhea belongs to summerheat damaging qi syndrome

which is often treated with Wuling Powder（五苓散）; asymptomatic disease is often treated combined with Liuwei Dihuang Pills（六味地黄丸）; vomiting blood disease belongs to hyperactivity of fire due to kidney deficiency syndrome

which is often treated with Liuwei Dihuang Decoction. Conclusion The original prescription of Shengmai Powder is widely used in the treatment of heat damaging vital qi syndrome. It is rich in modification

and it is often used together with other prescriptions with the evolution of the times and disease spectrum. Among them

Shengmai Powder combined with Liuwei Dihuang Decoction in the treatment for yin depletion syndrome is the main case.