Types and Development of Traditional Chinese Medicine Herbal Pieces
2025-08-25
Herbal medicine pieces refer to processed and prepared medicinal materials that have been shaped and standardized according to the principles of Traditional Chinese Medicine, tailored for specific diagnostic and therapeutic needs as well as dispensing and formulation requirements. Although modern pharmaceutical industries are highly developed, traditional herbal decoctions still retain their unique appeal, as they perfectly embody TCM’s hallmark approach of personalized treatment based on syndrome differentiation and symptom-specific adjustments.
It still coexists with finished medicines, but modern society values convenience and speed. The ratio of herbal slices used directly versus ready-made medicines has shifted from 7:3 in the early days of the nation's founding to the current 3:7. To better serve contemporary clinical practice, the traditional Chinese medicine industry has launched various reform initiatives aimed at enhancing the use of herbal slices, achieving some notable progress. Drawing on the historical evolution of herbal preparations and assessing the current state of reform, the author outlines potential directions and offers practical recommendations tailored to the needs of modern healthcare institutions.
The term "yinpian" originated during the Song Dynasty. It refers to medicinal herbs that were sliced into thin pieces, either added directly to soups for consumption or prepared by first soaking the herbs to absorb their liquid content before slicing them into sheets. By the late Southern Song period, pharmacies had already begun processing and slicing herbs on a large scale for use in traditional formulas. For instance, pharmacies in Hangzhou proudly displayed signs reading "Fresh Herb Slices & Prepared Pill/Slice Formulations." During the Ming and Qing dynasties, as the availability of medicinal resources expanded and herbal processing techniques advanced, yinpian gradually replaced the earlier practice of decocting herbs into loose powders. This evolution clearly demonstrates that throughout history, efforts to simplify and optimize clinical treatments led to the development of yinpian, which has endured and remains a vital part of modern herbal medicine practices today.
In the late 20th century, several new herbal preparations and similar products gradually emerged, significantly influencing modern Chinese medicine dispensing practices.
Traditional medicinal pieces refer to those listed in current national and local standards, specifically used as ingredients in pharmaceutical manufacturing and prescribed formulas at medical institutions. These pieces can be easily identified by their variety, and they are categorized into two types: ordinary medicinal pieces and refined medicinal pieces (the latter being carefully selected and meticulously processed for superior quality). However, traditional medicinal pieces have certain limitations: dosing accuracy during prescription can be lacking, often requiring larger quantities and lengthy decoction processes due to their thick, bulky nature. Additionally, the extraction rate of active ingredients tends to be low, and their packaging is typically simple and rudimentary, making them prone to absorbing extraneous odors. As a result, numerous factors can affect their overall quality.
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