Root-seeking and Ancestral Exploration in Central China: Inquiring about Ancestral Origins

Author: Hong'an Li
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2006-08-01
Features: Emperor Yan Shennong discovered medicinal plants while tasting hundreds of herbs and distinguishing five grains. At that time, people first ate wild plants and animals, then later had access to five grains for consumption. Combined with changes in climate and natural environment, they would suffer from various diseases. However, no one knew that diseases could be cured, nor did anyone understand how to relieve physical pain. Once people fell ill, they either endured painful in hope of gradual improvement or died in agony from the suffering. The Chronicles of the Emperors records that Shennong "tasted hundreds of herbs, proclaimed medicinal therapies to heal injuries and save lives." The Outer Records of the Road History also states that Shennong "grated the shells of snails, observed their colors and smells, tasted hundreds of trees, and named them. He examined their mild and toxic properties, marked their dry and cold characteristics, identified their harmful interactions, distinguished their principal and auxiliary roles, and classified them into three categories to nourish life and treat diseases. In a single day, he encountered seventy poisons." These vividly describe the exploration, discovery, and invention of herbs by Emperor Yan Shennong, as well as his summary of medical knowledge and experience. During his collection activities, Shennong gradually discovered that eating certain plants caused vomiting, abdominal pain, diarrhea, unconsciousness, or even death, while others alleviated or eliminated pain. Some plants could even counteract poisoning caused by eating certain animals or plants. In hunting and fishing, he observed that eating the limbs and internal organs of certain animals produced special reactions in the human body. Through long-term practice, he was able to distinguish the healing properties of many plants and herbs. When someone fell ill, he intentionally selected a plant to treat them. Over time, he accumulated experience and gradually explored the underlying patterns, summarizing them into theories. Thus, the special and mysterious traditional Chinese medicine emerged. Through tasting hundreds of herbs and distinguishing plants, Shennong pioneered traditional Chinese medicine, laying the foundation for the development of ancient Chinese medicine. Shennong is the ancestor of traditional Chinese medicine in the Chinese nation. Plants make up a large proportion of traditional Chinese medicine, and since ancient Chinese pharmacological knowledge began with the trial of plants, called pharmacological works "herbal." Legend has it that one of the four classic works of ancient Chinese medicine, the Shennong’s Herbal, originated from Shennong. Some say this book was compiled during the Eastern Han Dynasty, when the practice of borrowing ancient names to enhance the prestige of works was prevalent. To elevate the value of the book, the name Shennong was added to the title, naming it the Shennong’s Herbal. This also proves Shennong’s foundational role in traditional Chinese medicine.
The Shennong’s Herbal lists 365 medicinal substances, including plants, animals, and minerals. The book explains how to summarize the properties and functions of herbs using the four qi (ascending, descending, floating, sinking) and the five flavors (pungent, sweet, sour, bitter, salty). Based on toxicity, it classifies herbs into three categories—upper, middle, and lower—such as those that replenish qi, strengthen the body, and expel pathogens. It also established preparation methods related to prescriptions and provided general descriptions of processing, storage, and empirical knowledge.