Goji History

One of the oldest medicinal plants known to man, the Goji berry is still so treasured today that there are two-week Goji festivals in Tibet, Mongolia and China.

The most frequent references to wolfberries (Goji) in early Chinese medical texts praised them for strengthening the eyes, liver, and kidneys as well as fortifying the "qi" (chi) or life force.

An undocumented legend in Chinese folk lore links wolfberries to Shen Nung (Shennong) China’s legendary First Emperor, mythical father of agriculture and herbalist who lived about 2800 BC.

As early as the first century AD the ancient Asian medical text Divine Farmer’s Handbook of Naturla Medicine (Shen Nog Ben Cao) extolled the berry’s medicinal virtues.

An early mention of wolfberry occurs in the 7th century Tang Dynasty treatise Yaoxing Lun. It is also discussed in the 16th century in Dynasty Compendium of Materia Medica of Li Shizhen.

A popular myth that appears on many websites claims that a man named Li Qing Yuen (1678-1930) consumed Goji berries daily and lived to be 252 years old. There appears to be no factual evidence to support this claim.

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The information provided on this site is for informational purposes only and is not intended as a substitute or advice from your physician or health care provider. You should not use information from this web site for the treatment of any health problem. As with any herbal or dietary supplement, talk to a heath care professional but making Goji a part of your regular diet.