The legendary god, Shennong (神農), celebrated his birthday on Friday, May 23rd, the 26th day of the fourth lunar month. A sage ruler of the distant past, Shennong is attributed with having discovered the medicinal properties of numerous plants and having taught people the art of agriculture, among other gifts.
The purported founder of Chinese pharmacy, Shennong is particularly well-known for his canon of materia medica. Probably compiled in the first or second centuries CE, this important historical work on natural medicine contains the names, properties, preparation and applications of drugs derived from plants. Found through a process of trial and error, these herbal prescriptions offer specific techniques for dealing with various conditions such as pain, memory loss, itching or inflammation.
Today, traditional healers continue to celebrate Shennong’s vast knowledge of protective and curative herbs. These include artemisia, which is also known as mugwort, and other leaves such as calamus, which are associated with Dragon Boat festival and particularly popular at this time of year.