TCM Unearthed: Qing Dynasty Juice Press

This simple, rustic wooden device is a Zha Chuang, or juice press, from the Qing Dynasty. Its use dates back to the Ming Dynasty, when it was commonly used in southern China to press sugarcane for syrup. In the hands of a TCM practitioner, however, it became a pharmaceutical tool. Freshly harvested medicinal herbs—such as ginger, lotus root, or various leafy plants—could be placed in the press and squeezed with force. The resulting fresh juice, rich in the plants' most active ingredients, was then administered directly to the patient. This dual-purpose device exemplifies the practical ingenuity embedded in everyday life and folk medicine. It is now housed in the Shanxi Museum of Traditional Chinese Medicine.