🌿 Folk Prescriptions

Peach trees originated in China and were later introduced globally via the Silk Road, ranking alongside apples and pears as one of the world’s "three major fruit trees." Peach trees are widely planted across China, unassuming yet deeply cherished in ancient times. They left indelible marks in folk festivals, religious rituals, culture, and medicine, forming a unique "peach culture" in Chinese history.
Ancient people revered peach trees as "immortal wood," believing they could repel demons and evil spirits. This belief originated from the legend in "Huainanzi" that "Yi died by peach." Yi, an ancient archer, had a disciple named Feng Meng who, out of jealousy, killed Yi with a peach club while he was hunting. Yi, having done many good deeds, was already venerated as "Zongbu God," the deity overseeing all spirits, preventing them from harming humans. Since the peach club could kill Yi, the leader of all spirits, other spirits must fear peach wood even more. Thus, peach wood became a symbol of exorcism, leading to various peach-wood utensils. For example, "Li Ji · Tan Gong" records: "When a ruler mourns a subject, the shaman uses a peach broom with a peach handle to ward off evil spirits." "Zuo Zhuan" mentions: "Peach bows and thorn arrows to eliminate disasters"—using peach wood to make bows to avoid calamity. During the Warring States period, people hung peach wood figures ("tao geng" or "tao ren") at gates to ward off evil. "Jin Shu · Li Zhi" states: "On New Year’s Day, people place reed bundles and peach wood figures at palaces and government offices to ward off evil qi," indicating peaches remained popular for exorcism in the Jin Dynasty.
Spring couplets originated from "tao fu." Besides the above myths, another legend exists: In ancient times, two brothers, Shen Tu and Yu Lei, were skilled at capturing ghosts, binding them with reed ropes and feeding them to tigers. To suppress evil spirits, people used two peach wood boards, painting images of Shen Tu and Yu Lei or writing their names, hanging them at entrances to ward off evil. These boards were called "tao fu" or "door gods." As recorded in "Jingchu Sui Shi Ji": "On the first day of the first month, hang tao fu beside doors—evil spirits fear them." By the Song Dynasty, these were inscribed with New Year greetings and prayers, expressing peace and good fortune. Wang Anshi’s famous line, "Thousands of homes greet the bright sun, replacing old tao fu with new ones," refers to this custom.
Later, tao fu faded, possibly due to Zhu Yuanzhang of the Ming Dynasty promoting spring couplets. The Ming Dynasty’s "Zan Yun Lou Za Hua" records: "The origin of spring couplets dates back to the Ming Dynasty." When Zhu established his capital in Nanjing, he issued an edict before Lunar New Year: all officials and commoners must post spring couplets at their doors, promising to personally inspect them. He even set an example by writing couplets for officials and commoners. From then on, writing and posting spring couplets became a lasting folk tradition. However, the original exorcism meaning gradually faded, shifting focus to expressing New Year blessings and hopes for a better future.
Peaches also symbolize longevity and fertility. Ancient people regarded peaches as "immortal fruits," believing eating them could prolong life. "Shen Yi Jing" records: "In the east grows a peach tree, its fruit three inches and two lines in diameter. Eating it with the kernel soup increases lifespan." The "Shen Nong Jing" claims even more miraculously: "Eating jade peaches grants eternal life. If not taken early, eating one before death ensures the body remains incorruptible forever." The most beautiful legend: Every March 3rd, the Queen Mother of the West hosts the Peach Blossom Banquet in the Jade Pool, inviting all immortals to celebrate her birthday. She serves peaches that ripen every three thousand years—eating them grants eternal life. The episode in "Journey to the West" where Sun Wukong steals the Queen Mother’s peaches repeats this widely circulated tale. Though mythical, the association of peaches with longevity is deeply rooted in public consciousness. China has long honored elders with birthday wishes. During festivals or when honoring elders, people often gift "longevity peaches" or paint "Longevity Star Holding a Peach" pictures to express blessings and good fortune. This tradition persists in some regions today.
Peach blossoms are beautiful flowers. Ancient emperors and literati praised them endlessly. Qing Dynasty writer and playwright Li Yu remarked: "Among all plants and flowers, only peaches and plums lead the rest. Most flower colors fall within red and white, with peach color being the purest red and plum color the whitest white—peach red and plum white fully express their excellence." Poets frequently extolled peach blossoms. For example, Zhou Pu’s "Peach blossoms warm first in spring, bright and lovely, who can resist their charm?" Bai Juyi’s "Peach blossoms fall like red rain, layered like silk and brocade," and Li Bai’s "Dog barks amid water sounds, peach blossoms heavy with morning rain" are all celebrated verses. Coupled with Tao Yuanming’s famous "Record of the Peach Blossom Spring," they have captivated generations.
Peach blossoms are linked to women. Poems often use peach blossoms to depict beauty. "The Book of Songs" says: "Peaches bloom luxuriantly, their flowers glowing brilliantly." Su Shi wrote: "Look at the peach-faced beauty," and especially Cui Hu’s poem—“Last year on this very day, in this gate, human face and peach blossom mirrored each other in redness. Human face unknown where it went, peach blossoms still smile in spring breeze”—a timeless masterpiece comparing beauty to peach blossoms. Additionally, people often call a young woman’s cheeks "peach cheeks" or "peach dimples." Beauty is described as "peach-blossom grace and willow elegance." Women’s rouge is called "peach blossom powder," makeup as "peach blossom makeup." "Beauty is fleeting" is termed "peach blossom fate." Even men’s romantic luck is jokingly called "walking the peach blossom path." All illustrate how peach blossoms were indispensable in ancient literature.
Peaches have high medicinal value—every part of the peach tree can be used medicinally. Fresh peach flesh is dense, sweet, juicy, rich in vitamins and iron, serving as a nourishing food for treating stomach yin deficiency, dry mouth, thirst, or constipation due to bodily fluid deficiency. Peaches are suitable for hypertensive and diabetic patients, benefiting lung disease sufferers. Due to high potassium and low sodium content, they serve as auxiliary fruits for edema patients using diuretics. Reports suggest eating fresh peaches aids in treating benign prostatic hyperplasia in the elderly. Peach kernels are hailed as "the essential herb for activating blood and removing stasis," widely used clinically. Famous formulas like "Tao Ren Cheng Qi Tang" and "Tao Hong Si Wu Tang" center on peach kernels, treating blood stasis, menstrual blockage, abdominal pain, intestinal abscess, injuries, and constipation. Beautiful peach blossoms are also medicinal, treating edema, phlegm, and urinary issues. Ancients believed they had beautifying effects, "making one look radiant." "Da Qing Fang" states: "Soak peach blossoms in wine and drink—they remove all diseases and improve complexion." In Tang Dynasty Luoyang, people had the custom of cooking peach blossoms into porridge. Additionally, "Compendium of Materia Medica" records that peach leaves, peel, gum, and fuzz can be used medicinally or combined with other herbs to treat various gynecological, pediatric, and surgical conditions.
Although ancient Chinese depictions of peaches contain mythological and superstitious elements, the cultural, aesthetic, and medicinal values of peaches express people’s aspirations for happiness, safety, and longevity.