Songling Taiping Spring Wine: A Nourishing Tonic for Longevity and Health

Songling Taiping Spring Wine is a nourishing medicinal wine, recorded in the "Secret Recipes of the Qing Dynasty Court", with the effects of nourishing the liver and kidneys, nourishing the blood and calming the mind, promoting blood circulation and dredging the meridians, and moisturizing the intestines and promoting bowel movements.

[Composition]

Gouqi berries, prepared rehmannia, safflower, each 20 grams; angelica, poria, each 5 grams; longan flesh, 40 grams; pine nuts, 50 grams; white wine, 1000 milliliters.

[Preparation Method]

Put the herbal medicine slices in a cloth bag, put them in a sand pot filled with wine, and simmer over low heat for 4 hours. Remove the herbal bag and pour the wine into bottles for later use. It is recommended to use pure grain alcohol with a strength of 45-50 degrees.

[Functions and Indications]

It has the effects of nourishing the liver and kidneys, nourishing the blood and calming the mind, promoting blood circulation and dredging the meridians, and moisturizing the intestines and promoting bowel movements. It is used to treat deficiency of the heart and kidneys, weakness and soreness of the waist, knees, and legs, physical weakness, sallow complexion, insomnia, dreaminess, blurred vision, constipation, scanty menstruation or amenorrhea in women. It is also used for anti-aging purposes such as premature aging, hair loss, physical weakness, menopausal syndrome in women, cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases, hyperlipidemia, neurasthenia, and senile constipation. It can be used for daily health maintenance in the elderly.

[Dosage and Administration]

Take 15-30 milliliters each time, drink once or twice daily.

[Historical Review]

Emperor Qianlong of the Qing Dynasty was known for his longevity and became the longest-reigning emperor in history. The secret to Qianlong's longevity lies in his proper nourishment, especially in the winter with three major tonics: soup, wine, and ginseng. In different seasons, Qianlong would drink different tonic wines. According to the "Medical Cases of Emperor Qianlong", Qianlong drank Songling Taiping Spring Wine and Guiling Wine the most.

The recipe for Songling Taiping Wine was presented to the imperial court by Liu Cangzhou on the 7th day of the 4th month of the 15th year of Qianlong's reign. After being examined by the imperial physician Liu Yuduo, it was reported that "Songling Taiping Spring Wine has pure and beneficial medicinal properties and is a good tonic for nourishing the heart and kidneys." Afterwards, Qianlong personally tasted it, adjusted the ingredients, and made it into a nourishing health wine.

The method is as follows: in a deep mountain, choose a tall and sturdy ancient pine tree, dig deep down to the roots, open the lid of the wine jar, and bury it under the tree roots. Cut a hole in the roots to let the liquid from the pine roots gradually be absorbed by the wine. After one year, take out the wine, and if the color is amber, it is considered high-quality Songling Wine.

The formula that later formed is: prepared rehmannia 4 liang, gouqi berries 4 liang, safflower 4 liang, angelica 1 liang, poria 1 liang, longan flesh 8 liang, whole pine nuts 1 jin, etc., boiled with 20 jin of Yuquan wine and 40 jin of dry-baked wine.