Welcome to the Legendary Herbs Blog
Update on Tariffs and Chinese Herb Prices (Dec 2025)
(No new price increases, just sharing an update) The past year has been exceptionally challenging for the field of Chinese medicine in the US. Suppliers are contending with unprecedented tariffs while trying to minimize their impact on customers. Practitioners are...
Tariff Update (April 2025)
Many herbalists are justifiably concerned about the impact of Trump’s tariffs on the price of Chinese herbs. The tariffs that have been announced in recent weeks are unprecedented, and each day seems to bring new levels of volatility and uncertainty. Since...
Chinese Herbal Market Update (March 2023)
The market for Chinese herbs has experienced tremendous pressure over the past three years. In previous blogs, we explored the initial impact of the pandemic on the Chinese herbal market in America. Three years later, new trends have emerged as the pandemic continues...
Join us on February 4th for a webinar on a fascinating herbal treasure!
The Kam Wah Chung museum in rural Oregon features a rare herbal collection from a Chinese doctor that practiced from the 1860s to the 1920s. On February 4th (5-7 pm PST), I have the honor to give a presentation with the esteemed Dr. Beth Howlett on the Chinese herbs...
China Daily interview with Eric Brand and Prof. Zhao Zhongzhen
I was surprised to see that our interview for the China Daily made it to the front page?! Here is the link to the original article: http://global.chinadaily.com.cn/a/202012/14/WS5fd731efa31024ad0ba9bc1a.html
Update on COVID-19’s Impact on the Chinese Herbal Supply Chain: Phase Two (early May 2020)
By Eric Brand, PhD As we discussed in a previous blog, the emergence of COVID-19 has had a tremendous impact on the Chinese herbal supply chain. Over the past several weeks, the situation has continued to evolve, and we seem to be entering a surreal “new normal.” Many...
Impact of the coronavirus on the Chinese herbal supply chain: Reflections from inside the industry
By Eric Brand, PhD, L.Ac. Like many of my fellow Chinese medicine practitioners, I have been paying attention to the coronavirus for the past few months. While I’ve been closely following the formula approaches that are being employed in TCM hospitals, much of my...
Quality Control at Legendary Herbs: A Visual Guide to Our Granules
At Legendary Herbs, we take pride in sourcing the finest Chinese herbs available in the world today. Our goal is to provide a level of authenticity, quality, and customer service that sets a new standard in the trade of both granules and raw herbs. This article...
Illustrations from the Ming Dynasty Ben Cao Pin Hui Jing Yao (本草品彙精要)
Sesame and sesame oil in the Ben Cao Pin Hui Jing YaoGinkgo biloba in the Ben Cao Pin Hui Jing YaoBing Lang in the Ben Cao Pin Hui Jing YaoMo yao (myrrh) in the Ben Cao Pin Hui Jing YaoGou Qi Zi illustration from the Ben Cao Pin Hui Jing Yao (本草品彙精要) Poppy from...
The Importance of Pao Zhi
By Eric Brand The extensive use of medicinal processing (known as “pao zhi”) is a distinctive and uniquely developed feature of Chinese herbal medicine. Most Chinese herbs first undergo processing before they are employed clinically, and the method of processing often...
Herbal Identification: The Clinical Implications of an Ancient Art
By Eric Brand The art of identifying genuine, high-quality medicinal materials has been a concern of Chinese herbal medicine practitioners for thousands of years. The herbs used in Chinese medicine have long been traded across vast geographic distances,...
A Few Random Clinical Tips from My Teachers
In my experience, the ability to form good relationships with teachers is one of the most essential elements of studying Chinese medicine. Relationships are incredibly important in Chinese society, and those who learn how to cultivate meaningful relationships with a...
On the Various Processed Forms of Shan Zha
Shan Zha, also known as Crataegi Fructus or Chinese hawthorn fruit, is a commonly used herb for dispersing food stagnation. In addition to its traditional actions and indications, Shan Zha is also well-known for its applications in cardiovascular disease. ...
Supplementing Yang: You Gui Wan vs. Shen Qi Wan
In cases of kidney yang deficiency, there are several common base formulas to choose from. While hundreds of formulas for supplementing yang exist, the three most common recipes are Jin Gui Shen Qi Wan (Kidney Qi Pill from the Golden Cabinet), You Gui Wan...
Hou Po and Ginger Processing
Hou Po (officinal magnolia bark) has been used since ancient times, and a wide variety of processing methods have emerged to maximize its clinical effects. Many different adjuvants have been historically used in the pao zhi of Hou Po, including ginger, dates, honey,...
Mixing Singles vs. Whole Formulas (Part Two)
The Case for Mixing Singles In a recent post, I summarized some of the main advantages of whole formulas that have been cooked together to form a granule extract. At present, the use of whole formulas in granule form is particularly widespread in Japan and Taiwan,...
Mixing Singles vs. Whole Formulas (Part One)
There are two major trends in formulation style when it comes to granule extracts. In Taiwan, most practitioners create a granule prescription by using one or more pre-made base formulas that have been decocted together, often with single herb additions. By contrast,...
Great recipe for a homemade tonic wine (shou wu chih)
This is a recipe to make a homemade copy of a famous Chinese herbal tonic drink called Shou Wu Chih (Shou Wu Zhi). It is basically a medicinal liquor that is used to supplement the blood and is also thought to blacken and nourish the hair. There are several similar...
Preserving the Natural and Cultural Resources of Chinese Medicine
As the world experiences unprecedented population growth and ever-increasing ecological pressures, the topic of preserving Chinese medicine's natural resources has attracted steadily increasing attention from practitioners. The holistic nature of Chinese medicine...
Changes in Herbal Medicines from Ancient Times to the Present
The classical literature of Chinese medicine remains highly relevant in the modern era, as many of the basic theories and herbal combinations emphasized in clinical practice were first established in texts that are nearly 2000 years old. In particular, many formulas...
A New Era of Communication: An Informal Report on the First Cross-Straits Conference on Granules and Pharmacopoeia Standards
On September 5th and 6th of 2012, mainland China and Taiwan held their first-ever cross-straits conference on granules and herbal pharmacopoeia standards. Sponsored by Taiwan’s Department of Health with assistance from a Chinese medicine trade association and two...
