Classics
神農本草經
Divine Farmer’s Materia Medica
Compiled c. 1st century CE
The foundational pharmacopoeia of Chinese medicine. 365 substances classified into three tiers — upper (nourishing), middle (corrective), lower (toxic / dose-critical) — establishing categories still used in modern Chinese medicinal pedagogy.
Authorship
Anonymous, attributed to the mythical Shennong
Structure
365 substances · three tiers
Upper-tier (上品) 120 substances are non-toxic and nourishing; middle-tier (中品) 120 are condition-specific; lower-tier (下品) 125 include potent or toxic agents requiring careful dosing. The number 365 deliberately mirrors the days of the year, signalling completeness.
Modern research
Many Shennong substances have ongoing pharmacological investigation: Ren Shen (ginseng) for cognitive function, Huang Qi (astragalus) for immune modulation and chemotherapy adjunct, Da Huang (rhubarb) for kidney protection. Modern studies treat these in parallel with the classical theory.
Place in curriculum
Year 2 materia medica core, with practical herb-identification lab.