Displayed in the window of a traditional Chinese medicine shop in Tsim Sha Tsui, Hong Kong, are the labels and plastic bags containing some of the 500 Chinese herbs that are in use today in Eastern herbal remedies, of which 250 or so are very commonly used in the treatment of ailments and diseases. Rather than being prescribed individually, single herbs are combined into formulas designed to adapt to specific needs of individual patients. Herbal formulas contain from 3 to 25 herbs or animal parts, some sourced from endangered species. As with diet therapy, each herb has one or more of the five flavours/functions and one of five "temperatures" ("Qi") (hot, warm, neutral, cool, cold). After the herbalist determines the energetic temperature and functional state of the patient's body, they prescribe a mixture of herbs tailored to balance disharmony.
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