1. Chinese Herbal Medicine Shen Nong Ben Cao Jing The Divine Farmer’s Materia Medica

2. In Chinese Culture there are three legendary figures that are revered Huang Ti The Yellow Emperor Fu Xi Shen Nong The Divine Farmer

3. Shen Nong The Divine Farmer is sited as having written Shen Nong Ben Cao Jing The Divine Farmer’s Materia Medica Classic Original text was lost Reconstructed from various sources –Commentaries containing the majority of the book –Doctor’s handwritten copies passed along from doctor to doctor (like lecture notes)

4. Shen Nong Ben Cao Jing The Divine Farmer’s Materia Medica Classic Ben= Tree roots Cao= Grasses and herbs Book also includes minerals and animal products therefore called Materia Medica instead Contains 361 medicinals (just short of the speculated original of 365)

5. Taoist Influences Prevalent throughout book Reverences to herbs, stones and other materials that upon long term use will “prolong life so as to make one immortal” and “make the body light” 道

6. The 5 flavors Sour Salty Sweet Bitter Pungent

7. The 4 qi Cold Hot Warm Cool Balanced

8. 3 Grades Superior Medium Inferior

9. The 3 Categories Sovereigns Ministers Assistants and Envoys

10. References Nong, Shen. The Divine Farmer's Materia Medica: Shen Nong Ben Cao Jing. Boulder, CO: Blue Poppy Press, 1998.