The Chinese herbal tradition is believed to date back some 4,000 years to the Emperor Shen Nong (or Chien Nung). He is said to have described over: 300 medicinal plants and their uses in a book called the Pen Tsao. Although versions of several ancient pharmacopoeia still exist today, the main surviving text on herbalism is the book by the physician Li Shih-chen describing almost 2,000 herbs and 10,000 herbal remedies, and written in the 16th century.

As well as the herbalism of trained physicians, there is also a folk tradition of herbal medicine in China. Many families had their own remedies, which were passed from generation to generation.

Traditional medicine came under question in the 20th century, but was reinstated under the communist regime. The barefoot doctors in the country districts were skilled in administering herbal prescriptions, the ingredients of which they had usually gathered and prepared themselves. Today, Chinese herbalism is very much an orthodox form of therapy and preventive treatment in China, and it is increasingly practiced in the West.

The so-called raw ingredients of herbal preparations are usually dried materials. They are often prescribed as "soups," decoctions, or teas but may be taken in their raw form or processed into pills, powders, ointments, liquid tonics, or teas.They are classified according to their properties, such as "warming" and "cooling," and by their taste. The majority are of plant origin but a few are derived from minerals or from animal sources.

Usually the herbs are combined into formulas that are often adapted to suit changing circumstances as the client progresses. The careful adjustment of the remedy to suit the individual client is characteristic of Chinese medicine. Chinese herbalism can be used for a wide range of ailments, including asthma, skin diseases, menstrual problems, digestive disturbances, and migraine, and is effective when used on its own or in conjunction with another therapy such as acupuncture.