🌿 Folk Prescriptions

Dan Shen is a commonly used traditional Chinese medicine, also known as Hong Gen, Zi Dan Shen, and Xue Shen Gen, due to its purple-red medicinal root. Additionally, in folk culture, it is sometimes called "Dan Xin," which relates to a touching story.
Legend has it that long ago, in a fishing village on the eastern coast, lived a young man named "A Ming." A Ming lost his father at a young age and lived with his mother. Growing up amidst storms and waves, he developed excellent swimming skills and was nicknamed "Little Dragon." One year, A Ming's mother suffered from gynecological disease, experiencing frequent uterine bleeding. Despite consulting many doctors, her condition remained untreated, leaving A Ming deeply distressed. At this time, someone mentioned an unnamed island in the East Sea where a herb grew—its flowers were deep blue, and its roots red. Drinking decoction made from this herb’s root could cure his mother’s illness. Upon hearing this, A Ming was overjoyed and decided to sail to the island to collect the herb. The villagers were alarmed, for the sea route to the island was filled with hidden reefs and turbulent currents, making survival nearly impossible—like passing through the "Gate of Ghosts." But since delaying treatment was dangerous, A Ming, determined to save his mother, bravely set out to sea.
The next day, A Ming sailed into the stormy waters. Using his exceptional swimming ability, he navigated past countless reefs and surged through raging rapids, finally overcoming the "Gate of Ghosts" and safely reaching the unnamed island. After landing, he searched diligently for the herb with deep blue flowers and red roots. Each time he found one, he quickly dug up its root. Soon, he had gathered a large bundle. Returning to the village, A Ming faithfully administered the medicine to his mother daily, and her illness soon healed.
The villagers greatly admired A Ming’s heroic act of risking his life to treat his mother. They believed the herb embodied A Ming’s sincere heart and thus named it "Dan Xin." Over time, due to phonetic similarity, the name evolved into "Dan Shen." Shen Zhengrong / compiled Professor at Beijing University of Traditional Chinese Medicine
Chang Zhangfu comments: This story is truly moving. The "Dan Shen" mentioned here was first recorded in the Han Dynasty's *Shen Nong Ben Cao Jing*. According to Traditional Chinese Medicine, Dan Shen has a bitter taste and slightly cold nature, and possesses functions such as promoting blood circulation, unblocking meridians, removing blood stasis, relieving pain, clearing heat from the heart, alleviating irritability, cooling blood, and eliminating abscesses. It is suitable for various conditions caused by blood stasis, blood heat, or combined blood stasis and heat—especially common in gynecology, internal medicine, and trauma-related disorders involving blood stasis with heat. As described in the story, A Ming’s mother likely suffered from uterine bleeding due to blood stasis combined with heat, explaining why Dan Shen proved effective. Today, Dan Shen is also formulated into injections, pills, and other preparations used in treating cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases, with proven good efficacy.