Why Are Natural Medicines Called "Bencao"?
Natural medicines fall into three categories: plant, animal, and mineral. But why are they collectively referred to as "Bencao"? This is primarily because ancient people’s knowledge of medicine mainly came from plant-based remedies. For example, the *Shen Nong Ben Cao Jing*, written during the Qin and Han dynasties, records 365 medicinal substances, among which 252 are plant-based, only 67 are animal-derived, and 46 are mineral-based—clearly demonstrating the dominant role of plant medicines. Therefore, books recording Chinese medicines are mostly titled "Bencao," such as *Shen Nong Ben Cao Jing*, *Xin Xiu Ben Cao*, and *Ben Cao Gang Mu*. "Bencao" literally means "using herbal medicine as the foundation for healing." Li Dagang / compiled