The fruit that is more bitter than coptis is a fine remedy for insomnia and white hair, yet most people overlook it
In rural areas there are all kinds of plants, and some plants are so ordinary that people generally do not notice their existence. But as the saying goes, "everything that exists has its reason," and they have their own value. Today I want to talk about a very common tree. It is evergreen all year round and lives a very long time, and it has long been known as the "longevity tree." Because its symbolism is quite good, farmers like to plant it around graves. Roadside landscaping also likes to use it, as it is very easy to manage and has few pests and diseases. This tree is the cypress, and usually people only notice its landscaping role and rarely observe its fruit, little knowing that its fruit is also very valuable.
The fruit of the cypress is called cypress fruit. It has an irregular shape, like a spiky ball. This fruit cannot be eaten because it tastes extremely bitter, even more bitter than coptis, the herb behind the saying "a mute person eating coptis has bitterness he cannot speak of." Therefore, even if the cypress is covered with fruit, few people pick it. Although its fruit is not of much use, the fruit shell is a good thing. In folk tradition it is called "cypress shell clothing," and it is an excellent material for making pillow stuffing. Folk remedies hold that a pillow of cypress shell clothing can treat insomnia, and at the same time can gradually turn white hair black again.
In Li Shizhen's "Compendium of Materia Medica" it is recorded: "Cypress seed calms the liver and moistens the kidneys," and it does have a certain effect on insomnia with many dreams, neck pain, and irritability. This is because its aromatic substances contain oily compounds that can calm the spirit and relax the mind, and can regulate symptoms of neurasthenia and difficulty falling asleep, making it a natural "sleep aid miracle." This is also supported in "Chongqing Herbal Medicine": "dispels wind evil, calms the spirit, stops bleeding." However, it is generally not used as a Chinese medicine; what is used medicinally in Chinese medicine is cypress leaf.
As for its ability to treat white hair, this claim comes from folk tradition: peel off the cypress shell clothing, dry it in the sun, crush it, then put it into a pillow, and after sleeping on it for half a year, the hair can gradually turn black again. This is a folk remedy for white hair, but the specific effect remains to be verified, and if medicinal use is needed, please consult a doctor. Dear readers, has anyone used a cypress shell clothing pillow?