DonguiHub — The Hub of Donguibogam Knowledge
Home › Herbs › Wheat
Illustration

Wheat

밀 (小麥) · Triticum aestivum L.
Qi-tonifying food herb Slightly cold (some sources: neutral) Sweet Not specified in the source text
NatureSlightly cold (some sources: neutral)
TasteSweet
MeridiansNot specified in the source text
Part usedGrain (flour, bran, and floating wheat recorded separately)
FamilyPoaceae
CategoryQi-tonifying food herb
Find by concern: Spontaneous sweatingRestlessnessThirst

Overview

Wheat is the grain behind noodles and bread, but the Donguibogam records something less obvious: the whole grain, flour, and bran each have a different nature. The grain itself is slightly cool, the flour made from it is warm, and the bran is cold — the text explains that the skin is cold and the flesh hot. It also gives a reason why wheat was ranked among the most valued of the five grains: it is sown in autumn, grows through winter, heads in spring and fruits in summer, so it absorbs the "balanced qi of all four seasons."

In the Donguibogam

東醫
寶鑑
性微寒一云平, 味甘, 無毒. 主除煩熱少睡, 止燥渴, 利小便, 養肝氣.
Source: Donguibogam, Tangaek-pyeon (Herbology volume)
TranslationIts nature is slightly cold (some say neutral), its taste sweet, and it is non-toxic. It mainly removes vexing heat with little sleep, stops dry thirst, promotes urination, and nourishes liver qi.

Traditional uses recorded in the Donguibogam

  • Eases vexing heat
  • Quenches dry thirst
  • Promotes urination
  • Nourishes liver qi

Traditional applications recorded in the classical text

  • Restlessness with little sleep
  • Dry mouth and thirst
  • Night sweats (floating wheat, recorded separately)

Traditional preparation

Used whole in decoctions, with the skin intact. Floating wheat (immature, light grains) is lightly roasted and decocted with jujube for night sweats. Bran and wheat seedlings are recorded as separate entries.

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 the grain as non-toxic, but notes that flour can be hot-natured and "wind-stirring," and that wheat sown in spring in warm places, having absorbed insufficient qi, can be toxic. Flour that is old and discolored was also said to carry heat toxin. Wheat contains gluten, so people with wheat allergy or celiac disease must avoid it. Consult a professional.
Advertisement

Frequently asked questions

Why does the Donguibogam say wheat and wheat flour differ in nature?

The text explains that the grain is cool but the flour made from it is warm: the skin is cold and the flesh hot. When the skin is split, the cooling effect is lost.

What is floating wheat?

Floating wheat (浮小麥) is wheat whose kernels did not fill out and float on water. The text records it as nourishing the heart and, when decocted with jujube, stopping night sweats.

Why was wheat called the noble one of the five grains?

Because it grows through all four seasons — sown in autumn, growing in winter, heading in spring, ripening in summer — so it was thought to hold the balanced qi of every season.

Sources