Napa Cabbage

배추 (菘菜) · Brassica rapa L. subsp. pekinensis (Lour.) Hanelt

Digestion-regulating food herb Neutral (some sources: cool) Sweet Stomach, Large Intestine

NatureNeutral (some sources: cool)

TasteSweet

MeridiansStomach, Large Intestine

Part usedLeaf

FamilyBrassicaceae

CategoryDigestion-regulating food herb

Find by concern: Poor appetite Thirst

Overview

Napa cabbage is the essential vegetable behind Korean kimchi, and the Donguibogam already records it as the most commonly eaten vegetable of its time — noting its core action of aiding digestion and clearing chest heat, while cautioning that overeating can bring on cold-type illness (best countered with ginger).

In the Donguibogam

東醫
寶鑑

性平一云涼, 味甘, 無毒一云微毒. 消食下氣, 通利腸胃, 除胸中熱, 解酒渴, 止消渴.

Source: Donguibogam, Tangaek-pyeon (Herbology volume)

TranslationIts nature is neutral (some say cool), its taste sweet, and it is non-toxic (some say mildly toxic). It aids digestion and brings down qi, unblocks and benefits the intestines and stomach, removes heat from the chest, resolves post-alcohol thirst, and stops wasting-thirst.

Traditional functions

Aids digestion
Clears chest heat
Resolves post-alcohol thirst
Benefits the intestines

Traditional applications

Sluggish digestion after eating
Chest heat or fullness
Post-drinking thirst
Wasting-thirst pattern

Traditional preparation

Eaten fresh, cooked, or fermented as kimchi; the seed can be pressed for oil per the classical text.

Cautions

Caution: The Donguibogam notes that overeating napa cabbage can bring on cold-type illness, and specifically recommends ginger to counteract it. A very common, generally mild food. Consult a professional for concentrated use.

Frequently asked questions

Is this the same cabbage used to make kimchi?

Yes — the Donguibogam entry for 菘菜 is the same napa cabbage still used for kimchi today, already recorded as the most commonly eaten vegetable of its era.

What does the Donguibogam say if you overeat napa cabbage?

It specifically warns that overeating can bring on cold-type illness, and recommends ginger as the classical remedy to counteract it.

Sources

동의보감 탕액편 (원문) — 한문 원문 발췌 — 한의학고전DB 탕액편 대조 검증 완료 (DATA-001)
한의학고전DB (mediclassics.kr) — 국역 참조 후 자체 재서술 (LEGAL-001)

DonguiHub is an educational and informational platform about the history and tradition of Korean medicine. It does not provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional about health conditions and before using any herb.