Objective To explore the effects of treating schizophrenia due to stagnation of phlegm and qi with Shugan-qingzhang formula. Methods 85 patients with schizophrenia were randomly recruited into a control group and a treatment group. The treatment group was treated with Shugan-qingzhang formula, and the control group was treated with oral risperidone. Clinical effects of both groups were evaluated by positive and negative syndrome scale (PANSS) and symptom rating scale. Adverse drug reaction was evaluated by treatment emergent symptom scale (TESS). Results Score of PANSS was significantly changed after the treatment in both groups (F treatment group=4.86, t'treatment group= 17.88, v'treatment group=59, P treatment group＜0.01; F control group=4.27, t' control group=18.76, v' control group=59, P control group＜0.01); scores of PANSS in the treatment group were significantly better than the control group at the second and forth weak (F 2weeks= 1.02, t 2weeks=2.50, P 2weeks＜0.05; F 4weeks= 1.04, t 4weeks=3.55, P 4 weeks＜0.01), while no significant difference at the sixth week between the two groups (F=0.92, t=0.91, P＞0.05); There was no statistical difference of PANSS score between the two groups in terms of western medicine curative effects (x2=0.05, P＞0.05), but significant difference in terms of TCM curative effects (x2=36.26, P＜0.01); There was also statistic difference of adverse drug reaction between the two groups (x2= 8.17, P＜0.01). Conclusion Shugan-qingzhang formula can control symptoms of schizophrenia due to stagnation of phlegm and qi in a certain period.