In my earlier blog, I introduced Huang Qi (Astragalus) as one of the key herbs for promoting and replenishing Qi (Huang Qi and Tonifying Herbs for Strengthening Vitality) [1]
Today, I would like to share another treasured herb for nourishing Qi and Yin in Traditional Chinese Medicine: Huang Jing (黄精, Polygonatum Sibiricum).
There is an old Chinese saying: 'RenShen is for the wealthy, but Huang Jing is for the poor.' This reflects how Huang Jing has long been valued as a humble yet powerful tonic herb, accessible to ordinary people, while carrying remarkable benefits for nourishing both body and spirit.
Huang Jing (黄精, Polygonatum Sibiricum) [2, 3]. In ancient times, Huang Jing was seen as a powerful food for health and longevity. Some even said that taking it regularly could help one 'live like an immortal'.
Properties: sweet, neutral
Channels: Spleen, Lung and Kidney
Functions:
1) Tonifies Qi and Yin: Nourishes both Qi (vital energy) and Yin (body fluids and essence), making it a rare herb that strengthens without being too heating or too cloying.
2) Strengthens the Spleen and Stomach: Helps with fatigue, poor appetite, and weakness. Used when someone feels depleted but doesn’t want overly heavy tonics like ginseng.
3) Moistens the Lungs: Eases dry cough, thirst, and lung Yin deficiency. Good for people with a dry throat, weak voice, or lingering dry cough.
4) Nourishes the Kidneys and Essence (Jing): Traditionally believed to prolong life, support fertility, and restore vitality. Helps with low back weakness, dizziness, or premature aging signs.
In ancient times, the people of the countryside often gathered Huang Jing from the deep mountains. Whenever one was weary or weakened, its root were steamed and taken with wine, or simmered with chicken to restore strength.
Among the elders, there was a severed method of preparation: to steam and sun-dried the herb nine times in succession. This practice, known as 'Nine Steamed and Nine Sun-Dried' (九蒸九晒), was said to refine its essence and elevate its virtue, until it rivaled the nourishing power of Ginseng itself.
Key research in supporting Huang Jing's effects:
1) Improves learning/memory, enhances brain function, delays aging. [4]
2) Regulates glucose and lipid metabolism, lowers blood glucose, reduces cholesterol/triglycerides. [5]
3) Immune modulation, lifting immunosuppression. [6]
Four-Treasure Vitality Tea: (四宝养生茶)
Precautions:
References:
1) Huang Qi and Tonifying Herbs for Strengthening Vitality
Huang
Qi and Tonifying Herbs for Strengthening Vitality
2) Huang Jing, from medicine to healthy food and diet
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/370967131_Huangjing-From_medicine_to_healthy_food_and_diet
3) Herbal textual research on
Chinese medicine "Huangjing" (Polygonati Rhizoma)and some
enlightenments
4) Polygonatum sibiricum ameliorated
cognitive impairment of naturally aging rats through BDNF–TrkB signaling
pathway
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/jfbc.14510?utm_source=chatgpt.com
5) Hypoglycemic and Hypolipidemic
Activity of Polygonatum sibiricum Fermented
with Lactobacillus brevis YM 1301
in Diabetic C57BL/6 Mice
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34280031/
6) Characterization and
Immunological Activities of Polysaccharides from Polygonatum sibiricum
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32475918/
7) Polygonatum sibiricum
polysaccharide alleviates inflammatory cytokines and promotes glucose uptake in
high‑glucose‑ and high‑insulin‑induced 3T3‑L1 adipocytes by promoting Nrf2
expression
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31485663/
