神农本草经米谷（上品） - 神农本草经

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Shennong's Classic of the Materia Medica: Grains (Upper Grade)

Overall Paraphrase

This section comes from the Grains subsection of the Upper Grade in Shennong's Classic of the Materia Medica,收录 comprising two entries: Hu Ma (Sesame) and Ma Ben (Hemp Flower).

Hu Ma (Sesame)
Nature and flavor: sweet, neutral. The ancients believed it primarily ameliorates shang zhong xu lei—the wasting and weakness caused by damage to the middle burner (spleen and stomach) with depletion of qi and blood; it fortifies the wu nei (five viscera: heart, liver, spleen, lungs, and kidneys), strengthens qi and physical power, promotes muscle growth, and replenishes the sui nao (brain marrow and bone marrow). It was also believed that prolonged use lightens the body and delays aging. Also known as Ju Sheng, its leaves are called Qing Guan, and it grows in regions near rivers and lakes.

Later commentators added: Wu Pu states that Hu Ma is also known as Fang Jin and Gou Shi; Shennong and Lei Gong considered it sweet and non-toxic, harvested at the beginning of autumn. The Famous Physicians' Record states that it is also known as Gou Shi, Fang Jing, and Hong Cang, and is produced in Shangdang. Texts such as the Guangya verify that Gou Shi, Ju Sheng, and Teng Hong all refer to Hu Ma. Tao Hongjing once stated that Hu Ma originated from Dayuan (Fergana), hence the name "Hu Ma" (Barbarian Sesame); however, the commentator's note holds that since this medicament already appears in the Classic, Tao's claim may not be accurate, and the character "hu" may derive from its leaves being larger than those of ordinary hemp.

Ma Ben (Hemp Flower)
Nature and flavor: pungent, neutral. The ancients believed it could regulate and treat the wu lao qi shang (various chronic consumptive conditions and internal injuries), unblock the five viscera, disperse stagnant blood, and dissipate cold qi. However, it is specifically noted: overconsumption causes hallucinations—seeing ghosts and spirits—and manic running. Long-term use was regarded by the ancients as capable of "communicating with the divine and lightening the body." Also known as Ma Bo.

Ma Zi (Hemp Seed)—nature and flavor: sweet, neutral. The ancients believed it tonifies the middle and supplements qi, making one plump and robust and delaying aging. It grows in mountain valleys and open plains. Commentators explain: Ma Bo refers to the pollen or anthers that "burst forth" from the hemp flower, harvested on the seventh day of the seventh month; hemp seeds are harvested in the ninth month and grow on Mount Tai. Regarding the kernel of hemp seed: Shennong and Qibo considered it pungent; Lei Gong and Bian Que considered it non-toxic. It should not be combined with muli (oyster shell) or baiwei (Cynanchum atratum). Those stored underground for too long may be lethal if eaten. Hemp leaves have documented toxicity—eating them can kill a person.

The closing note states: this section on Upper Grade grains originally contained three entries; Qing Hu has now been classified under the Herbs section, leaving two entries.

🧠 Deep Understanding

Core Principles 💡

These two grain medicaments embody the "nourishing life" philosophy of the Upper Grade in Shennong's Classic, but through different pathways:

Hu Ma focuses on sweet, neutral supplementation. Sweetness tonifies the middle, and the neutral nature is gentle, targeting "wasting weakness," "insufficiency of the five viscera," and "deficiency of marrow and brain"—this is the method of supplementation and filling. It elevates the everyday nutritional function of grains into a pharmacological understanding of "tonifying the five viscera and filling the marrow and brain," reflecting the early materia-medica expression of "five grains for nourishment."
Ma Ben focuses on pungent, neutral dispersion and unblocking. Pungency promotes movement and dispersion, regulates qi, and moves blood and cold. Yet it is explicitly recorded that "overeating causes one to see ghosts and run wild," indicating that the ancients had already observed: the same medicament, in moderation, can unblock; in excess, it disturbs the spirit and unsettles the mind. This is the prototype of the concepts "toxicity and efficacy share the same source" and "cease treatment once balance is achieved."

Both are listed as Upper Grade in parallel, yet one supplements while the other disperses—one calms while one disturbs—suggesting that Upper Grade status does not equate to unlimited prolonged use.

Modern Understanding 🌟

Hu Ma is sesame, especially black sesame. Modern nutritional science confirms that it is rich in unsaturated fatty acids, protein, calcium, vitamin E, sesamin, and other compounds. Moderate consumption is beneficial for malnutrition-related wasting, energy supplementation, and certain micronutrient intake. Thus, "tonifying the five viscera, strengthening qi and power, and building muscle" has some empirical validity. However, "filling the marrow and brain" and "lightening the body and preventing aging" are exaggerated expressions limited by the historical era and cannot be interpreted as modern anti-aging or brain-boosting effects.
Ma Ben is the male inflorescence or pollen of Cannabis sativa. Modern research has established that cannabis contains cannabinoid compounds that affect the central nervous system; excessive intake can produce hallucinations, agitation, distorted time perception, and other psycho-neurological reactions. The original text's statement that "overeating causes one to see ghosts and run wild" is an early empirical record of cannabis intoxication, demonstrating that the ancients had already noted its psychoactivity and toxicity. Hemp flowers must not be self-harvested or consumed as a health product.
Ma Zi is generally identified as Huo Ma Ren (hemp seed) —a traditional dual-purpose food and medicament containing oils, proteins, and other nutrients. In the modern food industry, it is used as an oilseed or food ingredient, but raw consumption, overconsumption, or improper storage leading to mold poses safety risks. The ancients' statement that "those stored underground for long periods kill those who eat them" already embodies a rudimentary awareness of mold and spoilage hazards.

Health Insights ⚡

The grain-based dietary tradition still holds value: sesame and other grain seeds can be incorporated into daily diet in moderation as part of balanced nutrition, but should not be mythologized as "elixirs of immortality."
No "prolonged use lightens the body" claim should be taken at face value: the ancients' notion of "prolonged use" carries considerable idealization. Modern people should view such claims rationally and avoid self-prescribing long-term, high-dose consumption of any single food.
Plants with hallucinogenic or neuroactive properties demand extreme caution: hemp flowers and leaves are not everyday health products—self-harvesting, consumption, or experimentation is strictly prohibited. Even hemp seeds should be purchased as food-grade, heat-processed products from reputable sources, avoiding raw consumption or moldy stock.
Eat with moderation; let the five grains nourish: building one's diet on mixed grains and cereals, complemented by vegetables and protein, better aligns with modern health principles than pursuing any single "tonic."

📚 Related Knowledge

Related Concepts
- Wu lao qi shang (Five Exhaustions and Seven Injuries): a collective term in Chinese medicine for various types of depletion and internal injury, including damage from prolonged gazing, prolonged lying, prolonged sitting, prolonged standing, and prolonged walking, as well as internal injuries from emotional strain, diet, and sexual overexertion.
- Wu nei (Five Viscera): the five organ systems—heart, liver, spleen, lungs, and kidneys—constituting the core functional systems in visceral manifestation theory.
- Tian sui nao (Filling the marrow and brain): Chinese medicine holds that "the kidney governs the bones and generates marrow, and the brain is the sea of marrow." Filling the marrow and brain means tonifying kidney essence and nourishing the brain and marrow.
- Medicine and food share the same origin: grains serve both as food and as materia medica, reflecting the early stage when "dietary nourishment" and "medicinal treatment" had not yet been fully separated.
Further Reading
- Huangdi Neijing, Suwen, Treatise on the Qi of the Zang-Organs and the Seasons: "The five grains provide nourishment, the five fruits provide assistance, the five livestock provide enrichment, and the five vegetables provide supplementation."
- Discussions on Hu Ma, Ma Zi, and Ma Bo in the Collected Commentaries on the Materia Medica (Bencao Jing Jizhu).
- Entries on Hu Ma and Da Ma (hemp) in the Grains section of the Compendium of Materia Medica (Bencao Gangmu).

Note from Bua Gua: This content is based on classical Chinese medical texts and is provided solely for traditional cultural study and reading purposes. It does not constitute any medical diagnosis, medication, or treatment advice. Please consult a healthcare professional promptly if you experience any discomfort.