Shen Calming Herbs

Zhu Sha English Name: cinnabar Pharmaceutical Name: Cinnabaris Medica Category: Shen Calming Herbs Properties: Zhu Sha enters the Heart channel; it is sweet in nature, cold in temperature, and considered toxic. What is Zhu Sha?: The Chinese Herb Zhu Sha is a type of mineral ore primarily consisting of mercury sulphide; it is red in… read more

Ye Jiao Teng English Name: polygonum vine Literal Translation: “vine to pass through the night” Pharmaceutical Name: Caulis Polygoni Multiflori Medica Category: Shen Calming Herbs Properties: Ye Jiao Teng enters the Heart and Liver channels; it is sweet and slightly bitter in nature and neutral in temperature. What is Ye Jiao Teng?: The Chinese Herb… read more

Yuan Zhi English Name: polygala, thin-leaf milkwort root, Siberian milkwort root Literal Translation: “profound will” Pharmaceutical Name: Radix Polygalae Medica Category: Shen Calming Herbs Properties: Yuan Zhi enters the Lung and Heart channels; it is acrid and bitter in nature and slightly warm in temperature. What is Yuan Zhi?: The Chinese Herb Yuan Zhi is… read more

Xiao Mai English Name: wheat Pharmaceutical Name: Fructus Tritici Medica Category: Shen Calming Herbs Properties: Xiao Mai enters the Heart channel; it is sweet and slightly astringent in nature and cool in temperature. What is Xiao Mai?: The Chinese Herb Xiao Mai is dried, unripe wheat kernels from common cultivated wheat (Triticum aestivum L.). Traditional… read more

Xie Cao English Name: valerian root Pharmaceutical Name: Radix et Rhizoma Valerianae Medica Category: Shen Calming Herbs Properties: Xie Cao enters the Heart and Liver channels; it is bitter and sweet in nature and neutral in temperature. What is Xie Cao?: The Chinese Herb Xie Cao is the dried root and rhizome of valerian (Valeriana… read more

Suan Zao Ren English Name: ziziphus, sour date seed Pharmaceutical Name: Semen Zizyphi Spinosae Medica Category: Shen Calming Herbs Properties: Suan Zao Ren enters the Heart and Liver channels; it is sweet in nature and neutral in temperature. What is Suan Zao Ren?: The Chinese Herb Suan Zao Ren (literally “sour date seed”) is the… read more

Long Gu English Name: dragon bone, fossilized animal bones Literal Translation: “dragon bone” Pharmaceutical Name: Os Draconis Medica Category: Shen Calming Herbs Properties: Long Gu enters the Heart and Liver channels; it is sweet and astringent in nature and cool in temperature. What is Long Gu?: The Chinese Herb Long Gu (literally “dragon bone”) is… read more

Ling Zhi English Name: ganoderma, reishi mushroom Literal Translation: “spiritual mushroom” Pharmaceutical Name: Ganoderma Medica Category: Shen Calming Herbs Properties: Ling Zhi enters the Heart, Liver, and Lung channels; it is sweet in nature and neutral in temperature. What is Ling Zhi?: The Chinese Herb Ling Zhi is dried Ganoderma (aka reishi mushroom—Ganoderma lucidum (Leyss.… read more

He Huan Pi English Name: albizia bark Pharmaceutical Name: Cortex Albiziae Medica Category: Shen Calming Herbs Properties: He Huan Pi enters the Heart and Liver channels; it is sweet in nature and neutral in temperature. What is He Huan Pi?: The Chinese Herb He Huan Pi is the dried inner bark of a tree commonly… read more

Hu Po English Name: amber Pharmaceutical Name: Succinum Medica Category: Shen Calming Herbs Properties: Hu Po enters the Heart, Liver, and Urinary Bladder channels; it is sweet in nature and neutral in temperature. What is Hu Po?: The Chinese Herb Hu Po is fossilized amber (pine tree resin) that is dug out of the ground… read more