This is a list of 100 different herbs used in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). TCM has been in use for over 2,000 years, so this list is suitable for any setting or time period. Each herb has the traditional name, although not in Chinese characters, and the conditions they are intended to treat.

Although the items are called “herbs” they are not herbs in the culinary sense. Many do come from parts of plants, but these also include spices, and others come from different sources, such as insects and animals. The method of using the herbs is also different to Western medicine, and most are combined with other herbs rather than being used on their own.

Players could find these in a herbal medicine shop, whether modern or ancient Chinese, or in a fictional shop that stocks the same products.

To use the list, either roll d100 to get a random result or choose appropriate ones manually.

Here are some sample results:

45. Ma Qian Zi – Muxvomica seed, used to relieve pain by clearing the channels and to counteract toxins, to treat scrofula and boils by relieving pain and reducing swelling, to remove blood stasis and to treat various types of cancer.
46. Meng Shi – Chlorite-schist, used to remove phlegm, calm the liver to relieve convulsions and to send down abnormally ascending Qi, to treat coughs and asthma, to treat mania and mental confusion and to treat infantile accumulation of phlegm-heat.
47. Mo Yao – Myrrh, used to reduce swelling, promote tissue regeneration and to promote blood circulation to reduce pain, to treat stabbing pain in the stomach and abdomen, to treat stomach masses in women, to treat furuncles and carbuncles in the early stages, to treat pain due to traumatic ecchymopses and to treat scrofula, subcutaneous nodules and numbness and pain due to wind-dampness.

Released: 27th August 2016 Pages: 10

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