Why Are Natural Medicines Called “Bencao”?
Natural medicines are categorized into three types: plant, animal, and mineral. But why are they collectively called “Bencao”? Primarily because ancient people’s knowledge of medicine mainly came from plant-based remedies. For instance, the Shennong Bencao Jing, written during the Qin and Han periods, recorded 365 drugs, of which 252 were plant-based, only 67 were animal-derived, and 46 were mineral-based—clearly demonstrating the dominant position of plant medicines. Hence, books recording Chinese medicine are often titled “Bencao,” such as the Shennong Bencao Jing, Xinxiu Bencao, and Bencao Gangmu.
“Bencao” literally means “using herbs as the foundation for treating illness.”