Qizhou Medicinal Herbs

Qizhou Medicinal Herbs

　　Ancient Qizhou County in Hebei Province was historically known as Qizhou. For nearly a thousand years, this ancient town has been renowned both at home and abroad for its thriving pharmaceutical industry, earning the titles “Herb Capital” and “Medicine City.” The origin of Qizhou as a medicine hub can be traced back to the famous local historical site, the “Five Medicine Temples.” According to records, during the Eastern Han Dynasty, Pi Tong, a founding hero of the dynasty, was well-versed in both civil and military affairs and had profound knowledge of medical science and pharmacology. He was a clean and upright official dedicated to healing the people at that time, and thus was respected by the public as the “Medicine King.” During the reign of Emperor Huizong of the Northern Song Dynasty, the “Medicine King Temple” was built in the southern gate area of Qizhou. To commemorate Medicine King Pi Tong, the public gradually transformed incense-burning gatherings into a nationwide medicinal herb trade fair centered on the traditional Chinese medicine industry. By the Daoguang period of the Qing Dynasty, the pharmaceutical industry flourished immensely, attracting herbal merchants from all over the country to gather in Qizhou. They engaged in both purchasing and selling, exchanging goods to mutual benefit, and also exporting herbs to Hong Kong, Korea, and Southeast Asian regions.

　　 　 Since then, the fame of the “Herb Capital” has spread far and wide. For centuries, Qizhou has not only been a major distribution center for medicinal herbs in northern China but also an important production and processing base. The traditional processing techniques for medicinal materials in Qizhou are unique and refined. Products such as “Hundred-Slice Areca,” “Cicada-Wing Cleaned Pinellia,” “Antelope and Rhinoceros Horn Slices,” “Bare-Skin Chinese Yam,” as well as “Fortified Astragalus” and “Soft Astragalus,” are some as light as cotton, some as thin as film, some rich in medicinal fragrance, and some vibrant in color. Each variety is authentic and highly effective, hence the saying “No true medicinal taste without herbs from Qizhou.” With the development of the medicinal trade, the cultivation of medicinal herbs in Qizhou has expanded further. Nearly every household in the county grows medicinal plants, covering a total area of more than 20,000 mu, with an annual output of over 3 million jin and more than 130 varieties. Traditional herbs such as Qiyimi (Qizhou Job’s Tears), Qibaohe (Qizhou Mint), Qimuxiang (Qizhou Costus Root), and Qishengdi (Qizhou Rehmannia) have developed rapidly, while southern herbs like Huanglian (Coptis) and ginseng from Changbai Mountain have also found a home here. The Qizhou Pharmaceutical Factory has successfully developed over 120 varieties of proprietary Chinese medicines.