The Legend of He Shou Wu (Fo-ti) and an Introduction to Its Effects and Benefits
He Shou Wu is a well-known and commonly used Chinese herbal medicine, and elderly people often come into contact with it as well. So, are you clear about the legend and effects of He Shou Wu? Follow along with the editor of Tuliu.com to take a look~
1. The Legend of He Shou Wu
The Tang dynasty writer and philosopher Li Ao wrote the "Biography of He Shou Wu," which records a strange legend: in Nanhe County of Shunzhou (present-day Luchuan County, Yulin City, Guangxi), there was a man named He Tian'er who, because of his frail health and frequent illnesses, had reached the age of 58 with no one willing to marry him. Since childhood, He Tian'er had admired Daoist arts and often went into the mountains to cultivate himself. Once, he drank too much wine and fell asleep in the mountains. Under the hazy moonlight, he saw two vines growing three chi apart, yet their sprouts and tendrils could join together at fixed times. It took him great effort to separate them, but once separated, the two sprouts joined together again, which struck him as very strange. After daybreak, He Tian'er dug up a root tuber and took it home, asking everyone he met about it, but no one recognized it. Later he met an old recluse deep in the mountains, who said to He Tian'er: “This thing is indeed somewhat strange. Could it have something to do with the affairs between men and women? Perhaps it is a deity guiding you? Since you still have no children and your health is poor, why not try taking this medicine?” He Tian'er suddenly understood, so he dried it in the sun, pounded it into powder, and took one qian each day on an empty stomach with rice wine. After only seven days, he began to desire marital relations; after several months, his body became strong; after one year, all his old ailments were cured, his hair turned black, and his face looked much younger. Later he took a wife and established a family, and within ten years had several sons, and he changed his own name to He Nengsi. He also gave this medicine to his son Yanxiu to take, and both he and his son He Yanxiu lived to the age of 160. Yanxiu then followed the same method and gave it to his own son, He Tian'er's grandson, to take, and the grandson also lived to the age of 130, with his hair still black as lacquer, and later this grandson named himself “He Shou Wu.” There was a local man named Li Anqi, who was a fellow townsman of He Shou Wu. He secretly inquired and learned the secret of the He family's longevity, and also regularly took this thing, and likewise achieved a long life. Later he spread the matter abroad, and this thing thus became famous. So people named this herbal medicine “He Shou Wu,” and its vine was called "Ye Jiao Teng" (Night-Intertwining Vine).
2. The Effects and Benefits of He Shou Wu
He Shou Wu, also known as Shan Shou Wu, Chi Shou Wu, or Shou Wu, is the dried root tuber of the Polygonaceae plant He Shou Wu. Its root tuber is used as medicine and can calm the spirit, nourish the blood, invigorate the collaterals, and disperse abscesses. After processing, He Shou Wu becomes Zhi Shou Wu, which can tonify essence and blood, strengthen the sinews and bones, and tonify the liver and kidneys, and is a common precious and fine Chinese medicinal material. It has the effect of dilating blood vessels and relieving spasms, and can enable brain cells and hair to obtain sufficient blood supply, thereby making the complexion rosy and lustrous, the energy abundant, and the beard and hair black.
He Shou Wu is suitable for premature graying of the beard and hair, dizziness due to blood deficiency, neurasthenia, after illness and after childbirth, dry constipation of the intestines, hypertension, hyperlipidemia, insufficient liver and kidney function, dizziness and blurred vision, weakness of the waist and knees, arteriosclerosis, chronic hepatitis, coronary heart disease, diabetes, and so on.
In recent years, domestic and foreign literature has reported about 150 cases of liver injury caused by He Shou Wu. On October 23, 2013, the State Food and Drug Administration issued the "Notice on Revising the Instructions for Six Oral Chinese Medicine Preparations Containing He Shou Wu, Including Yangxue Shengfa Capsules," reminding doctors and the public to pay attention to the issue of the risk that He Shou Wu may cause liver injury. Therefore, when using He Shou Wu, we must be highly vigilant about its toxicity and should consult a doctor before use.