Ginseng is a perennial plant that is harvested in many areas throughout the world. The Chinese coined the term ginseng from two words that mean “man plant” because of its phallic shape. It is the most commonly used herb of the Orient and many Native American tribes for a variety of different reasons.

Ginseng is a medicinal plant that has been used by several different cultures for thousands of years, but has been most notably incorporated into traditional Chinese medicine as a focal point for their therapies. Traditionally, Chinese practitioners believe that the medicine restores energy, or CH’i. The word they use for it translates to ‘Man Root’ because of its tendency to look like a human body, while other cultures, such as the Japanese, have a slightly more poetic way of calling it the ‘wonder of the universe.’  No matter what the plant is called, or where it comes from, it is always revered by any culture that knows it.