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Today, we will introduce the Chinese herb Fo Shou (Buddha’s Hand), known for its unique yellow-green skin and distinctive shape resembling the hand of Guanyin, which is why it is named Buddha’s Hand.Fo Shou has long been praised as “a rare fruit among fruits, a unique herb in the world”; it remains evergreen throughout the seasons, with an unusual fruit shape and a fragrant aroma.It is said that Su Shi, while serving as an official in Hangzhou, visited the foot of the North Mountain in Jinhua in autumn to admire the Buddha’s Hand, and was inspired to write: “The fragrance penetrates the heart, surrounded by clear streams; the scent of the Buddha’s fruit leads to secluded paths,” capturing the ethereal and captivating fragrance of the Buddha’s Hand fruit.In traditional Chinese culture, Buddha’s Hand is often depicted alongside pomegranate and peach, symbolizing “abundance of blessings, children, and longevity.” Wealthy families in ancient times liked to display Buddha’s Hand in their homes, hoping for blessings and longevity for their family members.Buddha’s Hand not only has high ornamental value but also possesses precious medicinal and economic value. Both the fruit and flowers are used medicinally, providing excellent health benefits; its peel and leaves contain essential oils with a strong fresh fruit aroma, making them suitable for fragrance production.
Chinese Herb Fo ShouSource: This product is the dried fruit of the Rutaceae plant Fo Shou.Origin: Fo Shou is native to India and was introduced to China in the early 19th century. It has a long history of medicinal use in China and is widely cultivated in regions such as Guangxi, Guangdong, Sichuan, Yunnan, Fujian, and Zhejiang. Fo Shou from Guangdong and Guangxi is called “Guang Fo Shou,” while that from Sichuan is called “Chuan Fo Shou,” and those from Zhejiang and Fujian are referred to as “Jin Fo Shou” and “Min Fo Shou,” respectively. Among them, Guang Fo Shou is a traditional precious Chinese medicine, primarily produced in Deqing, Zhaoqing, Guangdong, and Guanyang, Guilin, Guangxi, and is one of the “Top Ten Guang Medicines” and “Top Ten Gui Medicines.”Other Names: Fo Shou Gan, Fo Shou Xiang Yuan, Wu Zhi Gan, Gou Yuan, Mi Luo Gan, Fu Shou Gan, etc.Taste and Properties: Spicy, bitter, sour, warm. It enters the Liver, Spleen, Stomach, and Lung meridians.Functions and Indications: Soothe the liver and regulate qi, harmonize the stomach and relieve pain, dry dampness and transform phlegm. Clinically, it is commonly used for liver and stomach qi stagnation, chest and hypochondriac distension and pain, stomach fullness, reduced appetite, vomiting, and excessive phlegm cough.Precautions: Use with caution in those with yin deficiency and excess heat, and those without qi stagnation symptoms. Fo Shou is not suitable for individuals with yin deficiency and body heat, and those without qi stagnation symptoms should use it cautiously. Individuals with weak constitutions should also consume it in moderation.
Every part of the Buddha’s Hand is valuable; its roots, stems, leaves, flowers, and fruits can all be used medicinally.The spicy and aromatic properties of Buddha’s Hand reach the liver and spleen, helping to soothe liver stagnation, promote qi flow, harmonize the spleen and stomach, and relieve pain, thus it is often used for liver stagnation and qi stagnation as well as disharmony between the liver and stomach.For liver stagnation and qi stagnation, with chest tightness and hypochondriac pain, it can be combined with Xiang Fu (Cyperus), Yu Jin (Curcuma), and Yan Hu Suo (Corydalis) to regulate qi and relieve pain; if liver qi invades the stomach, causing hypochondriac distension, abdominal pain, and vomiting of sour fluids, it is advisable to use it with Huang Lian (Coptis), Wu Zhu Yu (Evodia), and Huo Xiang (Agastache) to soothe the liver and harmonize the stomach; if there is stagnation of qi in the spleen and stomach, with abdominal distension and pain, nausea, and reduced appetite, it can be combined with Mu Xiang (Aucklandia) and Zhi Ke (Bitter Orange) to regulate qi and harmonize the stomach.Soothe the liver and regulate qi is one of the important effects of Buddha’s Hand; it has a sweet and sour taste, which has a significant regulating effect on liver qi stagnation, alleviating chest and rib distension or irritability, and can also prevent and regulate insomnia. When needed, Buddha’s Hand can be directly used to brew tea.Buddha’s Hand contains a large amount of volatile oils and some aromatic substances, as well as some natural anti-inflammatory components, which can enhance spleen and stomach function, relieve stomach pain, and have a significant regulating effect on nausea, vomiting, and stomach distension.Additionally, when experiencing indigestion, Buddha’s Hand can also be used for treatment; it can be boiled with ginger and Chen Pi (Dried Tangerine Peel) to make a soup, which can significantly alleviate symptoms of indigestion.
Modern Pharmacological ResearchModern pharmacological studies have found that the ethanol extract of Buddha’s Hand can significantly inhibit intestinal smooth muscle, dilate coronary blood vessels, and increase coronary blood flow; high concentrations of Buddha’s Hand ethanol extract can slow heart rate, inhibit myocardial contractility, protect against experimental myocardial ischemia, and lower blood pressure.VasodilationBuddha’s Hand contains various trace elements, which can help the body excrete sodium and dilate blood vessels, thereby lowering high blood pressure; thus, Buddha’s Hand can be used for the treatment of hypertension, providing a good hypotensive effect.Cough Relief and Asthma ControlBuddha’s Hand can relieve cough and control asthma; it contains some natural limonene, which can promote bronchial contraction and eliminate bronchial inflammation, providing good regulating effects for cough and asthma.Pain ReliefSubstances extracted from Buddha’s Hand can also have analgesic effects, improving sleep quality and reducing mortality caused by seizures, and providing good improvement for pain sensations caused by various diseases.Heart ProtectionThe extract of Buddha’s Hand can increase the tolerance to hypoxia and enhance coronary blood flow, providing good improvement for myocardial ischemia issues and protecting the heart.
Historical Records of Buddha’s Hand’s EfficacyThroughout history, the efficacy of Buddha’s Hand has been recorded in various herbal texts, such as:“Dian Nan Ben Cao”: Nourishes the liver, warms the stomach, stops vomiting, eliminates stomach cold phlegm, treats stomach pain, and alleviates facial cold pain, harmonizing the middle and regulating qi.“Ben Cao Gang Mu”: Buddha’s Hand, with a spicy, sour taste, is non-toxic; it enters the Spleen, Liver, and Stomach meridians; it can be brewed in wine to treat phlegm and cough. Decoction can treat pain in the heart area.“Ben Jing Feng Yuan”: Specifically breaks stagnation of qi. Treats post-diarrhea heaviness, using aged specimens.“Ben Cao Bian Du”: Buddha’s Hand, specifically regulates qi and quickly alleviates obstruction.“Ben Cao Zai Xin”: Treats qi stagnation in the liver, harmonizes the stomach, transforms phlegm, breaks accumulations, treats choking and reverse stomach, and eliminates symptoms of lumps and nodules.“Ben Cao Cong Xin”: Regulates the qi of the upper jiao and stops vomiting, promotes the intake of food and strengthens the spleen.“Sui Xi Ju Yin Shi Pu”: Awakens the stomach, clears phlegm, dispels evil, relieves hangover, and stops pain.“Zhong Yao Da Ci Dian”: Regulates qi, transforms phlegm. Treats stomach pain, hypochondriac distension, vomiting, choking, phlegm cough, and can also relieve hangovers.Buddha’s Hand vs. Buddha’s Hand MelonBuddha’s Hand and Buddha’s Hand Melon are not the same plant; many people confuse them or believe they are related.Buddha’s Hand is the fruit of the Rutaceae plant Fo Shou, a variant of the citrus grafting evolution, harvested in autumn when the fruit has not yet turned yellow or is yellow, sliced thinly, and dried or low-temperature dried to become the medicinal herb Buddha’s Hand.
Buddha’s Hand Melon is the fruit of a perennial herbaceous climbing plant in the gourd family, and is a type of vegetable fruit. Although Buddha’s Hand Melon resembles a fist, it does not develop into separate finger-like shapes, nor does it exhibit the unique aroma characteristic of citrus plants in the Rutaceae family. People in Guangdong often use it to make soup, which has the effect of strengthening the spleen and stimulating appetite.
Fo Shou Culinary Medicinal DishesIn the Qing Dynasty, “Hua Jing” recorded the consumption methods of Buddha’s Hand: “Directly eating fresh is not as good as oranges; mostly sliced, dried, made into medicine, or candied, taking the pulp, mixing with white sugar, or making soup to relieve thirst,” summarizing the essence of Buddha’s Hand’s culinary methods.Here are a few Buddha’s Hand medicinal dishes for everyone to choose from.01Buddha’s Hand and Snow Pear Honey TeaIngredients: 15g Buddha’s Hand, 1 snow pear, appropriate amount of honey.Method: Remove the core from the snow pear, cut into pieces, add Buddha’s Hand, pour in 1L of water, boil on high heat, then simmer for 20 minutes, turn off the heat and let cool, add honey.Effects: Soothe the liver and regulate qi, harmonize the stomach, transform phlegm. Suitable for liver and stomach qi stagnation, reduced appetite, vomiting, and excessive phlegm cough.02Buddha’s Hand and Rose TeaIngredients: 10g Buddha’s Hand, 5g rose petals.Method: Soak both in boiling water as a tea substitute.Effects: The combination of Buddha’s Hand and rose petals can achieve the effect of soothing the liver and regulating qi, suitable for treating liver qi stagnation, chest and hypochondriac distension, and reduced appetite.03Buddha’s Hand and Ginger Sugar DrinkIngredients: 10g Buddha’s Hand, 10g fresh ginger, appropriate amount of brown sugar.Method: Combine both with an appropriate amount of brown sugar, decoct in water; or soak in boiling water as a tea substitute.Effects: It has the effects of soothing the liver and regulating qi, strengthening the stomach, and stopping vomiting, suitable for treating abdominal distension and pain, reduced appetite, and vomiting due to liver and stomach qi stagnation.04Buddha’s Hand and Rice PorridgeIngredients: 10g Buddha’s Hand, 100g japonica rice, appropriate amount of rock sugar.Method: Add Buddha’s Hand to 200ml of water, decoct until 100ml remains, strain, add 100g of japonica rice and appropriate amount of rock sugar, then add enough water to cook into a thin porridge, consume twice daily while warm.Effects: Regulates qi, relieves pain, transforms phlegm, and stops vomiting. Suitable for stomach pain, hypochondriac distension, belching, vomiting, and phlegm cough, as well as infectious hepatitis.05Gourd and Buddha’s Hand Pig Liver SoupIngredients: 150g pig liver, 20g gourd fibers, 10g each of he huan hua (Mimosa flower) and hawthorn, 6g each of Buddha’s Hand, chrysanthemum, and tangerine peel, appropriate seasonings.Method: Clean and slice the pig liver, soak the other ingredients in boiling water for 1 hour, strain to obtain the juice, add the liver slices, a little salt, and cooking wine, steam until cooked, then remove the liver and season with a little sesame oil before serving, one dose daily.Effects: It has the effects of soothing the liver, unblocking channels, and relieving depression and regulating qi. Suitable for treating women’s dysmenorrhea and other symptoms.Additionally, in the Chaoshan region of Guangdong, Buddha’s Hand is often used as a raw material, undergoing steps of salting, drying, steaming, and soaking in medicinal powder liquid, going through nine steams and nine dries to produce a black, soft-textured medicinal fruit known as Lao Xiang Huang, which has the effects of eliminating accumulations, dispelling wind, stimulating appetite, regulating qi, and generating fluids, widely used in folk medicine. Lao Xiang Huang is a must-have medicinal fruit for families in Chaoshan, and it does not spoil over time; the longer it is stored, the better its medicinal effects.
LegendIt is said that long ago, at the foot of a high mountain in Luodian, Jinhua, there lived a mother and son. The mother, old and ill, always held her arms across her chest, feeling a constant discomfort in her chest and abdomen. The son insisted on taking his mother to seek treatment, but all efforts were in vain.One night, the son dreamt of a fairy who bestowed upon him a fruit resembling a hand, saying that his mother would be cured upon smelling it. Upon waking, he found his mother still ill, so he resolved to find the fruit he had seen in his dream.After many days of climbing mountains and crossing valleys, while resting on a rock, he suddenly saw a celestial crane dancing and singing: “On Jinhua Mountain, there is a golden fruit, the golden fruit can save your old mother. Tomorrow night at the mountain gate, do not miss this great opportunity.”The next midnight, the son climbed to the mountain gate at the top of Jinhua Mountain, where he saw golden flowers everywhere, and a beautiful woman floated towards him. Upon closer inspection, it was the fairy he had seen in his dream. The fairy said, “Your filial piety is touching; I will give you a heavenly orange, which can cure your mother’s illness.” The son was immensely grateful and requested the fairy to also grant him a seedling of the heavenly orange, so that his mother could smell its fragrance every day and be free from her ailments. The fairy granted his request.After returning, the son gave the heavenly orange to his mother, and her symptoms of chest and abdominal discomfort quickly disappeared.The heavenly orange seedling was diligently cultivated and soon spread throughout the entire mountain village.The villagers believed that this fairy was the Guanyin who saves lives, and the heavenly orange resembled Guanyin’s jade hand, thus it was named “Fo Shou” (Buddha’s Hand).Source: This article is a comprehensive compilation from Qihuang Ben Cao, the First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, the Pharmacy Department of Guangdong Provincial Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinhua Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital, the 20th edition of the “Chinese Pharmacopoeia,” etc. Some images are sourced from the Huayang Traditional Chinese Medicine Studio WeChat account.You May Also Like, click to read the original text:One Chinese herb, Bai Zi Ren, calms the spirit, moistens the intestines, and can be selected for functional disorders of the organs!What are the differences between floating pulse and its similar pulses, and how to distinguish them?//////////
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