Congees
Radix Glehniae (Sandshen) Congee (Shashen Zhou)
Shashen Congee is a classic lung-moistening medicinal porridge originating from the Porridge Manual . Shashen has long been considered an excellent herb for nourishing yin and moistening the lungs. The Compendium of Materia Medica records: "Shashen is sweet, bland, and cold in nature; its body is light and ethereal; it specifically tonifies lung qi, thereby benefiting the spleen and kidneys, making it suitable for those whose metal element is constrained by fire."Shashen is divided into two types – Northern Shashen (Beishashen) focuses on nourishing the stomach and generating fluids, while Southern Shashen (Nanshashen) focuses on clearing the lungs and resolving phlegm. Japonica rice tonifies the middle, boosts qi, and strengthens the spleen and stomach; rock sugar moistens the lungs, relieves cough, and harmonizes the flavor. Together, they achieve the effects of moistening the lungs, nourishing the stomach, generating fluids, and relieving cough. The congee is thin, smooth, and mildly sweet—especially suitable for autumn dryness invading the lungs or thirst due to fluid depletion after febrile illness.
Main Ingredients
- Radix Glehniae (Shashen) 15-30g
- Japonica rice 50-100g
- Rock sugar to taste
Steps
Take 15g of Northern Shashen and crush it.
Cook until the Shashen is fully softened, the rice blooms, and the congee is thick with a layer of oil on the surface. Consume warm in the morning and evening, for 3-5 days as one course.
Cook until the Shashen is fully softened, the rice blooms, and the congee is thick with a layer of oil on the surface. Consume warm in the morning and evening, for 3-5 days as one course.
TCM Notes
Shashen (Radix Glehniae) : Sweet in taste, cool (or slightly cold) in nature; enters the Lung and Stomach meridians. Known for nourishing yin, clearing the lungs, benefiting the stomach, generating fluids, and resolving phlegm. Modern research shows Shashen contains volatile oils, alkaloids, and other components with expectorant and antipyretic effects. Northern and Southern Shashen have slightly different effects: Northern Shashen is slightly sweet and bitter, specializing in tonifying lung yin, clearing deficient fire, and nourishing stomach yin; Southern Shashen focuses on clearing the lungs and resolving phlegm. Choose according to syndrome differentiation when making congee. Japonica Rice: Sweet in taste, neutral in nature; enters the Spleen, Stomach, and Lung meridians. Known for tonifying the middle, boosting qi, strengthening the spleen and stomach, and clearing the lungs. The Compendium of Materia Medica records that japonica rice congee "promotes urination, relieves thirst, and nourishes the stomach and intestines". Rock Sugar: Sweet in taste, neutral in nature; enters the Lung and Spleen meridians. Known for tonifying the middle, boosting qi, and harmonizing the stomach and lungs. It helps relieve thirst and coughing with blood-streaked phlegm. Synergistic Effect: Shashen moistens the lungs and nourishes the stomach; rice strengthens the spleen and boosts qi; rock sugar moistens the lungs and harmonizes the middle. Total approx. 200-300 kcal, primarily carbohydrates – a moistening medicinal porridge. Take for 3-5 days as one course.
Suitable for：Those with lung heat and lung dryness manifesting as dry cough with little phlegm Those with lung qi deficiency or lung-stomach yin deficiency manifesting as chronic cough without phlegm and dry throat Those with thirst due to fluid depletion after febrile illness Those with dry throat, hoarseness due to autumn dryness invading the lungs Those with stomach yin deficiency manifesting as red tongue with little coating, dry stools, dry mouth and stomach distension Those with yin deficiency with internal heat or consumptive fever manifesting as dry cough with little or no phlegm, chronic cough with hoarseness
Not suitable for：Those with cough due to external wind-cold – avoid. Shashen is cool in nature; consuming it for wind-cold cough (chills, clear nasal discharge, white thin phlegm) may worsen symptoms. Those with colds caused by wind-cold – avoid Those with spleen deficiency and loose stools (diarrhea) – use with caution. Shashen is cool in nature and may worsen spleen-stomach cold symptoms. Diabetes patients – congee and rock sugar are high in sugar; consume with caution or under medical guidance. Those allergic to Shashen – avoid.
