Glutinous Rice

찹쌀 (糯米) · Oryza sativa L. var. glutinosa

Qi-tonifying food herb Cold (some sources: slightly cold or cool) Sweet, bitter Not specified in the source text

NatureCold (some sources: slightly cold or cool)

TasteSweet, bitter

MeridiansNot specified in the source text

Part usedGrain (rice straw recorded separately)

FamilyPoaceae

CategoryQi-tonifying food herb

Find by concern: Indigestion Daytime drowsiness

Overview

Glutinous rice is the sticky rice used for rice cakes, sweet drinks and rice wine. The Donguibogam defines it with a small etymology — "nuo" means soft, so it is the soft, sticky rice — and records a point that surprises modern readers: the grain itself is cold in nature, but when made into wine it becomes hot, and its lees become warm and neutral, much as soybeans, fermented beans and soy sauce differ. It also records a quirk: cats and dogs that eat it find their legs go limp.

In the Donguibogam

東醫
寶鑑

性寒一云微寒, 一云涼, 味甘苦, 無毒. 補中益氣, 止霍亂, 令人多熱, 大便堅.

Source: Donguibogam, Tangaek-pyeon (Herbology volume)

TranslationIts nature is cold (some say slightly cold, some cool), its taste sweet and bitter, and it is non-toxic. It supplements the middle and boosts qi and stops sudden turmoil disorder, but causes a person to feel more heat and makes the stool hard.

Traditional uses recorded in the Donguibogam

Supplements the middle, boosts qi
Stops sudden vomiting-diarrhea
Makes the stool firm

Traditional applications recorded in the classical text

Rice cakes and sweet rice dishes
Weak digestion needing a soft, sticky food
Rice straw decoction (classical use for jaundice-type patterns)

Traditional preparation

Eaten as steamed rice, rice cakes, porridge or made into rice wine and malt syrup. The text records rice straw (糯稻稈) as a separate entry, decocted for whole-body jaundice and wasting-thirst.

This describes traditional preparation recorded in the classics, not a recommendation for use today. DonguiHub does not provide dosage guidance — consult a qualified professional before using any herb.

Cautions

Caution: The Donguibogam records it as non-toxic but warns that it "clogs the channels," can make the limbs go slack, stir wind and cause drowsiness, and should not be eaten in quantity: long use makes the body soft and weak. Because it is sticky, it is slow to digest; people with weak digestion should eat small amounts. Consult a professional.

Frequently asked questions

Is glutinous rice warm or cold?

The Donguibogam says the grain itself is cold; made into wine it turns hot, and the lees are warm and neutral — an example of how processing changes nature.

Why does the text warn against eating a lot?

Because its sticky quality is said to clog the channels, slow the limbs and cause drowsiness; long use is said to leave the body soft and weak.

What is the story about cats and dogs?

The text records that cats and dogs that eat glutinous rice have their legs curl and cannot walk, as it is said to slacken the sinews.

Sources

『동의보감』 탕액편, 허준, 1613 (원문) — 한문 원문
한의학고전DB (mediclassics.kr) — 원문 및 국역 자료 참조