Shennong Ben Cao Jing: Grains (Medium Grade)
Overall Paraphrase
The Shennong Ben Cao Jing·Grains (Medium Grade) section records three items: Da Dou Huang Juan (soybean sprout, with attached raw soybean and red adzuki bean), Su Mi (foxtail millet), and Shu Mi (proso millet).
Da Dou Huang Juan🌿: Sweet flavor, neutral nature. The ancients held that it primarily addresses damp bi (painful obstruction of the limbs and joints due to damp pathogen), sinew spasms and contraction, and knee pain. Raw soybean pounded and applied externally can treat abscesses and swellings; when boiled and taken internally, ancient materia medica held that it could dispel so-called "ghost toxins" (a term used at the time for certain sudden, unexplained exogenous toxins) and relieve pain. Red adzuki bean mainly promotes the downward movement of water🌊 and expels pus and blood from abscesses. These beans mostly grow in plains and marshy regions.
Wu Pu's commentary states: Da Dou Huang Juan — Shennong, Huangdi, and Leigong all considered it non-toxic; harvesting is not restricted by season; it can remove dark facial spots; when combined with certain medicinals and mixed with honey, the effect is better, but it should not be used with haizao (Sargassum) or longdan (Gentian). Raw soybean, whether used raw or cooked, is cold in nature; harvested in the ninth month; it can resolve wudou (black bean) toxin; generally not combined with xuanshen (Scrophularia). Red adzuki bean has salty and sweet flavors; harvested in the ninth month. Famous physicians say it grows on large mountains and is harvested in the ninth month.
The textual research section states: ancient dictionaries refer to soybean as "shu," small bean as "mo," bean pod as "jia," and bean leaf as "huo"; the Er Ya and other texts also indicate that "rong shu" and "ren shu" refer to soybean.
Su Mi🌾: Salty flavor, slightly cold nature. Primarily nourishes kidney qi💨, clears heat🔥 from the stomach and spleen, and boosts qi. Foxtail millet that has been stored for a long time has a bitter flavor and primarily addresses stomach heat and consumptive thirst (xiaoke, a historical term for conditions marked by thirst and excessive drinking), and promotes urination. Wu Pu's commentary: Aged su mi is bitter, non-toxic, and treats spleen heat with thirst; su mi nourishes kidney qi. The literature states that su is a fine grain; in the Guanzhong region, millet is called su mi.
Shu Mi🍚: Sweet flavor, warm nature. Primarily boosts qi and supplements the center, but its nature is relatively warm; excessive consumption easily generates heat and causes restlessness. Wu Pu's commentary: Shu is sweet, non-toxic; harvested in the seventh month, dried in the shade; supplements the center and boosts qi. The literature states that shu is the glutinous variety among the cereal family; planted at the time of great heat; can be used to brew wine; the Qi Min Yao Shu also records ancient agricultural timing and taboos regarding shu cultivation. Finally, it is noted that the original medium-grade grains section contained two items; now su mi and shu mi are added, making three in total.
🧠 Deep Understanding
Core Principles 💡
This section embodies the early thinking of materia medica regarding the "unity of medicine and food" and the "qi-flavor–efficacy–zang-fu" framework.
- Grains nourish humans; correcting imbalance with bias: Grains are normally staple foods, with relatively balanced qi and flavor, yet they still differ in sweet-neutral, salty-cold, sweet-warm, etc. The ancients precisely used these inherent tendencies to regulate the body's state — e.g., Da Dou Huang Juan, sweet and neutral, benefits dampness and relaxes sinews; red adzuki bean promotes diuresis and expels pus; su mi, salty and cold, nourishes the kidneys and clears the stomach; shu mi, sweet and warm, supplements the center but tends toward heat.
- Changes in medicinal properties after sprouting: Da Dou Huang Juan is the dried product of germinated black soybean. The ancients believed that germination carries "the qi of engendering and issuing forth," which can penetrate through damp stagnation, hence its use for damp bi and sinew contraction.
- Aged products may change in nature and flavor: After prolonged storage, su mi becomes bitter in flavor; its efficacy shifts from nourishing the kidneys and clearing the stomach to clearing stomach heat and promoting urination — showing that the ancients already observed the influence of storage on the nature and efficacy of grains.
- Qi–qing pairing (seven relations) thinking: The mention in Wu Pu's commentary of "when combined with ... and mixed with honey it is better; should not be used with ..." reflects the early materia medica concept of qi–qing pairing (mutual reinforcement, mutual antagonism, etc.), embodying preliminary exploration of drug interactions.
Modern Understanding 🌟
- Soybean, red adzuki bean, foxtail millet, and proso millet are all nutritionally rich grains. After soybean sprouts, some antinutritional factors decrease, making proteins, dietary fiber, isoflavones, and other components more available; red adzuki bean contains saponins, flavonoids, and other active substances. Modern studies suggest diuretic and anti-inflammatory effects, but this cannot be directly equated with the ancient description of "expelling pus and blood."
- Foxtail millet (su mi) is nutritionally refined, causes little irritation to the gastric mucosa, and the traditional view that it "nourishes the stomach" has some basis in lived experience. Aged millet, due to changes in moisture and composition, does alter in taste and nature.
- Proso millet (shu mi / yellow sticky millet / broomcorn millet) is highly glutinous and calorie-dense; excessive consumption easily produces fullness and stomach discomfort — "more heat causing restlessness" can be understood as the ancients' observation of high-energy, sticky, hard-to-digest foods.
- It must be noted objectively that concepts such as "ghost toxins" and "consumptive thirst" are historical constructs; ancient efficacy records are largely based on empirical observation and qi-transformation theory, and cannot be directly mapped onto modern medical concepts, nor used as a basis for modern diagnosis and treatment.
Health Insights ⚡
- Five grains nourish; combine with variety: Daily staples need not be monotonous; combining beans and grains, and coarse with fine, is more conducive to nutritional balance.
- Eat with moderation; respect inherent natures: Shu mi is warm and sticky, easy to cause bloating; those with heat-prone constitutions should not eat too much at once; beans mostly promote diuresis — those with spleen-stomach deficiency and cold should consume in appropriate amounts.
- Value freshness and proper storage of food: Select grains that are free from mold and off-odors. Although aged grains are documented in antiquity, modern practice should be even more vigilant about health risks from mold contamination.
- Mild grains can serve as daily nourishment: Bean sprouts, millet, and the like are mild in nature and suitable for most people in daily diet, but they cannot replace medical treatment.
📚 Related Knowledge
- Related Concepts: Five grains, unity of medicine and food, four qi and five flavors, medium grade, promoting diuresis and draining dampness, clearing heat and resolving toxin, seven relations of pairing, damp bi, consumptive thirst
- Further Reading: Huangdi Neijing·Suwen·Zang Qi Fa Shi Lun: "The five grains nourish"; Bencao Gangmu·Gu Bu entries on Da Dou Huang Juan, su mi, and shu mi; Shanghan Lun: Chi Xiao Dou Dang Gui San (for literary study only, not as a basis for medication)
Bu Gua reminds you: This content is based on classical Chinese medical texts and is intended solely for traditional cultural study and research. It does not constitute any medical diagnosis, medication, or treatment advice. If you feel unwell, please seek medical attention promptly.
