How to study single herbs

Most students find it a challenging task, to remember the single herbs. Normally between 170 and 350 herbs have to be remembered. Not only their names, but also their properties and actions.
This articles describes a method that enables you to remember single herbs faster and better.

De steps are as follows:

  1. pinyin name and category
  2. add then the properties
  3. add then the actions
  4. search for commonalities and differences

This is a top down approach. In every step more information will be added to the structure. The figure below demonstrates what a herb 'contains'.


1. Pinyin name and category of the single herb

Although there are still institutes that prefer the pharmaceutical name, the B.Sc. and M.Sc. level studies require that you can write and have a good pronounciation of the pinyin name.
Why is this necessary?

  • visualization of pinyin tones enhances memory storage;
  • pronouciation (producing sound) together with visualization enhances memory storage;
  • very useful when you do your compulsory practice in a hospital in China.

Write and pronouce the pinyin name of the single herb and write its category next to it. It would be very good if you have a picture of the raw herb as used in China. The real thing is even better. Touch it and smell it (if possible, taste it). This all increase the chance that you will remember it. The more senses are involved in the process the better. Only text is very boring for our brains.
It is handy lo learn a group of herbs per category. For example, say, 14 herbs of the Qi tonifying category.
Because our brain can best handel 7±2 items at a time, remember the above example as 5, 5, 4 or as 7 and 7. That is first the first five herbs, than the second five herbs, etc. At the end try to recall all of them.

Hint: try to arrange them in a good sounding sequence. It becomes a kind of song. For example:

Bo He, Sang Ye, Ju Hua, Ge Gen, Niu Bang Zi
Chai Hu, Chan Tui, Sheng Ma, Man Jing Zi
Note: see the pdf document at the end of this article for correct pinyin and complete example.

First say and write the name of the herbs you want to remember. If you are not used to pinyin it is best to start with three at a time. You will hear it, see it, and write it ('do it').
Then add another group. First repeat this single group a few times and then repeat the list you have learned so far.
Before you know it, you remember all the names and correct pronounciation.

2. Add the properties

You can add the properties by using codes, mnemonics, or full text.
For example:

Rén Shen [sw bi-] [w-] [F P X]

meaning:
flavour: sweet slighty-bitter,
nature: slightly-warm,
channels: Fei (Lung), Pi (Spleen), Xin (Heart)

Again do this in small groups. E.g. three per time. Repeat them until you can recall the properties of the herbs. Then do another group of three. Repeat the two groups. Do another group of three. Repeat the tree groups, etc.

3. Add the actions

At this time it is already a lot to remember. So what to do next? Write all actions behind the herb for each herb in the list. Then search for commonalities and differences. For example: which herbs tonify Qì and generate fluids.
Thus the study phrase would be "herbs that tonify Qì and generate fluids are: <your list here>"
After listing the commonalities the differences are easy to find. These differences can make a herb stand out, make it 'special'.

4. Search for commonalities and differences

As said before, our brain can best deal with chunks of information.
For example: in your list of Qì tonifying herbs you see that all herbs are Sweet. Ren Shen and Tai Zi Shen are slightly-bitter and that Bai Zhu is bitter. That is just three items of information to remember.

Because you have to know the list of herbs first. But then it is very easy to remember their flavour (taste).
The same is true for nature. All are Neutral except for Ren Shen, Huang Qi, and Yi Tang which are slightly-warm and Bai Zhu which is warm.

As you can see, much easier to remember!
The figure below shows commonality for flavour Sweet.

 

So be creative and don't worry. By the way, this is yust an example. There are other ways as well.

See the full example in this document (pdf).