Asthma is a common chronic illness among children, affecting 5-10 percent of the population. Asthma is a diffuse obstructive pulmonary illness closely related to various inherited and allergic diseases. Viral infections, exercise, second hand smoke or sudden exposure to cold air can aggravate symptoms. Asthma, leading to respiratory pathway obstruction and smooth muscle spasm, was referred to as wheezing pattern (xiao zheng), counterflow qi ascent cough (ke ni shang qi), pulmonary distention (fei zhang) and gasping (chuan xi) in ancient times. Generally speaking asthma can be divided into repletion type and vacuity type asthma. Repletion type asthma is due to exuberance of evil qi, external contraction of the six excesses, and water-rheum, phlegm-turbidity obstructing the vessel pathways. Treatment is primarily based on diffusing the lung and dispelling evil qi. In vacuity asthma there is no evil qi. Rather there is constitutional weakness or depletion of original qi, kidneys failing to grasp the qi or the lung unable to govern qi. Treatment is primarily aimed at banking up the root and securing the origin, fortifying the spleen and securing the kidney and promoting absorption of lung qi.