Does Medicinal Wine Really Enhance Yang?
Does Medicinal Wine Really Enhance Yang?
From the "Book of Han": "Wine is the chief among all medicines." The character for "medicine" (医) includes "you" (酉), meaning wine; this shows the deep historical connection between medicine and wine. Li Shizhen said: "Wine is heavenly nectar." Drinking moderately warms the blood, promotes circulation, strengthens vitality, wards off cold, relieves sorrow, and elevates mood. Excessive drinking harms spirit and blood, damages the stomach, depletes essence, generates phlegm, and stirs up fire—this substance has both benefits and harms. He also noted that brewing wine warms the lower back and kidneys, maintains youthful complexion, and enhances cold resistance. Thus, 69 medicinal wine prescriptions were collected and shared as guidelines. Sun Simiao stated: "In winter, take medicinal wine two or three doses, stop at the beginning of spring. If practiced lifelong, one will avoid all illnesses." This tradition still persists today. Wang Shixiong warned: "Commonly used medicinal wines often rely on harsh, dry ingredients to intensify potency. Though named beautifully, their hidden dangers are unknown." Yet he selected seven effective formulas, proving this method is viable. In Taiwan, folk medicinal wine recipes follow fixed prescriptions, but medical texts describe effects and indications vaguely. Therefore, this summary aims to contribute to public health.
Alcohol is an excellent solvent, extracting higher proportions of active components from herbs. It also enhances absorption, facilitates preservation, and promotes blood circulation and meridian flow. Thus, it is commonly used for pain caused by wind, cold, dampness, etc., though its applications extend beyond this. However, caution is advised for those with hypertension, gastric ulcers, or pregnant women.
Medicinal wine has many benefits, among which enhancing yang is undoubtedly the most prominent.
In Ji Xiaolan’s notes from the Qing Dynasty, it was mentioned: "Because wine-soaked remedies serve as tonics, excessive use may lead to blood heat and uncontrolled bleeding, especially when combined with aphrodisiacs—its consequences are severe. Warm tonics often yield quick results, leading people to mistakenly believe all yang tonics work, thus increasing desire while weakening the body until recovery becomes impossible. True balance lies in harmonizing yin and yang in nature; only then do all things thrive. Similarly, harmony between yin and yang in the human body ensures smooth flow through the meridians."
From the "Inner Canon": "When essence is deficient, nourish it with flavor."
During the Qing Dynasty, Feng Zhaozhang believed that rich, greasy flavors do not necessarily generate essence, whereas simple, bland tastes best nourish it. Among all flavors, grains represent the purest taste and greatly support essence because the stomach is the sea of water and grain, transforming nutrients into qi and blood to nourish the primary sinews. The yang pathway converges at the primary sinews, governed by the Yangming channel. Hence, a strong stomach means full kidneys and abundant essence; a weak stomach leads to essence damage and diminished sexual function. This is because ingested food enters the stomach, disperses essence to the five zang organs, and excess flows into the kidneys—this is the way to enhance yang. Relying solely on hot drugs to boost yang is like heating a pot without water—ultimately exhausting the source of life and transformation.
In short, robust yang function depends on good digestion and absorption by the spleen and stomach, along with balanced yin and yang throughout the meridians. Using hot drugs to enhance yang often burns yin fluids, resulting in erectile dysfunction.
From Song Dynasty’s Liu Ci’s "Compendium for Harmonizing Life": "Moderate drinking benefits, excessive drinking harms. Small amounts guide medicinal power, moisturize skin, and improve complexion." The four selected formulas above, if consumed slowly and steadily, balance yin and yang—though not explicitly enhancing yang, they promote health, which is itself a form of yang enhancement. Enjoyment lies therein.