Civilization Object No. 079
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Chinese Dietary Therapy

食疗

The Chinese art of healing through food — therapeutic soups, congees, and seasonal eating regimens based on millennia of clinical observation.

dna Heritage DNA
history Origin

Tang Dynasty (618–907 CE), Sun Simiao's medical classics

category Domain

traditional medicine

verified Level

National Heritage

pin_drop Region

North China

pulse Status

active

Chinese dietary therapy (shiliao) is the practice of using food as medicine, based on the principle that foods possess thermal natures (hot, warm, cool, cold) and flavors that affect the body's organ systems. Developed over millennia, it is codified in texts like Sun Simiao's "Prescriptions Worth a Thousand Gold." Treatments include therapeutic soups, congees, herbal teas, and seasonal eating regimens tailored to individual constitutions.

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Relationship Constellation

This heritage item connects to 4 entities across the atlas — masters, places, festivals, and stories.