Shennong's Herbal Classic

Shennong's Herbal Classic, also called Bencaojing or Benjing, is one of China's four classic medicine works. Being the earliest work on Chinese medicine, it was said to be written by Shennong, passed down orally through the generations, and finally compiled into a book in the Eastern Han Dynasty. The book  contains medical practices and achievements summarized by a great many medical scientists in the Qin and Han Dynasties. 

Most of the Chinese Pharmacology theories,prescription rules, and Qi-Qing Antagonism principles in this book have played an important role in pharmaceutical practice in the long history of China, and have been regarded as the headstream of Chinese pharmacology theories. This book was long viewed as the most authoritative in the field of medicine before the publication of Compendium of Materia Medica by Li Shizhen (1518-1593) in the Ming Dynasty.

There are three volumes of Shennong's Herbal Classic including 365 kinds of medicine. These medicines are divided into three categories:top-grade, second-grade, and third-grade. With a concise and plain writing style, the book is revered as the quintessential piece regarding theories of Chinese medicine. Each kind of medicine in the book is elaborated in line with its name, byname, shape, features, primary effects, and growing environment. Most of these medicines serve a clinical purpose, and they are simple but effective. According to a local doctor, Yang Shenxiang, many medicines in the book are still widely used among the public.