Different Chinese Medicine books written n different dynasty records different number of herbs used in Traditional Chinese Medicine. From the "Shennong Herbal Cabinets", 365 herbs were recorded for medical purpose for healing people, this books is written in the Donghan Dynasty, in the year of 0025 to the year of 0220.
Herbal Pharmacy dispatch 3000 Kg, which are more than 6000 pounds each day in one herbal pharmacy, herbalist prescribe the herbal formulas and pharmacist prepare the herbal medicine for patients.
In the book written by Dr. Shizhen Li in Ming Dynasty, around 1517 DC, Dr Shizhen Li recorded 1891 kinds of herbs for all kinds of illness. In Qing Dynasty, which was around 1764 DC, Dr. Xuemin Zhao's book "Herbal Listings and Collections" expended to 2608 kinds of herbs. In the year of 1977, "Chinese Dictionary of Herbal Medicine" collected total of 5766 kinds of herbs for medical purpose.
There are many kinds of Chinese Medicine books record different due to different region and climate, this just give us an idea that the Chinese explore and seeks different remedies through many generations through out the years. The wisdom of traditional Chinese Medicine is historical teams work of Chinese ancestors. This tell us that, in order to learn and practice Traditional Chinese Medicine, the ability to read Chinese ancient books is very very important.
Ancient literatures and resources guide the modern practice magically. Being able to access the old traditions help our practitioner gain access to the root and origin of the healing.