Objective::To prepare 15 batches of Banxia Xiexintang substance benchmark and lyophilized powder from different places, and the lyophilized powder was analyzed by ultra-high performance liquid chromatography with diode array detection (UHPLC-DAD) and desorption electrospray ionization-mass spectrometry imaging (DESI-MSI) in order to investigate the advantages of DESI-MSI in quality control of famous classical formulas. Method::Taking Banxia Xiexintang as the research model, fingerprints of the substance benchmark and lyophilized powder were established by UHPLC-DAD, and the content of index components and the yield of dry extract were also investigated. Meanwhile, as the research carrier, the lyophilized powder corresponding to Banxia Xiexintang was dissolved in methanol and dotted on qualitative filter paper with 5 μL quantitative capillary, and fixed it on the slide to make samples. The samples were analyzed on a DESI-MSI system in positive and negative ion mode with methanol-formic acid (1 000∶1, flow rate of 3 μL·min-1) as spray solvent, N2 as spray gas (pressure of 0.5 MPa). The scanning range was 100-1 200 Da, the spatial resolution was 300 μm, the spray voltage was 3 kV, the sampling cone voltage was ±40 V, incidence angle of sprayer was 60 degree, its collection angle was 10 degree, the ion source temperature was 120 ℃. Result::DESI-MSI could not only detect the index components of liquiritin, baicalin and wogonoside, as well as the common peaks of liquiritin apioside, berberine and glycyrrhizic acid, but also analyzed them semi-quantitatively, the analysis results were basically consistent with UHPLC-DAD. At the same time, DESI-MSI could detect 16 other components from Glycyrrhizae Radix et Rhizoma, Coptidis Rhizoma, Scutellariae Radix, Jujubae Fructus and Ginseng Radix et Rhizoma, such as licoricesaponin G2, palmatine, coptisine, rutin and ginsenoside Rg1, and present their relative content visually. The qualitative analysis ability of DESI-MSI was much better than UHPLC-DAD. Conclusion::DESI-MSI can be used as the quality control method for substance benchmark and lyophilized powder and dispensing granules of famous classical formulas with advantages of high sensitivity, strong analytical ability, no complex sample processing, qualitative and relative content analysis of complex samples without reference substance.