[Textual research on origin and development of genuine medicinal herbs of Shanyao]

Making textual research on Bencao and documents, this article inquires to the origin and development of genuine medicinal herbs of Shanyao (Rhizoma Dioscoreae) on the points of change of the growing areas and the development of cultivating and processing techniques and clinical uses. The study indicates that the medicinal use of Dioscorea oposita went through several periods: the period of the use of wild D. oposita before Tang dynasty, the period of the mixed use of wild and cultivating D. oposita from Song to the middle of Qing dynasty, and the period of the main use of cultivating D. oposita after the latter stage of Qing dynasty (18th century). It considers that the growing area of genuine medicinal herbs of Shanyao appeared in Ming dynasty and finally formed "Huaishanyao" on the early of 20th century. The acknowledgement of Huaishanyao as genuine medicinal herbs is related closely to its cultivating and processing techniques and clinical uses. The development of cultivating techniques provided the resource of Shanyao, the invention of processing techniques improved its appearance and quality, and the clinical uses and practices by modern and contemporary famous medical men played an important role to the social approval and development of Huaishanyao.