五加皮酒
Wu Jia Pi Liquor
A long time ago a young man named Zhi Zhong He [致中和] live in the West of Zhejiang [浙江]. He was a benevolent and righteous man, who had been transmitted the art of wine-brewing from his ancestor. One day, the fifth daughter of the Dragon King from the Eastern Sea, princess Jia Bi [佳婢], ventured into the mortal world and fell in love with the simple and living modestly, hard-working Zhi Zhong He. The princess obeserved, how much the pitiful humans toiled and how much their lives were plagued by sorrows and their bodies by ailments. That is why she suggested to Zhi Zhong He to brew a wine [1] , which strengthened the human body and liberated them from their suffering. Thus she set off to show Zhi Zhong He how such a wine could be made. During the procedure she sang a song, which contained the recipe of the wine:
‘一味当归补心血，去瘀化湿用妾黄。甘松醒脾能除恶，散滞和胃广木香。薄荷性凉清头目，木瓜舒络精神爽。独活山楂镇湿邪，风寒顽痹屈能张。五加树皮有奇香，滋补肝肾筋骨壮，调和诸药添甘草，桂枝玉竹不能忘。凑足地支十二数，增增减减皆妙方。’
“The single herb Dang Gui [当归] tonifies Heart-Blood. For removing stasis and transforming dampness resort to Jiang Huang [姜黄]. Gan Song [甘松] awakens the Spleen and is able of dispelling evil. Guang Xiang Mu [广香木] can dissipate stasis and harmonize the Stomach. Bo He ‘s[薄荷] cold nature, clears the eyes and the head; Mu Gua [木瓜] relaxes the Luo-collaterals and the consciousness [2] is brightened. Du Huo [独活] and Shan Zha [山楂] suppress damp-evil [and] Wind-cold recalcitrant Bi-syndrome crooked [limbs] are able to be straightened again. The bark of Wu Jia [五加树皮] pours out a bizarre fragrance; it supplements the Liver and Kidneys, strengthens sinews and bones. Mix all the herbs and add Gan Cao [甘草]. Gui Zhi [桂枝] and Yu Zhu [玉术] must not be forgotten. Scraped together enough [herbs] to number the Twelve Earthly Branches; [regardless of] adding or subtracting they are all marvelous formulae.
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[1]Wine in Chinese really denotes strong liquor in the high percentages, usually Zhi Zhong He Wu Jia Pi Jiu sits round 54-55%.
[2]Consciousness [jing shen 精神] could also be translated as Essence and Spirit.
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