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Four Herbs Soup, or sì shén tāng (四神汤), got its name from its use of four Chinese medicinal herbs: dried fox nut barley, lotus seeds, Chinese yam, and poria cocos mushrooms. You may also see this recipe translated as Chinese Four Spirits Soup or Four Gods Soup.
Four Herbs Soup is a great example of Traditional Chinese Medicine’s emphasis on food, or shíliáo (食疗), as medicine. Just as you might consider a smoothie, salad, protein, or grain bowl as a healthy option, you can also think of this Chinese soup to help you feel balanced and healthy.
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Dried fox nut barley (芡实, qiànshí) and lotus seeds (莲子, liánzǐ) are thought to strengthen the spleen and help reduce dampness. Chinese yam (known in Chinese as shānyào – 山药, which translates to “mountain medicine”) is used to tonify deficiency (balance the energy in your body). And the poria cocos mushroom (苻苓, fú líng) is supposed to remove dampness from your system.
Traditional Chinese soups are different from the soups many of us are familiar with. The essence of a Cantonese soup is in its broth. It is clear, thanks to slow cooking at very low heat (more on how to achieve this here!).
Don’t be fooled by its unassuming clear appearance. Cantonese soups are delicate, but also rich. We serve them before the meal, to fully appreciate their flavor.
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All my life, I have been picking up various learnings from Traditional Chinese Medicine (commonly abbreviated as TCM). It is a vast area of study.
My basic understanding of dampness is that it’s like a clog in a drain. It’s something that we all develop to some extent through the wear and tear we put on our bodies. It slows movement of qi (energy) throughout the body, and like a clogged drain, it can cause problems!
According to TCM, excessive dampness is the root of many illnesses and discomforts. It can cause you to feel sluggish and affect your sleep, slow down your metabolism, and cause swelling or water retention.
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The key function of this soup is to help with the health of your spleen and stomach, and to expel that dampness. Dampness can be damp-heat (燥湿), or damp-cold (阴湿), where 阴 is yin, i.e., the opposite of 陽—yang. It’s all very complex, and I would need years of study to understand TCM’s many nuances!
Recipes for this soup most often use pork bones and pork stomach. You can also use soybeans (about 100g dried) as a vegetarian option.
I also included daikon (it’s in season right now) and carrot for more flavor and a hint of natural sweetness. For the summertime, you can use corn + carrot, seaweed + carrot, or winter melon + carrot. They’re all very good for you!
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Soak the dried fox nut barley, dried lotus seeds, dried Chinese yam, and poria cocos mushrooms in a bowl with enough water to cover them.
Meanwhile, soak the pork bones in cold water for 1 hour. Rinse thoroughly, and drain. In a large thick-bottomed stock pot, add the pork bones and enough cold water to cover. Bring to a boil over high heat. Once boiling, immediately drain the pork bones through a colander and rinse them clean. Wash the soup pot as well. This soaking and boiling process washes away impurities and keeps the soup clear.
Add the pork back to the pot. Drain the dried herbs, and add to the pot as well, along with the ginger, carrot, daikon, and 10 cups of water.
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Bring to a boil, then cover and reduce the heat to medium-low. The water should be moving at a slow simmer—not simmering rapidly or boiling. Cook for 2 hours.
Add salt to taste just before serving. Pork neck bones can be quite meaty, so enjoy them with light soy sauce for dipping.
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Four Herbs Soup, or sì shén tāng (四神汤), got its name from its use of four key Chinese medicinal herbs: dried fox nut barley, lotus seeds, Chinese yam, and poria cocos mushrooms. You may also see this recipe translated as Chinese Four Gods Soup or Four Spirits Soup.
Calories: 81 kcal (4%) Carbohydrates: 17 g (6%) Protein: 3 g (6%) Fat: 1 g (2%) Saturated Fat: 0.1 g (1%) Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.1 g Monounsaturated Fat: 0.1 g Sodium: 53 mg (2%) Potassium: 386 mg (11%) Fiber: 2 g (8%) Sugar: 3 g (3%) Vitamin A: 4739 IU (95%) Vitamin C: 15 mg (18%) Calcium: 46 mg (5%) Iron: 1 mg (6%)
Is written and produced for informational purposes only. While we do our best to provide nutritional information as a general guideline to our readers, we are not certified nutritionists, and the values provided should be considered estimates. Factors such as brands purchased, natural variations in fresh ingredients, etc. will change the nutritional information in any recipe. Various online calculators also provide different results, depending on their sources. To obtain accurate nutritional information for a recipe, use your preferred nutrition calculator to determine nutritional information with the actual ingredients and quantities used.
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Judy is the mom of The Woks of Life family. Born in Shanghai, she arrived in the U.S. at age 16. Fluent in both English and three separate Chinese dialects, she's our professional menu translator when we're eating our way through China. Dedicated to preserving disappearing recipes and traditions, her specialty is all things traditional, from mooncakes to home-style stir-fries.As a part of traditional Chinese cuisine, the use of food as a way of healing and nourishing the self (食疗, shi liao) is extremely vital to health and longevity.
Food and herbs have a synergetic effect, working together to draw out the benefits they otherwise wouldn’t release on their own. By combining them, they target certain health concerns such as digestive problems, headaches, or high blood pressure. The best part is, the entire healing process is all-natural and made with real, chemical-free food — no manufactured ingredients included.
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). Whether it’s lovingly made for an older member of the family, a patient recovering from surgery, kids who are facing challenging exam or a new mom who’s nursing her baby, a bowl of slow-cooked chicken soup is just the right thing for feeling good.
Not only is herbal soup one of the most popular dishes among Chinese people, it has started to gain much-merited attention in the western world as well. Last year, Chinese lady Tu Youyou won the Nobel Prize for medicine for her groundbreaking research into herbal medicine for healing malaria. Actress and food writer Gwyneth Paltrow has also famously blogged about herbal medicines. Recently I found out that even NFL quarterback Tom Brady’s health advisor and business partner is a Chinese medicine practitioner. I’m hoping that Chinese medicine becomes the next big trend after kale!
For winter, we select ingredients that provide energy for our bodies to fight the extreme conditions: cold, snow, and wind. Winter is also a time when our body goes into hibernation mode and experiences a renewal process, much like how nature around is rebuilding herself for Spring. During this time it’s really important to nourish our bodies with nutrients and immunity boosters so our organs can keep us healthy and ready to bloom.
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Astragalus Root (黄芪, Huang Qi) – Strengthens the inner energy of the body and boosts the immune system, increases energy levels and builds up resistance particularly when your immune system is lowered by overworking and stress.
Codonopsis Root (党参, Dang Shen) – An excellent anti-aging herb that helps combat tiredness, chronic fatigue, stress, adrenal fatigue and digestive problems.
Dried Chinese Yam (淮山, Huai Shan) – This herb enhances energy, aids digestion and absorption, repairs worn-out tissue, and helps alleviate bodily weakness.
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Goji Berries (枸杞子, Gou Qi Zi) – Benefits the liver, which manifests in improving eyesight especially if poor eyesight is caused by malnutrition, vessel expansion, inflammation or eye strain from staring at computer screens and documents for long periods of time.
Longan (龙眼, Longyan) – Full of vitamins and containing active anti-aging ingredients, longan helps to promote restful sleep, replenishing blood and Qi.
Red Dates (红枣, Hong Zao) – Also known as jujubes, red dates are widely considered as the “living vitamin pill” by the Chinese. It contains Vitamin B, C, E, P, phosphorus, calcium, iron and more. It helps calm the central nervous system, protects the liver, inhibits cell mutation, and improves muscle strength.
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These six herbs are very common in Chinese cooking for preventing colds, boosting the immune system, and ingesting post-surgery to support recovery. Best of all they’re suitable for all ages! The ingredients naturally help flush toxins from the body and restore the Qi, which is necessary for feeling balanced and re-energized.
My personal favorite winter soup is cooking these fine herbs with either chicken or pork. In the southern parts of
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