Sheep Bone Congee

Supplement to the Essential Prescriptions from the Golden Chamber

The author of this book, Sun Simiao, was a great medical expert in the Tang Dynasty. He hailed from Huayuan, Jingzhao (present-day Yaoxian County, Shaanxi Province). Born in 581 AD and passing away in 682 AD, he lived to be 101 years old. At the age of 20, he was already well-versed in the works of ancient renowned physicians and the theories of various schools of thought, practicing medicine among his neighbors and relatives. Having suffered from numerous wellness since childhood and experienced the hardships of wellness, he spent all his family’s assets on medications for supports. This deeply moved him: saving a life is of utmost importance, as life is more precious than a thousand pieces of gold. Gold can be bought, but life cannot be purchased with gold. Therefore, he devoted his entire life’s energy to writing two monumental works, “Essential Formulas for Emergencies Worth a Thousand Pieces of Gold” and “Supplement to the Formulas of a Thousand Gold Pieces”, making significant contributions to medicine and earning him the title of “King of Medicines”. Sun was adept at health preservation and emphasized dietary regulation. In “Essential Formulas for Emergencies Worth a Thousand Pieces of Gold, Volume 26, Dietary Therapy”, he pointed out: “The foundation of a peaceful life must rely on food, and the rapid supports of wellness must depend on medication. Those who do not understand proper diet cannot sustain life, and those who are unaware of medication contraindications cannot supports wellness… Therefore, food can expel pathogens and soothe the internal organs, uplift the spirit and invigorate the blood and qi. Those who can use food to balance wellness and helps with occasional emotional distress can be considered skilled practitioners.” He also said, “As a physician, one must first understand the root cause of the wellness and its manifestations, and supports it with food. If dietary therapy fails, then medication should be prescribed.” This highlights the importance of health preservation through dietary therapy. Mutton Bone Porridge is selected from the section “Nourishing Life” in “Supplement to the Formulas of a Thousand Gold Pieces, Volume 12”.

Porridge Composition: Approximately 2 jin (about 1 kg) of sheep bones, 2 liang (about 60 grams) of japonica rice or glutinous rice, a small amount of refined salt, 2 stalks of scallion whites, and 3 to 5 slices of ginger.

Efficacy and Indications: Tonify Kidney qi, strengthen sinews and bones, fortify the Spleen and stomach. Applicable for emaciation due to debility, cold deficiency of the Kidney, restricted movement of the lumbar spine, weakness in the legs and knees, spasmodic pain in sinews and bones, Spleen-stomach deficiency, chronic diarrhea, chronic dysentery, as well as thrombocytopenic purpura and aplastic anemia.

Boiling Method: Take fresh lamb bones, wash and crush them, add water to decoct into a soup. Then use this soup instead of water to cook rice porridge. When the porridge is almost done, add fine salt, ginger, and scallion greens. Boil for two or three more times briefly, and it is ready to be eaten.

Explanation of Congee Efficacy: Sheep bone is sweet in taste and warm in nature, possessing a warming and tonifying function. It is an excellent medicine for nourishing Kidney qi and strengthening muscles and bones. It has a good therapeutic effect on signs of imbalance such as Kidney deficiency and coldness, physical weakness and fatigue, and weakness and lack of strength in the waist and knees. Hu Sihui, the imperial dietetic physician in the Yuan Dynasty court, once said, “The tailbone nourishes the Kidneys and brightens the eyes, and tonifies coldness in the lower energizer.” Li Shizhen of the Ming Dynasty also said, “The spine bone tonifies Kidney deficiency, unblocks the Governor Vessel, and supports lower back pain and diarrhea. The shin bone is mainly for Spleen weakness, Kidney deficiency that fails to retain essence, and leucorrhea.” Generally, sheep bone is suitable for consumption by weak patients. The book Qian Jin Yi Fang records, “A prescription for tonifying consumptive labor. Take two sheep skeletons, crush them, add a large amount of water, and simmer over a low fire to obtain three dou of liquid. Then, according to dietary methods, freely make it into soup, congee, or noodles.” Using sheep bone soup to make vegetable soup, cook congee, or boil noodles for consumption is all acceptable. According to ancient medical records, there are more than ten effective prescriptions involving cooking sheep bone with congee for consumption. This is because sheep bone congee is not only easy to digest and absorb but also, when cooked with rice into congee, has the effect of warming and tonifying the Spleen and stomach.

Traditional Chinese medicine holds that “the Kidney governs bones” and “bones produce marrow.” From the composition of sheep bones, they contain a large amount of inorganic substances, with more than half being calcium phosphate. In addition, they contain a small amount of calcium carbonate, magnesium phosphate, and trace amounts of fluorine, chlorine, sodium, potassium, iron, aluminum, etc. Fluorine is an important component of bones. Therefore, regularly consuming sheep bone porridge not only serves to nourish the Kidneys and strengthen the bones but also demonstrates that the theories of traditional Chinese medicine indeed have scientific validity. Precisely because sheep bone porridge nourishes the Kidneys, and the Kidney governs bones and bones produce marrow, there are also modern reports of using sheep bone porridge to supports thrombocytopenic purpura and aplastic anemia.

Precautions: It is advisable to consume Goat Bone Porridge warm on an empty stomach for breakfast or dinner during autumn and winter, with a course of supports lasting 10 to 15 days. Discontinue consumption during periods of cold and fever.

Reference Materials

Taiping Holy Benefit Prescriptions, Volume 97: “Prescription for Sheep Vertebra Congee to supports deficiency-induced emaciation, weakness, and fatigue, and to nourish essence and qi. Ingredients: A handful of sheep vertebrae with tails, 30g of Cistanche deserticola (soaked in wine overnight and scraped to remove wrinkled skin), 0.3g of Cuscuta chinensis (soaked in wine for three days, dried in the sun, and separately ground into powder), three stalks of scallion (trimmed and chopped), and 90g of polished round-grained rice. Instructions: Chop the sheep vertebrae, add nine large bowls of water, and boil to reduce to three bowls. Remove the dregs. Add the bone broth to the rice along with the Cistanche deserticola, etc. When the congee is nearly cooked, add the scallion and seasonings. When fully cooked, add the Cuscuta chinensis powder and 40ml of wine, stir well, and consume on an empty stomach.”

From “Shiyi Xinjian: On Various Prescriptions for Food Therapy for Weak Spleen-Stomach Qi and Reduced Food Intake”: “Prescription for supports cold in the Spleen and stomach, consumptive debility with emaciation, and difficulty in eating. One set of sheep vertebrae, pounded into pieces; half a jin (250 grams) of white rice. First, boil the vertebrae to obtain the juice, then add the rice, scallion whites, pepper, ginger, and salt to make porridge. Consume it on an empty stomach.”

Yin Shan Zheng Yao · Volume II: “Yanggu Congee: supports consumptive labor and weakness in the waist and knees. One complete set of sheep bones, crushed; one qian of dried tangerine peel, with the white part removed; two qian of galangal; two caoguo (Amomum tsao-ko); one liang of ginger; a small amount of salt. Add three dou of water, simmer over a slow fire to make a juice, filter and clarify it, then make congee as usual.”

Duoneng Bishi, Volume IV: “Yang Spine Bone Porridge supports elderly individuals with weak stomachs who are unable to eat properly. One set of sheep spine bones, crushed; four he of green millet. Add five sheng of water, boil the bones to obtain two sheng of juice, then add the millet to cook into porridge. Consume regularly on an empty stomach for significant effectiveness.”

Food Chinese Medicine and Home supports: “Thrombocytopenic purpura, aplastic anemia: Take 1 to 2 raw sheep tibiae (i.e., tubular bones of the limbs), crush them, add 10 to 20 red dates and an appropriate amount of glutinous rice, cook them together into a porridge, and take it in 2 to 3 divided doses a day. Fifteen days constitute one course of supports.”