A Brief Exploration Into
Chinese Food Therapy

Historical Roots and Evolution

Chinese Food Therapy, an integral part of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), finds its roots in the Tang dynasty (618-907 AD). The earliest recorded dietary text is found in a chapter of Sun Simiao’s "Prescriptions Worth a Thousand Gold" (千金方; qiānjīn fāng), completed in the 650s. Sun Simiao, a celebrated physician and pharmacologist, pioneered the concept of using food as a primary means of maintaining health and treating diseases. His work introduced the term "food (or dietary) therapy" (食療 shiliao) and emphasized that people should first consider dietary adjustments before resorting to drugs when facing health issues.

Sun’s chapter includes 154 entries, divided into four sections: fruits, vegetables, cereals, and meat. Each section explains the properties of various foods using concepts derived from the Yellow Emperor's Inner Canon, such as qi (vital energy), the viscera (internal organs), and jing (vital essence). Additionally, he explored the relationships between the Five Phases (wood, fire, earth, metal, water), the "five flavors" (sour, bitter, sweet, pungent, and salty), and the five grains. Sun Simiao also set numerous "dietary interdictions" (食禁; shíjìn), which were rules based on seasonal cycles or specific food combinations believed to cause adverse effects, such as avoiding water chestnuts in the seventh lunar month or not consuming clear wine with horse meat.

Sun Simiao’s disciple, Meng Shen (孟诜; 孟詵), further developed these ideas by compiling the first comprehensive work dedicated solely to the therapeutic value of food: the "Materia Dietetica" (食疗本草; 食療本草; Shíliáo běncǎo; 'food therapy materia medica'). Although Meng Shen’s original text has not survived, it was extensively quoted in later works, including the 10th-century Japanese text "Ishinpō," and fragments have been discovered among the Dunhuang manuscripts. Meng Shen placed less emphasis on dietary prohibitions than Sun Simiao and focused more on the preparation methods of foodstuffs, thus laying the foundation for the genre of materia dietetica that influenced Chinese dietary practices for centuries.

Foundational Principles of Chinese Food Therapy

The fundamental premise of Chinese Food Therapy is the belief that "medicine and food share a common origin." This perspective posits that food, like medicinal drugs, can prevent or treat medical conditions. The practice involves categorizing food items based on their intrinsic properties and their effects on the body’s balance of energies and elements.

1. Classification of Foods:

   • Heating (热; rè) Foods: These are typically high-calorie, cooked with high heat, spicy, bitter, or 'hot' in color (e.g., red or orange). Examples include red meat, innards, baked and deep-fried foods, and alcohol. Heating foods are considered beneficial for treating "cold" illnesses, which manifest as symptoms like excessive pallor, watery feces, fatigue, chills, and low body temperature. However, these foods are usually avoided during the summer months to prevent overheating.
   • Cooling (凉; liáng) Foods: These are usually low-calorie, watery, soothing, sour, or 'cool' in color (e.g., green or white). Green vegetables are the quintessential cooling foods. They are recommended for "hot" conditions, such as rashes, skin dryness or redness, heartburn, sore throat, swollen gums, and constipation. Cooling foods help alleviate symptoms that resemble those of a burn.

2. Five Phases and Five Flavors:

   • The Five Phases (wood, fire, earth, metal, water) are a conceptual framework in TCM that explain the interrelationships and interactions between different elements in the body and the natural world.
   • Correspondingly, the Five Flavors (sour, bitter, sweet, pungent, and salty) are believed to have specific effects on the body’s organs and energies. For example, sour foods are thought to affect the liver, bitter foods the heart, sweet foods the spleen, pungent foods the lungs, and salty foods the kidneys.
     
     

3. Dietary Interdictions:

   • Sun Simiao's dietary interdictions often draw from both empirical observations and traditional beliefs. Some prohibitions are based on the calendar, reflecting the belief in the importance of seasonal harmony, while others are based on purported interactions between different foods or flavors. These interdictions are designed to prevent negative health effects and maintain the body’s balance.
     
     

Cultural Significance and Modern ApplicationsCooling foods in summer like Watermelon and cucumbers

Chinese Food Therapy is deeply embedded in Chinese culture and daily life. It is not merely a historical practice but a living tradition that continues to influence modern dietary habits in China and beyond. The approach emphasizes the importance of harmony and balance, both within the body and between the body and its environment.

In contemporary times, Chinese Food Therapy is integrated into holistic health practices. People might adjust their diets based on seasonal changes, personal health conditions, and individual constitutions. For instance, during the hot summer months, individuals may consume more cooling foods like cucumber and watermelon to counteract the external heat and maintain internal balance. Conversely, in the cold winter months, heating foods such as ginger tea and lamb stew might be favored to provide warmth and energy.

Rooted in ancient texts and traditions, it advocates for the preventive and therapeutic use of food, emphasizing the interconnectedness of diet, health, and the environment. As a testament to its enduring relevance, Chinese Food Therapy continues to be a vital aspect of health and wellness practices, reflecting the timeless principle that "medicine and food share a common origin."