The history of Ren Shen (Ginseng) is actually much older than we imagine.
Accompanying the early active geological changes, the plants of the Ren Shen (Ginseng) genus originated approximately 60 million years ago in the Cenozoic Era.Essentially, Ren Shen (Ginseng) is an ancient plant intertwined with the primal pulse of the Earth.Biological evolution and human history always produce wonderful chemical reactions, and the long-standing cultural powerhouses have reached a silent consensus with this mysterious plant.Our country is not only one of the earliest places to discover Ren Shen (Ginseng) in the world but also the first to document and consume it in writing.Recent research findings indicate:the application history of Chinese Ren Shen (Ginseng) has exceeded five thousand years.
Due to its growth habit of being “cold outside and hot inside,” Ren Shen (Ginseng) is mostly distributed in high, cold regions. The Changbai Mountains, located at the edge of the Eurasian continent, have an average altitude of about 1000 to 1800 meters. The climate is suitable, and the environment is just right. Here, Ren Shen (Ginseng) began to thrive and gradually became more abundant. The saying,“The world’s ginseng looks to China, and Chinese ginseng looks to Jilin,” is indeed not an exaggeration.
Looking back at our brilliant history of Ren Shen (Ginseng) culture, “Mi shen fu wu sheng, ji shi shou zhong ji” praises its miraculous efficacy; “Shen zhi fa qi yi se, ling miao zhuo qi jia ying” marvels at the wonders of nature; “Chen liu xiao zi Ruan xiao xu, yin mu bing dao Zhong shan cai shen, lu yin huo ci cao, fu zhi sui yu” lightly recounts legendary secrets; “‘Lao ba tou’ in front, ‘er ba tou’ following, ‘bian gun’ third… ‘chu er ba shi’ (youth) behind” reveres all things in heaven and earth. These are not only an indispensable part of Chinese culture but also form the vibrant and mysterious backdrop of Northeast culture.
Therefore, if we are to talk about Ren Shen (Ginseng), we must also speak of the long cultural lineage of Jilin, and we must tell the captivating story of the “Forest Sea Ginseng Town.” The six-episode cultural documentary “Ren Shen”, produced by our province and aired on the CCTV documentary channel, is such a work that tells stories. With documentary footage and over 6000 minutes of shooting material, the ginseng fields after the wheat harvest, bees buzzing among the late-summer flowers, thinking that summer would never end, yet crickets sing, swallows fly low, autumn is deepening, the footsteps of harvest are approaching, and the diligent ginseng farmers prepare to enter the mountains after sincere prayers. The story of Jilin ginseng will have a new beginning…
Source: Jilin Provincial Radio and Television Bureau Publicity DepartmentInitial Review: Li XiaofanRe-examination: Zhou JingFinal Review: Wang He
