Ginkgo, the fan-shaped leaf of a living fossil
Yin Xing Ye means “the leaf of the silver apricot”: the name actually describes the seed, white as silver and shaped like a small apricot. The tree previously bore a popular name that, for its part, described the leaf: “duck’s feet”. Ginkgo biloba is a living fossil, the only surviving species of its family, whose lineage goes back more than two hundred million years. Its fan-shaped leaf, with veins that fork as they divide, turns golden yellow in autumn; yet it is harvested while still green and dried without delay. Its main producing regions are Jiangsu, Shandong, Zhejiang, Anhui and Guangxi.
Setting Blood moving, opening the fine network vessels
In Traditional Chinese Medicine, the ginkgo leaf is neutral, sweet, bitter and astringent: three flavours for three gestures. Bitterness makes things descend and moves what stagnates, sweetness gives light support, astringency holds in. Associated with the Heart, which governs Blood and the vessels, it is first and foremost a Blood plant: when Blood no longer flows freely, it sets it moving again. Its speciality is opening the network vessels, the finest branches of the meridians, where other plants work rather on the main channels. Being neutral, it combines as well with warm plants as with cool ones, such as red sage, its most frequent partner.
Leaf and seed, two substances from one tree
Through the Lung, which governs Qi, the leaf gathers Qi that escapes instead of descending: here it is astringency at work, and tradition reserves it for long-standing Lung weakness rather than recent imbalances. The seed of the same tree, Bai Guo, has a different place: the seed holds in, the leaf moves. The leaf is in fact a very recent substance, entering the Chinese pharmacopoeia only in 2000. Modern research is looking in particular at its flavonoid glycosides and terpene lactones.
Key benefits
Blood in motion & balance
A Blood plant above all, the ginkgo leaf supports Blood circulation according to Chinese tradition, leaning neither towards hot nor towards cold.
Fine network vessels & harmonious circulation
It opens the finest branches of the meridians and promotes smooth, harmonious circulation.
Gathered Lung Qi
Through its astringency, it gathers and holds Lung Qi when it escapes instead of descending.
