Objective To prepare rat models of liver stagnation syndrome constipation-type irritable bowel syndrome (IBS-C) using single and multi-factor modeling method with different indicators, to provide ideal experimental animal models of IBS-C. Methods Forty-two SD rats were divided randomly into blank (Normal), cold-water gavage (Cold), restraint (Restrain), tail-clamping (Tail), cold-water gavage + restraint (C + R), and cold-water gavage + tailclamping groups (C + T). Body weight, food intake, water intake, and survival status, as well as open-field behavior, fecal Bristol score, visceral sensitivity, and small intestine propulsion were observed in each group during the modeling period. Pathological changes in the rat colon were observed by hematoxylin and eosin staining, and the serum and colon contents of 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) and vasoactive intestinal peptide ( VIP) were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Results The body weight in each group decreased after modeling (P< 0. 05, P< 0. 01), the food and water intakes decreased, and serum 5-HT levels increased. The number of fecal particles and Bristol score decreased while the colon 5-HT content increased in the Cold group (P< 0. 05, P< 0. 01); the total distance and average speed of the restraint group in the open field decreased (P< 0. 01); the preference for sugar water in the Tail group decreased (P<0. 01); the preference for sugar water, total open-field distance, small intestine propulsion rate, defecation particles, and Bristol score all decreased, while the colon 5-HT content increased and the VIP content decreased in the C + T group (P<0. 05, P< 0. 01); and the total distance, average speed, and VIP content in the colon decreased in the C + R group (P<0. 05). Except for the Tail group, all the model groups showed visceral hypersensitivity (P< 0. 05, P< 0. 01) compared to the blank group at various pressure values on days 7 and 14 of modeling. Pathological observations showed no significant inflammatory cell infiltration or pathological changes in any of the model groups. Conclusions The combination of icewater gastric lavage and tail clamping can be used to establish a rat model of liver depression syndrome in IBS-C. This may be the best of the five tested method, and the resulting model may lay the foundation for further systematic and in-depth research into the mechanism of traditional Chinese medicine in preventing and treating IBS-C.