Poria with pine hostwood

茯神

calms the spiritpromotes water metabolism寧心

The dried sclerotium of the poria fungus (Poria cocos) cut from where it grew clasping a pine root, so each ivory slice holds a core of pine wood. Nearly tasteless and lightly starchy in the pot, it is chosen over plain poria when the soup is aimed at settling sleep, as in lotus seed, lily bulb and lean pork soup.

TCM properties

Nature · neutral　Flavour · sweet、bland　Meridians · heart、spleen

Traditional food therapy

In Cantonese food therapy fu shen is used to calm the spirit and quiet the heart while gently promoting water flow — the traditional pick for bedtime-oriented soups.

Cautions — read first

The classical texts say to use it with caution where there is kidney depletion with difficulty passing water, or cold depletion with seminal leakage.

Preparation

A rinse is all it needs.

Origin · Geo-authentic (道地) source

雲南（雲苓）為道地；現安徽大別山區為主產 — Not reached by the AU retail survey — a herbal-dispensary item; Wellsoon stocks plain 茯苓 but not 茯神

Availability in Australia

Herbal shops / specialists

Pairs well with

Lotus seed Dried lily bulb Dried longan flesh Candied honey date Lean pork

Soups that use this ingredient · 1

Lotus seed, lily bulb and poria soup with lean porkA$11–14

蓮子百合茯神瘦肉湯

calms the spiritstrengthens the spleensupports the kidneysAll year

百子櫃Lotus seed· 40 g (1 tael)百子櫃Dried lily bulb· 40 g (1 tael)百子櫃Poria with pine hostwood· 20 g (5 mace)百子櫃Dried longan flesh· 8 g (2 mace)百子櫃Candied honey date· 2街市Lean pork· 300 g

“The pot she makes when someone needs looking after.”