Sourcing and Terroir (Didao)

The term didao yaocai represents the concept of utilizing medicinal plants that incorporate the invisible forces of time and space, and is often referred to as the quality of “terroir”.

Specifically, the term didao refers to the ancient science of growing herbs in a specific place (di) and planting and harvesting them at a specific time (dao). Artisan productions of wine, coffee, and chocolate are typical examples for terroir craftsmanship in the food sector.

One of the best examples of how didao considerations can define and enhance the medicinal properties of a plant is aconite. More than 2,000 years ago Chinese observers of the natural world specified that only the aconite tubers cultivated around the region of today’s Jiangyou in Sichuan are of medicinal grade and thus worthy of being manufactured into the highly valued herbs Fuzi, Tianxiong, and Chuanwu. To further utilize the energetics of time, Jiangyou farmers collect aconite seedlings from the surrounding hills and plant them in the valley soil next to the River Fu right after the winter solstice, and then harvest the mature roots right before the summer solstice. In this way, the prototypical yang tonic Fuzi absorbs only the energy of the expansive yang part of the year. Cultivated in this way, Jiangyou aconite roots grow to be three times as large as elsewhere in China and are considered to be safer and more potent at the same time. Since space is limited in Jiangyou County, and traditional methods of growing and processing the roots are labor intensive, 95% of Chinese aconite is nowadays produced in large scale plantations in Shaanxi, Yunnan, and other parts of Sichuan Province.

The time-honored art of recognizing the unique quality of a locale’s soil and climate patterns is gradually becoming extinct, eclipsed by the economic and biochemical considerations of large-scale agriculture. This decline of didao appreciation and expertise parallels the disappearance of our planet’s species, languages, and tribal cultures. Classical Pearls is committed to supporting the ancient art of herbal alchemy by sourcing all of its ingredients from places where the conditions for the development of their medicinal properties are just right, and where they have been wild-crafted or cultivated for millennia by tribespeople or local peasants.

To facilitate the difficult task of sourcing the right medicinal materials in modern day China, Classical Pearls has engaged the expert support of several local consultants such as Dr. Ding Debin. Dr. Ding is an experienced Chinese medicine physician who shares the ideals of the Classical Pearls team. As an herb buyer for his own traditional pharmacy, he has navigated the complex waters of the modern Chinese herb market for more.