Talking TCM: Donkey Skin That Boosts Energy and Improves Sleep Quality

When days become shorter and the nights become longer, it is tempting to go into hibernation mode. We need good sleep in winter so our body can rest well and get ready for the harsh weather outside. But chances are, we lose our sleep to the cold weather and temperature change and feel even weaker and more sluggish after a night’s rest.

A common TCM approach in treating insomnia is to restore the yin in the body, as the energy of yin is what allows us to sleep at night. Yin can be acquired from various nourishing foods and medicines, and one of the most well-known is e-jiao, a gelatin known as Colla Corii Asini in Latin which is obtained from the skin of a donkey by soaking and stewing.

Chinese people have taken e-jiao for centuries by dissolving it in hot water. Modern developments have included it in convenient products such as Fufang E-jiao Jiang, a natural drink that replenishes blood and improves sleep quality.

Along with other tonifying ingredients such as rehmannia root and hawthorn fruit, the amber colored e-jiao fluid is sweet in taste with a fragrance that resembles caramel.

The sleep enhancer can also be used for dizziness, fatigue, anemia and poor appetite. Take one bottle three times a day for insomnia.

Here's to good rest!

Practical info:
Remedy: Fufang E-jiao Jiang复方阿胶浆
Price: RMB 46.8 (12 bottles *20ml)
Where to buy: Tongrentang (同仁堂) and other major pharmacies
Precautions:  Children, pregnant women and people who have cold, diabetes and high blood pressure should consult a doctor before taking it.

You may also be interested in TCM for hangover, upset stomach, cold, and sore throat.

Nothing makes a foreign country feel more foreign than being ill and not finding the right remedies. In each installment of Talking TCM, we introduce a household remedy from the TCM (Traditional Chinese Medicine) cabinet used to combat common ailments.

Clemence Jiang is a contemporary writer with a background in TCM. She enjoys going out with friends and creating her own herbal mix to cure hangovers. Need a cure for other ailments? Email c.jiang@truerun.com.