Study Shows Cannabis Was A Staple For Ancient Chinese Dynasty |

Researchers examining an ancient tomb in China have found direct evidence that cannabis was a staple food during the Tang Dynasty more than 1,000 years ago.

Previous research into the civilizations of ancient China has shown that cannabis was an important crop for thousands of years, with historical texts showing that the plant’s seeds were a staple food eaten in a sort of porridge. And now archaeological evidence from central China confirms the importance of cannabis during the Tang Dynasty, which ruled the country from 618 to 907 AD

Cannabis found in ancient grave

In 2019, workers discovered an ancient tomb buried underground at a construction site for an elementary school playground in Taiyuan, Shanxi Province. The remarkably arid environment of the tomb had eluded discovery for more than 1,320 years, preserving the murals and artifacts found within.

Researchers determined that the discovery was the tomb of Guo Xing, a cavalry officer who had fought with Tang Emperor Li Shimin, or Taixzong, in a series of bitter battles on the Korean peninsula. Among the artifacts discovered in the tomb was a jar containing basic necessities, including cannabis seeds and the remains of their shells, according to a report by the South China Morning Post.

“The cannabis was stored in a pot on the bed of the coffin among other staples like millet. Apparently, Guo Xing’s descendants buried cannabis as an important food crop,” said Jin Guiyun, a professor in the School of History and Culture at Shandong University and co-author of the Archeology study published last month by the peer-reviewed journal Agricultural.

The cannabis seeds were significantly larger than those of today’s strains, suggesting that a cannabis strain was bred specifically for grain. They were so well preserved that some still showed their original color. Researchers noted that the seeds still had their pods, which may contain the psychoactive cannabinoid THC. According to the Compendium of Materia Medica, a book written by herbalist Li Shizhen some 500 years ago, consuming too many cannabis seeds that still had their husk on could “cause a person to run around like crazy.”

“Cannabis seeds with husks are not only related to the high lignin content of the husk and its hard texture, which can reduce the risk of mold and increase storage time, it can also stimulate the nerves and induce hallucinations due to the consumption of husks for religious and medicinal purposes,” wrote researchers from the Taiyuan Municipal Institute of Archeology in a report on the study.

Study reveals use of cannabis as food, fiber and medicine

Cannabis was an important crop during the Tang Dynasty, providing food, fiber and medicine to the ancient civilization. But the Taiyuan region was wetter and warmer at the time, making rice the most common grain in the region.

However, the artifacts placed in the tomb by Guo Xing’s family did not contain rice as expected. Instead, the researchers found cannabis seeds that may reflect the personal preference of the ancient warrior, who lived to be 90 years old.

In ancient Chinese texts, cannabis was known as one of the five staple foods known as wu gu. Archaeologists have discovered cannabis in tombs across the country, some dating as far back as 6,600 years. Previously, researchers had theorized that the presence of cannabis in graves indicated the plant’s use for spiritual and funerary purposes. But the evidence unearthed in Guo Xing’s tomb also highlights the importance of cannabis as a staple food.

“The cannabis was buried as food for the feast and health of the tomb owner in the afterlife,” the researchers wrote.