How to Decoct Chinese Medicinal Herbs

As we all know, the traditional Chinese medicine is very effective in curing many diseases. For those who learn Chinese in China, they may tend to heal the diseases when they get sick. As a result, they should know the right way to decoct Chinese medicinal herbs. There are many details should be paid attention during the whole process of decocting the traditional herb medicines.

First of all, the pot for boiling the traditional Chinese herb is very important. The best one should be the clean earthen pot or the enamel pot. To choose the right pot to decoct Chinese medicinal herbs is closely related to the medicine property. Some foreigners who study Chinese in China may have heard about a story about it. The herbalist doctor Lu Jin was killed by Cao Chao because he used the wrong pot for decocting medicinal herbs for Cao Chao and made the headache getting worse.

In addition, the water quantity is also very important when you decoct Chinese medicinal herbs. For the ordinary medicinal herbs, when it is boiled, if the water above the herbs is as thin as a finger, it is proper. Students who study Mandarin in China should know that different kinds of traditional herbs need different water volumes. For the medicinal herbs of nourishing the body, the first time should add about 700 milliliter to 900 milliliter and the second tome should be 400 milliliter to 500 milliliter.

For the ordinary Chinese medicinal herbs, the first time of water volume should be 500 milliliter to 700 milliliter and the second time should be 300 milliliter to 350 milliliter. When the foreigners who learn Chinese in China decoct Chinese medicinal herbs, they should know that it is not proper to add water over again and again. It is not good for the disintegration of the herbs. Therefore, you should be add it enough once.

Another important process when you decoct Chinese medicinal herbs is to take control of the fire in a certain degree. When foreigners study Chinese in China, they know that the ancient people had very strict requirements about the fire. Generally speaking, we decoct with strong fore until it is boiling and use the small fire keep it boiling.

Of course, the time of decocting Chinese medicinal herbs is also very important. In the first time of when you decoct Chinese medicinal herbs for nourishing the body, you should use the slow fire to boil about 30 minutes to one hour. And you can just take half an hour to boil the second time. Those who study Mandarin in China can take it as a reference when they decoct the herbs.

When foreigners who learn Chinese in China intend to decoct Chinese medicinal herbs for relieving exterior syndrome, they had better make it boiling with strong fire and keep it boiling for three to six minutes. For the ordinary medicinal herbs, more half an hour is needed after it is boiled. Besides, the herbalist doctor may have some more requirements that you should follow sometimes.

The last but not least thing those who study Mandarin in China should pay attention to is the water used to decoct Chinese medicinal herbs. In ancient China, people also attached much importance to the water. It was just like to making wines. The water can be divided into different types, the seasonal storage water, the underground water and the processed water and so on. If foreigners want to decoct medicinal herbs when they study Chinese in China, they should realize that the water misuse may weaken the medicinal properties.

For example, in the disease happened in the year of 1947, the famous herbalist doctor Li sichi made a prescription to the people suffered the disease. However, the people came to tell him it was useless. After he made a detailed investigation, he found the water they used was not proper. When you learn Chinese in China, teachers may tell you that the water contains soda will damage the medicine properties.

What mentioned above are some matters needing much attention when you decoct Chinese medicinal herbs. However, after you prepared the Chinese medicinal herbs, you should take it carefully. During the process when foreigners study Mandarin in China, they may have heard about the poison incidents in taking Chinese medicine which caused by the wrongly use.

Before you take the traditional Chinese medicinal herbs, you should listen to your doctors’ suggestions about what you can eat and what you shouldn’t eat. What’s more, when you study Chinese in China, you should take it with proper volume, more will cause poison and less would be ineffective.

After learning so many matters needing attentions when you decoct and take Chinese medicinal herbs, you will have a better understanding about how to decoct and take properly, thus curing the diseases effectively.