What Are the Elegant Names for Ginseng? A Rundown of the Latest Common Honorific Titles

Ginseng is the root of a plant in the Araliaceae family and has been hailed since ancient times as the “king of a hundred herbs”. The ancients had many elegant names for ginseng, such as: yellow ginseng, divine herb, earth essence, ground essence, person's bit, ghost cover, blood ginseng, sea fat, wrinkle-faced return-elixir, and nearly ten other categories. In recent years, as the ginseng industry has gradually thrived, these ancient names have largely fallen out of use; nowadays ginseng is mostly classified according to production and cultivation techniques, or by production area and brand.

Elegant Names for Ginseng Classified by Processing Method

1. Ginseng that has been steamed is called red ginseng.

2. Freshly unearthed ginseng is called fresh ginseng.

3. Ginseng that has simply been sun-dried is called sun-dried ginseng.

4. Fresh ginseng placed in a plastic bag is called freshness-preserved ginseng.

Elegant Names for Ginseng Classified by Growing Environment

1. Artificially cultivated ginseng is called garden ginseng.

2. Ginseng that grows wild in the soil is called wild mountain ginseng.

3. Transplanted wild mountain ginseng seedlings are called transplanted mountain ginseng.

Elegant Names for Ginseng Classified by Production Area

1. Ginseng varieties produced and processed in China are all called ginseng.

2. Ginseng produced in the United States and Canada is called American ginseng.

3. Ginseng produced in South Korea and North Korea is called Korean ginseng.

4. Ginseng from Russia, Japan and other places is named after the country of origin.

Elegant Names for Ginseng Classified by Brand Name

1. Red ginseng produced by Xinkaihe is called Xinkaihe red ginseng.

2. Korean ginseng produced by Wanhe Company is called Wanhe Korean ginseng.

3. American ginseng produced by Tongrentang Company is called Tongrentang American ginseng.

The above are the modern names for ginseng based on production and cultivation techniques, or on production area and brand. No matter what modern ginseng is called, it is ultimately just a name, a code word; in the end, there are only two kinds with particularly notable effects: one is wild mountain ginseng, which is extremely expensive, and the other is garden ginseng, which is relatively inexpensive, has milder effects and actions, and is especially suitable for ordinary people to take. Whether wild mountain ginseng or garden ginseng, each has its own unique effects and actions. Of course, when buying, you must carefully select and earnestly distinguish good ginseng from bad and genuine from fake. In addition, pay attention to the taboos and precautions for taking ginseng.