This paper summarizes professor ZHU Shengliang's academic idea and clinical experience in treating gastroesophageal reflux disease （GERD） with

qi

constraint and phlegm obstruction syndrome. It is believed that the core pathogenesis of GERD is the dysfunction of the liver， gallbladder， spleen and stomach， with binding of phlegm and stasis. The basic pathogenesis is the liver and gallbladder failing to dredge and disperse， the stomach failing to harmonize and descend， and the stomach

qi

counterflowing upward. In clinical practice， the treatment principle of regulating

qi

as the priority， resolving phlegm as the key， and activating blood as the assistant is applied， with harmonizing the stomach and directing counterflow downward throughout the whole process. A self-made

Shugan Hewei Huatan Formula

（疏肝和胃化痰方） is employed with the function of soothing the liver and rectifying

qi

， opening constraint and dissipating knot， dissolving phlegm and dispelling stasis， harmonizing stomach and directing counterflow downward， with an emphasis on flexible modification according to the syndrome as well as careful protection of stomach

qi

.