HerbsIt is easier to find aChinese traditional medicineherbal store(中药商店)selling herbs and traditional medicines made from animals and minerals in China than it is try find a store that sells herbs in the US.
In Western Europe and the US,herbal medicines and eating special natural food for healing, health and strength is increasingly appreciated by many people. But in China, traditional herbal remedies have always been commonly used.
These traditional medicines have a long history, and trying herbs and traditional medicines can be aninteresting and educationalsidelightof your trip to China．
General Concepts
Health food stores in the US sellherbal medicinesandherbal substance,and European and American people generally buy these herbs based on their traditional understanding ofherbal pharmacology．
Western herbal medicine enthusiasts often discuss thechemical and biological effectsof herbs on human bodies or cells. For example, they'll talk about an herb's effects on harmful bacteria or viruses. However,natural pharmacologyin Chinese traditional medicine is based on different concepts.
There are core traditional ideas that traditional practitioners hold about the need toharmonize Yin and Yang and the various qiin human bodies.
Chinese are adopting Western medicine's understanding of bacteria and viruses as a cause of illness and disease, and so they may also regard natural medical products for their chemical and biological effects. But thetraditional understanding of the body and health is still importantto traditional medicine practitioners.
See our pages on thehistory of Chinese medicineand about the various kinds of therapies.
History
The Chinese have cultivated and used many kinds of herbs, fruits, and animal products that are uncommon in the West for health and healing. This is partly because different plants and animals live in East Asia.
Chineseherbology and natural pharmacology(中药学; zhōngyào xué) has a long history. The earliest surviving pharmacological texts are dated to about 150 BC, but themost influential textdates from the Ming Dynasty era (1368-1644).
The Recipes for 52 Ailmentsis a text that was found about 1973 or 1974 in theMawangdui Tombsthat were sealed in 168 BC. This text dates from the time of the Western Han Dynasty (206 - 9 BC).
The Treatise on Cold Injuries 伤寒论(上海ānghán Lùn) is ascribed to Zhang Zhongjing and was published about the year 220 at the end of the Han Dynasty era (206 BC-220 AD).
It is thefirst known treatise on traditional drug and herbal medicine in the region．作者描述了最ly herbal remedies, but animal and mineral products are described as well.
What is interesting is that thesubstances' effects on the qi and Yin and Yang balancesand the Five Phases concepts are explicitly described in a way similar to how Chinese traditional practitioners think nowadays.
TheBencao Gangmu本草纲目byLi Shizhen(1518–1593) is the most important traditional work on herbs and drugs. It was written in the middle of the Ming Dynasty era (1368-1644). It was important because it was very comprehensive and gave detailed recommendations on pharmacological use. It was also put into print.
TheBencao Gangmu 本草纲目(lit.: Herbal Essential Details) is usually calledMateria Medicain English. He classified and described hundreds of kinds of herbs, medicinal minerals and medicinal animal parts. It is considered the greatest scientific achievement of the Ming era.
Shopping for Traditional Medicines
Tongrentang is a Chinese pharmaceutical company and it is the largest producer of traditional Chinese medicine.As a旅游或外籍人士going to traditional herbal and medicine markets in China, you may be surprised about what you can see and abouthow cheaply you can buythe food and herbal medicines that are on sale.
Traditional medicine shops(中药商店)are common, and there might be one or more on each street in the towns and cities. Little traditional medicine stores are often tucked away in supermarkets.
Here is somehelpful adviceabout buying common herbs anduseful terminology．
Be Careful and Learn
Many tourists and expats nowadays have experience using herbs back home, and they know how to use them. If you go shopping, you'll need toknow the Chinese names for the herbsyou might want to buy. You might want to write the names on paper.
It might be useful tolearn about how Chinese view the effects of the herbsyou like and learn about their ideas about improving your health or treating your condition.
But if you go shopping for your health or just for things to eat, here is some advice. Most common herbs are not dangerous, butsome herbs and substances may be dangerousfor those who don't know what they are doing.
You're used to prescription drugs and precise prescriptions, but Chinese medicines are generally natural substances that vary a lot in quality except for maybe prepared powders or pills you can buy in a package. Unless you have an expert traditional doctor advising you,be cautious．
Favorite Chinese Herbs and Their Uses
Here aresuggested healthful Chinese food and medicinesthat you can try that are beneficial but may be expensive and hard to find in the West.
Cinnamon Twigs (桂枝, guìzhī /gway-zhrr/) and Bark (肉桂, ròuguì /roh-gway/)
This favorite spice is easy to find in the natural form. It is also cheap because it comes from a common tree is southern China called the cassia tree. You can add it to cereal.
It is known both in the West and East for its health benefits. In the West, it is thought toreduce blood sugar, triglyceride level, LDL cholesterol, and total cholesterol in people with type 2 diabetes.
It is thought to begood for helping people with diabetes; and it is also a mild antibiotic and might have anticancer effects. In Chinese medicine, it is thought to encourage generation of qi and blood.
Ginger (姜, jiāng /jyang/)
This common herb is used a lot in Chinese cooking. In the West, it is reputed to have anticancer effects. It is thought to be good for colds or the flu and have other healthful properties. InChinese medicine, it is thought to increase the Yang．
Ginseng (人参, rénshēn /rnn-shnn/)
Thisfavorite of Chinese herbologyshouldn't be used regularly because it is hard on the body, but it strengthens health and stamina.
It is thought toincrease the Yang and qiin the body, and thus it isgood for older men．It comes either as whole roots or sliced roots at markets. Of all the common Chinese herbs, it is about the most expensive.
Goji Berries or Wolfberries (枸杞子, gǒuqǐzi /goh-chee-dz/)
This small fruit is becoming known in the West asgood for athletes and as an antioxident, but it has long been used for traditional medicine.
In the West, it is recommended as anutritious fruitthat has a lot of healthful benefits and increases strength and stamina. It doesn't have known side affects. It can be commonly eaten like other kinds of berries.
Fresh or dried Goji Berries aredifficult to find in the US, but they are commonly eaten as a food in China. People often use it to make certain kinds of soups.
TheNingxia areathat is relatively close to Xi'an is known for good quality berries and is amajor center for the production of the berry．
However,be careful about pesticides．These delicate berries should taste very good and sweet, not bitter from too much synthetic chemicals
In traditional medicine, it is thought to enhance the kidney and lungYinand improve vision. It is thought to be mainly awoman's supplemental herb, though in West male athletes eat it as a supplement.
Hawthorn Berries (山楂, shānzhā /shan-jaa/)
This is a tart fruit that looks and tastes much like a crab apple, but the benefit forstamina, health, and the heartis amazing. It is known as a good food to eat for those with problems with weak hearts, poor circulation or angina. It helps the circulation, and strengthens the cardiovascular system.
However, if you are already taking drugs, there could beadverse side affects．It is a natural food with a healthful punch. But experiment with how it affects your body by trying just a few berries at first. You'll know you're taking too much if you heart rate increases too much.
In Chinese medicine, it is saidto help move the qi．
Licorice (甘草, gāncǎo /gan-tsaoww/)
LicoriceThissweet herb is used to flavor and sweeten candy在西方。它的中文名字的意思是“甜草。”It is thought to be good for sore throats. It helps to get rid of mucus and increases blood pressure. Chinese think that itrestores the Yangbalance and increases qi.
Traditional Medicinal Animals
Mostly plants are used in traditional Chinese medicine, butsome animal parts are also used．
Someendangered animalsare on the list of remedies of traditional medicine, and there is a lot of controversy about this. Most people have heard that rhinoceros horn, bear parts and tiger parts are sought after, and in the country, there are now farms for these animals.
But here aretwo common animalsyou can eat that are reputed to medicinal.
Seahorses (海马, hǎimǎ /heye-maa/)
You'll likely finddried seahorsesin the larger shops and markets. It is thought to be a male aphrodisiac, so men especially like it. It is thought to fortify theYangandhelp old people．
Pregnant womenshould avoid this food.
Hai Shen (海参, hǎishēn /heye-shnn/)
It is a tubularsea animal．It is thought toincrease the Yang, but it isn't a very powerful food substance, so it can be eaten in larger portions in a meal. If you haven't tried this before, try a little at first and see if you like it.
Learning More about Traditional Herbal Medicine
You canexplore medicine shops and marketson your own.
For example, there is a well known herbal medicine market inXi'ancalled the Xi'anWanshou Road Chinese Medicine Market(西安万寿路药才市场). It is on the way to theTerracotta Warriors．Peasants and wholesalers sell bags and bags, and boxes and boxes, of interesting herbs, medicines and medicinal foods. It may be an interesting side trip.
While inShanghai, you can visit theTraditional Chinese Medicine Museum．
Check out ourTraditional Medicinal Cuisine pagefor recipes and ideas about eating healthy the traditional Chinese way.
Tours
For aneducational tour of traditional medicine establishmentsand to meet experts, book our Chinese Traditional Medicine Tour. All our tours can be customized to include a trip to a Chinese medicine retailer or practitioner.
