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In today's world where Western herbalism is increasingly popular, many are unaware that China established a complete and systematic herbal medicine system thousands of years ago. Shennong's Classic of Materia Medica and Compendium of Materia Medica are not only treasures of traditional Chinese medicine but also a shared cultural heritage of all humanity, having profoundly influenced the development of modern natural therapies and pharmacology.

Shennong's Classic of Materia Medica: The Origin of Chinese Pharmacognosy

Compiled during the Eastern Han Dynasty (around 200 AD), Shennong's Classic of Materia Medica is China's earliest extant specialized work on pharmacology. Although attributed to the mythical figure Shennong, the progenitor of agriculture and medicine, it is actually the crystallization of wisdom from countless ancient physicians.

This classic records 365 medicinal substances, categorized into three grades based on efficacy and toxicity:

• Top Grade: 120 substances, non-toxic, primarily for nourishing life, suitable for long-term use.

• Middle Grade: 120 substances, with varying degrees of toxicity, primarily for nurturing vitality, to be used with discretion.

• Lower Grade: 125 substances, mostly toxic, primarily for treating diseases, not suitable for long-term use.

This classification reflects the ancient Chinese concepts of "food and medicine sharing the same origin" and "prevention as the primary approach" to health, which align remarkably with contemporary ideas of functional foods and preventive medicine.

Compendium of Materia Medica: The Encyclopedia of Pharmacognosy

The Compendium of Materia Medica, compiled by Li Shizhen over 27 years during the Ming Dynasty (completed in 1578), represents the pinnacle of Chinese pharmacognosy. This monumental work:

• Records 1,892 medicinal substances—over five times more than Shennong's Classic of Materia Medica.

• Includes 11,096 prescriptions.

• Features 1,160 detailed illustrations.

• Pioneers the systematic use of botanical, zoological, and mineralogical classification methods.

Li Shizhen not only synthesized previous knowledge but also personally verified the efficacy of medicines, correcting numerous historical inaccuracies. His spirit of scientific empiricism was advanced for its time, even by global standards.

East-West Convergence: Ancient Wisdom in Modern Application

Many discoveries from these classics have been validated by modern science:

• Ephedra (mahuang), mentioned in Shennong's Classic of Materia Medica, contains ephedrine, the precursor to modern bronchodilators.

• The use of sweet wormwood (qinghao, Artemisia annua) for malaria, documented in the Compendium of Materia Medica, inspired Tu Youyou's discovery of artemisinin, saving millions of lives.

• Descriptions of the effects of herbs like ginseng, goji berries, and ginger are now widely applied and studied globally.

Cultural Dissemination: From East to World

The Compendium of Materia Medica reached Europe as early as the 17th century, translated into multiple languages and influencing Western botany and pharmacology. Today, with growing global interest in natural therapies, these classics are being rediscovered and reevaluated.