The Apricot Woods

During the Three Kingdoms (220-265 A.D.), there was a famous TCM practitioner

called Dong Feng in Wu Kingdom. Dong Feng, living at the south of Lushan Mountain, was a

very skillful, noble, and warmhearted person, who never expected rewards when he helped

others. He did not live off the large piece of farmland he had, and did not accept any payment

even though he cured lots of patients. To extend their heartfelt respect, the recovered planted

young apricot trees around his house as Dong Feng suggested. The patients who recovered

from serious diseases were supposed to plant 5 trees and those who recovered from ailments

were expected to plant one. Years later the number of apricot trees grew to more than 100,000,

thus the apricot woods formed. When the harvest time came, apricots on the trees were

numerous. To deal with the apricots, Dong Feng built a barn in the apricot woods and told

people that if they wanted to buy apricots, they could take grain to exchange. They even did

not need to tell Dong Feng about the deal and what they needed to do was to pour the grain

into the barn and take the same amount of apricots back. Consequently, Dong Feng got a large

amount of grain every year because of the apricots. Because he believed that the grain was

from the people and it should be for the people, he insisted on giving the grain to the poor and

those in need, and aiding the helpless travelers to Lushan Mountain. It was said that he helped

more than 20,000 people every year. People who knew such magic stories believed that Dong

Feng was a god from the heaven, who was sent to the earth to heal the wounded, rescue the

dying, and help the poor and those in need. Since then, “Apricot Woods” has become a

symbol of TCM.

杏林

三国时期，吴国有个很有名气的民间医师叫董奉。此人具有高明的医术、高尚的医

德，乐做善事，施恩从不图回报。他在庐山南麓定居后，守着大片山地不种田而是给人

治病，且不收分文。病人及亲属想表达感激之情。董医师就提出，如果病治好了，患者

就在山地栽杏树：病重治愈者，种五棵；病轻治愈者，种一棵。如此多年，共栽下杏树

十万多株，成了一片郁郁葱葱的大杏林。每年杏熟季节，硕果累累。为处理这些杏子，

董奉就在杏林中建了一个粮仓。他告诉人们，如果有想买杏子的，不必告诉他，可以以

谷物换杏。只要把带来的谷子倒入粮仓，自己取回相当数量杏子即可。董医师每年用杏

子换来许多谷子。他坚持取之于民，用之于民，把谷子用来救济周围的贫苦百姓，接济

来庐山旅行而断了盘缠的人。据说，每年经他救济的人在两万以上。知道这些神奇事情

的人就认定董奉是上天派下凡的神仙，专门来救死扶伤、除危济困的。从此，“杏林”

一词，也就流传衍变为中医药的代名词了。