神农本草经米谷（上品） - 神农本草经

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Shennong Ben Cao Jing: Grains (Top Grade)

Overall Paraphrase

This chapter is from the "Grains" section of the Shennong Ben Cao Jing (Divine Farmer's Classic of Materia Medica), top grade, containing two entries: Hu Ma (sesame) and Ma Fen (hemp flower).

Hu Ma (Sesame)
Nature and flavor: sweet, neutral. The ancients believed it primarily improves damaged middle burner with deficiency and emaciation—that is, emaciation and weakness caused by impairment of the spleen and stomach in the middle burner, with exhaustion of qi and blood; it supplements the five viscera (heart, liver, spleen, lungs, kidneys), enhances strength and energy, promotes muscle growth, and fills the marrow and brain (brain marrow and bone marrow). It was also believed that prolonged use could make the body light and delay aging. Also known as Ju Sheng; its leaves are called Qing Guan. It grows in marshy lands near rivers and lakes.

Later commentators added: Wu Pu said Hu Ma is also called Fang Jin and Gou Shi; Shennong and Lei Gong considered it sweet and non-toxic, harvested in early autumn; the Ming Yi Bie Lu (Records of Famous Physicians) says it is also called Gou Shi, Fang Jing, and Hong Cang, produced in Shangdang. The Guang Ya and other textual studies confirm that Gou Shi, Ju Sheng, and Teng Hong all refer to Hu Ma. Tao Hongjing once said Hu Ma originally came from Dayuan (Fergana), hence the name "Hu Ma"; however, the commentary notes that since this medicine already appears in the Ben Cao (Classic), Tao's claim may not be accurate, and "Hu" may derive from its leaves being larger than those of ordinary hemp.

Ma Fen (Hemp Flower)
Nature and flavor: pungent, neutral. The ancients believed it could treat five types of exhaustion and seven types of injury (various chronic consumptive conditions and internal injuries), open and regulate the five viscera, expel static blood, and dissipate cold qi; but it is especially noted: eating too much causes hallucinations, seeing ghosts and spirits, and manic running. Long-term use was regarded by the ancients as able to "communicate with the divine and lighten the body." Also known as Ma Bo.

Ma Zi (Hemp Seed) has a sweet, neutral flavor. The ancients believed it could supplement the middle burner and boost qi, make one plump and healthy, and delay aging. It grows in mountain valleys and wilderness. 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; Ma Zi is harvested in the ninth month, produced on Mount Tai. The kernel of Ma Zi: Shennong and Qibo considered it pungent; Lei Gong and Bian Que considered it non-toxic. It should not be used together with mussels (Ostrea) or Cynanchum atratum (Bai Wei). Those stored underground for too long may be fatal if consumed. Ma Ye (hemp leaves) have documented toxicity—eating them can kill a person.

Closing note: This section on grains (top grade) originally contained three items; now Qing Hu (or Qing Xiang) has been moved to the herbal section, so only two remain.

🧠 Deep Understanding

Core Principles 💡

These two grain medicines embody the "nourishing life" philosophy of the Shennong Ben Cao Jing top-grade category, but through different pathways:

Hu Ma supplements primarily through its sweet and neutral nature. Sweetness supplements the middle burner; neutrality is gentle and balancing. It targets "deficiency with emaciation," "insufficiency of the five viscera," and "deficiency of marrow and brain"—a supplementation method. It elevates the everyday nutritional role of grains into a pharmacological understanding of "supplementing the five viscera and filling the marrow and brain," reflecting the early herbalization of the principle "five grains nourish."
Ma Fen disperses primarily through its pungent and neutral nature. Pungency promotes movement and dispersion, unblocks qi, and resolves blood stasis and cold. Yet it explicitly records that "eating too much causes one to see ghosts and run wildly," showing that the ancients already observed: the same medicine, in moderate amounts, can unblock and regulate; in excess, it disturbs the spirit and causes confusion. This is the embryonic form of the ideas "poison and efficacy share the same source" and "stop once the desired effect is achieved."

Both are listed as top grade, but one supplements and one disperses; one calms and one disturbs. This suggests that top grade does not mean one may consume without limit over a long period.

Modern Understanding 🌟

Hu Ma refers to sesame, especially black sesame. Modern nutritional science confirms it is rich in unsaturated fatty acids, protein, calcium, vitamin E, sesamin, and other compounds. Moderate consumption can benefit individuals with malnutrition-related weight loss, replenish energy, and supply certain micronutrients. Thus "supplementing the five viscera, boosting strength, and building muscle" has some empirical basis. However, "filling the marrow and brain" and "lightening the body and preventing aging" are exaggerated expressions shaped by the limitations of the era, and cannot be interpreted as modern medical anti-aging or brain-boosting effects.
Ma Fen refers to the male inflorescence or pollen of Cannabis sativa. Modern research has established that cannabis contains cannabinoid compounds that can affect the central nervous system. Overconsumption can produce hallucinations, agitation, distorted time perception, and other neuropsychiatric reactions. The original text's "eating too much makes one see ghosts and run wildly" is an early empirical record of cannabis intoxication, showing that the ancients had already noted its psychoactivity and toxicity. Hemp flowers should not be self-harvested or consumed as health products.
Ma Zi is widely considered to be Huo Ma Ren (cannabis seeds or hemp seeds), a traditional medicinal and food product rich in oils and proteins. In the modern food industry it is used as an oilseed or food ingredient, but raw consumption, excessive intake, or improper storage leading to mold pose safety risks. The ancient warning that "those stored in the ground for too long can kill" reflects a simple early awareness of spoilage and contamination.

Wellness Insights ⚡

A grain-based dietary tradition still holds value: moderate amounts of grain seeds like black sesame can be added to daily meals as part of a balanced diet, but should not be glorified as "elixirs of immortality."
No "prolonged use lightens the body" claim should be taken literally: the ancients' notion of "long-term use" often carried idealistic tones; modern people should approach such claims rationally and avoid unilaterally consuming large quantities of a single ingredient over extended periods.
Plants with hallucinogenic or neuroactive properties require extreme caution: hemp flowers and leaves are not daily health foods and are strictly prohibited for self-harvesting, consumption, or experimentation. Even hemp seeds should only be obtained from reputable, food-grade, heat-treated products—avoid raw consumption and moldy material.
Eat with moderation; let five grains nourish: building a diet around whole grains, vegetables, and protein is more aligned with modern health principles than pursuing single "tonic" substances.

📚 Related Knowledge

Related Concepts
- Five Exhaustions and Seven Injuries: a general classification in Chinese medicine of various consumptive and internal injuries, including those from prolonged gazing, lying down, sitting, standing, walking, as well as emotional, dietary, and sexual causes.
- Five Viscera: the heart, liver, spleen, lungs, and kidneys—the core functional systems in visceral manifestation (zangxiang) theory.
- Filling the Marrow and Brain: in Chinese medicine, "the kidneys govern the bones and generate marrow; the brain is the sea of marrow." Filling the marrow and brain equates to supplementing kidney essence and nourishing the brain 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 "pharmacological treatment" were not yet fully separate.
Further Reading
- Huangdi Neijing · Suwen · Zangqi Fashi Lun: "Five grains nourish, five fruits assist, five livestock benefit, five vegetables supplement."
- Discussions on Hu Ma, Ma Zi, and Ma Bo in the Ben Cao Jing Ji Zhu (Collective Commentaries on the Materia Medica Classic).
- Entries on Hu Ma and Da Ma (hemp) in the grains section of the Ben Cao Gang Mu (Compendium of Materia Medica).

Bu Gua Tip: This content is based on classical Chinese medical texts, provided solely for cultural and traditional learning. It does not constitute any medical diagnosis, medication prescription, or treatment advice. If you feel unwell, please seek medical attention promptly.