"Xing Lin" has almost become a synonym for the traditional Chinese medicine industry, and "Xing Lin Chun Nuan" is extended to praise superb medical skills. In the "Biographies of Deities and Immortals" by the Jin Dynasty's Ge Hong, it is said that Dong Feng of the Three Kingdoms was a very skilled doctor who treated people daily without charging money. Those cured of serious illnesses were asked to plant five apricot trees, and those with milder illnesses, one. After several years, around Dong Feng's residence, there were over 100,000 apricot trees, forming a magnificent forest. A fellow patient who was proficient in literature and writing wrote the four characters "Xing Lin Chun Nuan" on a plaque and presented it to Dong Feng's home. This is the origin of the "Xing Lin Chun Nuan" allusion. In fact, "apricot" has been associated with medicine since ancient times. The earliest classic of medicine, the "Huangdi Neijing·Suwen," lists apricot as one of the five fruits (jujube, plum, pear, and peach).
Wenbo Wu, Chief Pharmacist and Director of the Preparation Room of Shijiazhuang Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, commented that apricot is a well-known fruit native to China, also known as apricot, and is the fruit of the Prunus armeniaca or Prunus sibirica plant. Its pulp is edible, and its kernel (apricot kernel) is used as medicine. Traditional Chinese medicine holds that apricot kernels are divided into two types: sweet and bitter. Sweet apricot kernels (also known as southern kernels) are mostly used for food, while bitter apricot kernels (also known as northern kernels) are mostly used medicinally. Sweet apricot kernels and the daily eaten dry almond kernels are more for moistening, while bitter apricot kernels can relieve coughs and asthma, and lubricate the intestines to promote bowel movements.
When a child has constipation, they might try some almond and japonica rice porridge: 50 grams of japonica rice, 10 grams of (bitter) apricot kernels, and an appropriate amount of sugar. Wash and peel the apricot kernels, wrap them in gauze, wash the japonica rice, put them together in a pot, add water and cook together. When the porridge becomes thick, take out the apricot kernels and season with sugar. The crude fiber molecules in its bran layer help with gastrointestinal motility in children. Coupled with the effect of apricot kernels, it is not only very effective for stomach problems, constipation, etc., but can also enhance the child's own immune function.
However, it is contraindicated for those with spleen deficiency and loose stools, or with yin deficiency and yang hyperactivity. It should not be used in excess, as excessive consumption can lead to poisoning (this can be relieved by decocting 30-60 grams of apricot bark or root for oral administration).