The Emperor’s Hemp

Cannabis in Ancient China

Long before modern debates and global legalisation movements, cannabis was already a cornerstone of Chinese culture. In fact, some of the earliest written records of the plant date back over 5,000 years, making China one of the oldest civilisations to document its cultivation and use.

Hemp, the non-psychoactive variety of cannabis, wasn’t just a plant—it was a symbol of civilisation. It clothed the people, healed the sick, and powered some of the earliest innovations in agriculture and medicine.

Shen Nong: The Divine Farmer and Cannabis Healer

According to Chinese legend, Shen Nong, the mythical "Divine Farmer" and one of the Three Sovereigns, taught the ancient Chinese how to cultivate hemp. As the father of traditional Chinese medicine, Shen Nong is said to have tasted hundreds of herbs, documenting their effects—including ma (麻), the ancient word for cannabis.

In his foundational pharmacopoeia, “Shen Nong Ben Cao Jing”, cannabis was praised for its healing powers. It was believed to treat ailments such as rheumatism, constipation, menstrual cramps, and even "forgetfulness."

Interestingly, early texts distinguished between the male and female plants—something modern botany confirmed thousands of years later.

Hemp in Ancient Chinese Society: More Than Medicine

Cannabis was deeply woven into everyday life. Hemp was used to:

- Weave clothing and shoes
- Make bowstrings for hunting and war
- Craft early paper (The world’s oldest piece of hemp paper dates to around 140–87 BCE)
- Build ropes, sails, and nets for transport and agriculture

For emperors and peasants alike, hemp was a lifeline. During the Han Dynasty (206 BCE – 220 CE), hemp production was so essential that farmers were taxed in hemp cloth.

Taoism, Cannabis, and Spiritual Practice

But cannabis wasn’t just physical—it had spiritual significance too.

Some early Taoist shamans and alchemists reportedly used cannabis in incense mixtures, believing it could help them communicate with spirits or achieve transcendence. It was often burned in combination with ginseng in ritualistic settings. While not universally practised, these spiritual uses suggest that ma was more than just utilitarian—it was a sacred plant to some.

When Did Cannabis Fall from Grace?

Unlike in the West, cannabis in China didn’t become illegal until the 20th century. In the early 1900s, under pressure from Western powers and amid rising opium concerns, China began restricting narcotics. Eventually, hemp and psychoactive cannabis were both swept into global prohibition efforts—even though they had separate histories and uses.

Today, China remains the world’s largest producer of industrial hemp, though recreational cannabis use remains strictly illegal.

Why This Ancient Legacy Still Matters

Understanding how cannabis was respected in ancient China helps reframe today’s conversations. It reminds us that this plant has been:

- A medicine for emperors
- A textile for farmers
- A tool for spiritual seekers
- And a crop that helped build one of the world’s oldest empires

Modern science is only now catching up to what ancient cultures like China’s understood intuitively: that cannabis, in its many forms, is a versatile, valuable, and deeply misunderstood plant.

A Plant Worth Remembering

From emperors to shamans, from medicine cabinets to the loom, cannabis in ancient China was more than a drug—it was a pillar of culture. While today's laws may obscure its legacy, history tells a different story—one that deserves to be remembered, respected, and re-explored.