In ancient times, people frequently traveled for job opportunities, livelihoods, studying abroad, visiting friends, or going on long journeys. To guard against illnesses and bites from mosquitoes, venomous insects, and snakes, carrying essential medicines for travel was crucial.
In the past, the medicines travelers carried were mostly for external use and focused on prevention. For example, the Jin Dynasty text "Zhou Hou Bei Ji Fang" (Handbook of Prescriptions for Emergencies) recorded a remedy called “Five Poisons Divine Ointment,” made from realgar, cinnabar, angelica, Sichuan pepper, monkshood, and vinegar, stating, “Apply it to your body when traveling at night or encountering fog and dew — it’s very effective.” The Tang Dynasty's "Qian Jin Yao Fang" (Essential Prescriptions Worth a Thousand Gold) also advised: “Anyone traveling far should always carry one liter of prepared mugwort… along with rhubarb, mirabilite, licorice, dried ginger, and Sichuan pepper. Also carry medicine to avoid snakes, bees, and scorpions.” Most of these substances fall under the categories of aromatic, mind-opening, purifying, insecticidal, anti-inflammatory, and antiseptic herbs in traditional Chinese medicine. The Song Dynasty book "Yi Shuo" (Discourses on Medicine) further emphasized that when traveling, one could use insecticidal and disinfectant substances such as realgar to fumigate grass shoes, trouser cuffs, and sleeves, believing this would make one impervious to all poisons. Experiments have shown that realgar is an effective insect-repellent and disinfectant, capable of driving away and killing centipedes and venomous snakes.
Consuming ingredients like ginger and garlic has excellent disease-prevention and health-maintenance benefits, and they were highly recommended by physicians as essential items for travelers. For instance, the "Compendium of Materia Medica" states: “When traveling early in the morning or through the mountains, it’s good to keep a piece in your mouth to avoid the dampness of fog and mist, as well as the miasma of mountain air.” It also says: “Foreign garlic retains its flavor for a long time, can support life, and is suitable for long journeys. Carrying it while traveling ensures that hot winds, miasmas, and rains will not harm you.” Modern research shows that ginger warms the stomach, dispels cold, and stops vomiting; garlic can kill bacteria and stop dysentery. Carrying them makes them practical food items or medicines for preventing common travel-related illnesses like colds due to wind-cold and diarrhea.
“Suffering from changes in water and soil” is a common issue for travelers. The Qing Dynasty book "Chang Sheng Mi Jue" (Secrets to Longevity) provides detailed preventive methods: “When arriving in a different place, first eat some tofu and green vegetables — this prevents diarrhea caused by adjusting to the new environment.” It also reminds readers: “When setting out on a journey, eat a full meal in the morning — never travel on an empty stomach to avoid catching cold or being exposed to wind pathogens. If traveling by boat, after eating a good breakfast, carry Six Flavor Rehmannia Pills and take three or four qian dissolved in boiling water — this is extremely effective.” If staying in a lodging during rainy weather, one could “burn Atractylodes lancea to fumigate the room.” If arriving at an inn in freezing cold weather, one should “first warm up the room using gentle heat, then rub the body with hands to restore warmth to the blood vessels, then take a hot shower.” These methods are all based on proven practical experience. From the perspective of modern medical research, fumigating rooms with Atractylodes lancea has a good disinfecting effect, and taking a hot foot bath or shower after fatigue helps eliminate tiredness.