English
Herbal bathing is an ancient tradition in China. Historical documents show that early in the Zhou dynasty (approx. 1100-221 BC) people started to use fortune eupatorium herb (pei lan) in baths to get rid of body odor and for refreshment. This fragrant herb is a common ingredient to relieve summer heat symptoms and to promote appetite. Herbal baths were very popular among the general public in the Song dynasty (960-1279 AD), and regarded as an integral part of customs. Some of the early activities about herbal bathing are:
- During Chinese New Year, people take a five-fragrance bath for relaxation, in which contains the common bluebeard herb, Schizonepeta herb, common basil, sandalwood and costus root;
- During spring, people take wolfberry-fruit bath which is said to promote skin health and delay aging;
- During summer, people take five-twig bath to prevent summer ailments and promote health; this bath contains cassia twig, pagoda twig, peach twig, willow twig and ephedra.
An ancient bathing scene
It was not until the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911 AD), herbal baths were widely applied by physicians for medical treatment and rehabilitation purposes, that had become an important approach to promote health.
Soaking a herbal bath is a pleasure experience, which help relaxation and rest, the healing properties of herbs also offer many health benefits. Chinese herbal baths are generally indicated for conditions associated with fever, skin sores, wounds, pain, arthritis, and itchiness, as well as enhancing beauty and some chronic diseases. The effective components of the herbs are mainly absorbed through the patient’s skin and respiratory system, and they work by activating meridian flow, resolving stagnation, and expelling pathogenic factors to achieve a positive effect on internal body. Selection of herbs is usually based on specific conditions.
At home, you can prepare an infusion (soaking herbs in hot water for 20 minutes) or decoction (boiling the herbs), or use a large gauze bag stuffed with the herbs (ground) and put into the bathtub directly. While preparing the decoction, soak the herbal ingredients for 20 minutes first and then boil for 30 minutes. It is said that a decoction is more effective then an infusion, and the same pack of herbs can be decocted for three times. When taking herbal baths, keep the water temperature lie between 37 – 42℃, soak yourself in the bath for no longer than 30 minutes and rub the body surface at the same time. After the bath, rinse the body with plain water and then wipe thoroughly with a dry towel, remember to rest for half an hour and drink water to replenish lost body fluid.
1. Healthy skin
| Ingredients | Cochinese asparagus root (24g), almond, ampelopsis, silkworm, largehead atractylodes root (18g each), Dahurian angelica root (12g) and milk (500ml). The ingredients promote blood circulation and lubricate the skin. |
| Methods | Grind all the herbal ingredients, put in a gauze bag and decoct for 20 minutes. Pour the liquid and milk into warm water (around 38℃); soak for 30 minutes. |
| Ingredients | Ginger juice (30ml), vinegar (15ml) and rice wine (50ml). The ingredients improve skin texture. |
| Methods | Pour into warm water (around 38℃); soak for 30 minutes. |
| Ingredients | Seaweed, safflower, motherwort herb (9g each), and red sage root (6g). The ingredients help improve skin texture and fade out freckles. |
| Methods | Grind the herbal ingredients, put in a gauze bag and decoct for 20 minutes. Pour the liquid into warm water (around 38℃); soak for 30 minutes. |
2. Weight management
| Ingredients | Dried winter melon peel (300g), poria (300g), quince fruit (100g), perilla leaf (100g) and dried tangerine peel (100). The combination promotes metabolism and enhances sweating and urination. See picture |
| Methods | Prepare a decoction with the ingredients. Water temperature should be lie between 39 – 42℃; soak for 10 minutes, then leave the bathtub to cool down for 3-5 minutes, repeat 4 times. A bath twice a day is recommended. |
| Ingredients | Pilose asiabell root (9g), angelica root (9g), safflower (30g) and rose bud (30g). The combination promotes metabolism by enhancing blood circulation. |
| Methods | Grind into a powder mixture, each time pour 30g into bathtub directly, keep the water temperature between 39 – 42℃ and soak for 20 minutes. Take the bath daily, 10 times as one cycle. |
3. Skin sores
| Ingredients |
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| Methods | Prepare as a decoction; the water temperature should be about 38℃ and soak for 30 minutes. |
4. Arthritis or painful joint
| Ingredients | Mulberry twig (500g), erythrina bark (60g), Siegesbackia herb (100g), Kadsura stem (100g), Star jasmine vine (200g), honeysuckle stem (60g) and Suberect spatholobus stem (60g); the ingredients encourage circulation in the joint and lessen pain. See picture |
| Methods | Prepare as a decoction; the water temperature is 38℃ and soak for 20 minutes. |
| Ingredients | Giant knotweed rhizome, peach twig, willow twig, mulberry twig and pagoda twig, 250g of each. The combination expels any obstruction and promotes circulation. |
| Methods | Prepare as a decoction; the water temperature is 38℃ and soak for 30 minutes. |
5. Insomnia
| Ingredients | Sour jujube seed (30g), Mimosa tree bark (15g), fleece flower stem (20g), nacre (30g), Chinese senega (30g), fossil bone (30g), oyster shell (30g), lily buds (30g), red sage root (30g), acorus (15g), schisandra (30g) and gardenia fruit (30g). The ingredients calm the mind and depress the excited state. See picture |
| Methods | Boil the ingredients with water for 30 minutes, prepare as decoction, the water temperature is around 38℃, soak for 20 minutes. |
| Ingredients | Jasmine (15g), rose (9g), poria (processed) and nutgrass (15g each). The ingredients calm the mind and smooth qi flow. |
| Methods | Grind slightly and fill the ingredients in gauze bag, and then put into warm water (38 – 42℃); soak for 30 minutes. |
6. Fever
| Ingredients | Mosla herb, cablin patchouli herb, eupatorium herb, perilla leaf (30g of each); peppermint, Schizonepeta herb, Kudzu vine root and liquorice root (20g of each); golden thread rhizome (9g); the ingredients clear heat and resolve dampness, which is good for refreshment and preventing heat rash in summer. See picture |
| Methods | Prepare as a decoction; the bath water temperature is 35℃, soak for 30 minutes, bathe in the afternoon or evening. |
| Ingredients | Dandelion (50g), isatis root (50g), notopterygium root and pubescent angelica root (15g each); the ingredients are suitable for cold and flu with a fever. |
| Methods | Prepare as a decoction; the bath water temperature is is 35℃, soak for 30 minutes |
7. Wheal
| Ingredients | Schizonepeta herb and sopora root (30g of each); peppermint, Siberian cocklibur fruit and Chinese cypress bark (20g of each); cicada slough and ledebouriella root (12g of each); the ingredients help to sooth the skin. See picture |
| Methods | Prepare as a decoction, the water temperature is 39℃, soak for 30 minutes, avoid wind blowing after bathing. |
8. Itchiness
| Ingredients | Ledebouriella root (30g), fresh rhemannia root (30g), notopterygium root (20g), schizonepeta herb (20g), common monkshood mother root (10g), Kusnnezoff monkshood root (10g), belvedere fruit (40g), cnidium seeds (60g) and duckweed (100g). The ingredients help to sooth the skin, promote circulation, and expel wind and heat pathogens. |
| Methods | Prepare as a decoction, the water temperature is around 38 – 42℃, soak for 30 minutes and twice daily, avoid wind blowing after bathing. |
9. Neck and shoulder soreness
| Ingredients | Fleece flower root, suberect spatholobus stem, mulberry twig, cassia twig (15g each), safflower (9g). The ingredients promote blood circulation and relieve muscular soreness. |
| Methods | Prepare as a decoction, the water temperature is around 38 – 42℃, soak for 30 minutes and twice daily. |
Nowadays, herbal baths are also common for sports injuries, muscular or joint inflammations, as well as stroke recovery. It should be noted that a close monitoring is needed for children, the elderly or seriously weakened individuals when taking herbal baths. it is also not recommended for individuals who have a tendency to bleed easily, open wounds, acute conditions, or those have heart, lung and kidney problems.
