Decoctions are the most commonly used form of traditional Chinese medicine, and they were first developed during the Shang Dynasty.
During the Xia and Zhou Dynasties, there were already relatively sophisticated pottery items, such as cauldrons, basins, bowls, and jars. In the Shang Dynasty, pottery was more widely used in daily life, and there were also bronze utensils, which facilitated the processing and cooking of food. Firstly, the widespread use of pottery provided practical possibilities for the invention of decoctions. Secondly, the increasing variety of medicinal herbs and the growing experience in their use allowed for the selection and combination of multiple herbs according to the condition, transitioning from single herbs to multi-herb formulations. Therefore, the invention of decoctions was a historical inevitability. Later generations passed down the legend that decoctions were invented by Yi Yin. Historical records indicate that Yi Yin indeed had a close relationship with the invention of decoctions.
Yi Yin was a person from the Shang Dynasty. It is said that Yi Yin’s father was a famous chef, and influenced by his father, Yi Yin was also skilled in cooking. According to historical records, Yi Yin, whose name was Zhi, served as the prime minister during the reign of King Tang. He married into the Youxin clan and became a servant of the Youxin clan due to his culinary skills, thus becoming the chef of King Tang. The “Records of the Grand Historian: The Annals of Yin” states: “Yi Yin, named A Heng, wanted to assist Tang but had no way to do so, so he became a servant of the Youxin clan, carrying the cauldron and platter, using flavors to persuade Tang, leading to the royal way.” The “Lüshi Chunqiu: Overcoming Oneself” records that when Yi Yin answered King Tang’s questions, he used the principles of medicine to critique current politics, arguing for the way of governing the country: “Use the new and discard the old, the pores will then open, the essence and qi will be renewed daily, and evil qi will be eliminated, thus reaching the heavenly years.” Therefore, he gained the favor of King Tang and was appointed as the right minister to manage state affairs. Later, Yi Yin assisted Tang in overthrowing the tyrant Jie of the Xia Dynasty, establishing the Shang Dynasty, and became an important figure in aiding King Tang to gain the world; after King Tang’s death, it passed to his grandson Tai Jia, who wanted to change the founding policies of his predecessor. Yi Yin, as a founding minister, sent Tai Jia to the Tong Palace to understand the sufferings of the people, and after three years, he welcomed Tai Jia back to the palace and returned the power, thus he is known as the first wise minister of the Shang Dynasty.
Regarding the claim that Yi Yin invented decoctions, the “Comprehensive Mirror to Aid in Government” recorded: Yi Yin “compiled the Materia Medica for decoctions, clarifying the properties of cold, heat, warmth, and coolness, the tastes of sour, bitter, spicy, sweet, salty, and bland, the light and heavy, clear and turbid, the rise and fall of yin and yang, and the appropriateness of the twelve meridians inside and outside.” The ancients said, “Food and medicine share the same source.” Yi Yin was skilled in cooking and also proficient in medicine, so it was not difficult for him to apply his culinary experience to the preparation of decoctions. He likely realized the principles of combining herbs for decoction from his experience in cooking dishes, which made him adept at preparing decoctions, and this should be an objective fact. Decoctions, or soups, are made similarly to cooking food, by boiling various herbs in water, making them convenient to take, and the variety of herbs can interact to promote absorption and reduce toxicity or adverse reactions.
In the early Jin Dynasty, Huangfu Mi (215-282) stated in the “Classic of Acupuncture and Moxibustion: Preface”: “Yi Yin… compiled the Divine Farmer’s Materia Medica for decoctions… Zhang Zhongjing extensively discussed Yi Yin’s decoctions, which amounted to dozens of volumes.” The “Book of Han: Treatises on Literature” mentions “The Classic of Decoctions in thirty-two volumes,” and states that the “Classic of Decoctions” is also known as “Yi Yin’s Decoctions.” Based on this, later generations accepted the legend that decoctions were invented by Yi Yin of the Shang Dynasty.
The invention of decoctions facilitated the application of medicinal combinations, summarizing the medicinal experiences of the Shang people at that time. It created conditions for in-depth research to improve efficacy and reduce toxicity, and laid the foundation for the birth of future formulas.
——Ding Zhaoping, “Legends of Chinese Medicine”