At dawn, when the mist was still lingering, Thitaphat, a Thai international student, set off into the vast expanse of the Qianshan Mountain in Liaoning Province with a bamboo basket on her back and a pickaxe in hand, embarking on an extraordinary journey to uncover Liaoning’s genuine medicinal herbs as a mysterious herb collector.
“During my internship at a pharmacy in Thailand, where I inspected the quality of traditional Chinese medicinal materials, I encountered a variety of medicinal herbs like Astragalus mongholicus and motherwort. That experience sparked my great interest in these botanical treasures,” shared Thitaphat, a fresh graduate student at Liaoning University of Traditional Chinese Medicine. Upon arriving in China, she eagerly followed her professors into deep mountains to learn how to identify, distinguish, and gather medicinal herbs. “I was greatly fascinated by these seemingly ordinary plants’ power to cure diseases and save people’s lives, and was also very curious how they were collected and brought back,” she exclaimed with excitement.
Nevertheless, the real challenge has just begun. To search for the precious Liaoning’s genuine herbs, Thitaphat had to climb steep mountains and traverse dense forests, which is indeed a daunting task for her. Fortunately, her perseverance was paid off since she successfully found multiple Liaoning’s wild genuine herbs such as Chinese magnoliavine fruit, Manchurian wildginger herb and sealwort under the guidance of her instructor. Filled with joy, Thitaphat meticulously dug up these treasures, and carefully placed them in the basket.
“Today, I experienced firsthand collecting herbs. These traditional Chinese medicinal herbs are no longer just terms I am familiar with, but tangible items that I can touch and observe closely,” said Thitaphat as she wandered through the mountains, distinguishing various herbs amid the weeds. “Their shapes and aromas are deeply imprinted in my heart. And I also benefit a lot from the instructor’s on-site teaching on these herbs’ medicinal values and uses as he guided us to collect the plants.”
“As someone who has personally benefited from TCM, I aspire to master its principles and bring health to more people,” recounted Thitaphat. “I used to struggle with insomnia, and could only sleep three or four hours each night. But through tailored TCM treatment, I now enjoy a restful eight hours of slumber, feeling rejuvenated and full of vitality every morning.”
As the sun began to set, casting a golden glow over the forest, Thitaphat hoisted her basket filled with herbs, and started to return. “It is better to travel ten thousand miles than to read ten thousand books,” she reflected, acknowledging the hardships of a herb collector’s life while realizing the profound truth that “only good herbs can be made into good medicine. “This journey to Qianshan Mountain has forged a stronger bond between me and the land of Liaoning, where I discovered the beauty of TCM and marveled at its profundity. My professor informed me that the field practice in medicinal botany at Liaoning University of Traditional Chinese Medicine has a history of over 50 years. My journey in studying TCM in Liaoning has just commenced, and I am eager to explore further this ancient and enigmatic medicinal wisdom.” Thitaphat added.
