In traditional Chinese herbal care, some plants have been used for generations. Oriental arborvitae leaf, known in Chinese as Ce Bai Ye (侧柏叶), is one of them.
It is the dried young branchlets and scale-like leaves of Platycladus orientalis, an evergreen tree native to East Asia. In Chinese herbal practice, its leaves have a long history of use, including in traditional preparations for hair care.
But before looking at the old texts, it is worth getting to know the plant itself.
A Fresh, Clean Woody Aroma
Oriental arborvitae has small, scale-like leaves that grow closely along flattened branches. Their color ranges from yellowish green to deep green.
Fresh leaves have a clean, refreshing scent, somewhere between pine needles and freshly crushed green plants, with a faint resinous sweetness. The aroma is not sharp or overpowering.
Once dried, the scent becomes quieter and more grounded, with notes of dry grass and wood, accompanied by a slightly bitter herbal character.
When the leaves are boiled in water, the herbal aroma becomes more pronounced, and the bitterness becomes more noticeable.
For someone familiar with traditional Chinese herbal preparations, this is a recognizable part of the experience: the scent of the original plant changes as it is dried and prepared.
What Do the Ancient Chinese Texts Say?
Oriental arborvitae leaf appears in traditional Chinese medical literature, including two well-known works: Zhou Hou Bei Ji Fang (肘后备急方) and Bei Ji Qian Jin Yao Fang (备急千金要方).
These texts offer a glimpse into how people in ancient China incorporated plants into their daily care.
1. An Early Topical Preparation in Zhou Hou Bei Ji Fang
Zhou Hou Bei Ji Fang, traditionally attributed to Ge Hong, contains a preparation involving dried arborvitae leaves ground into powder and mixed with oil for topical application to the head.
The preparation is simple: the leaves are dried, powdered, and combined with an oily base.
It is an example of how traditional herbal ingredients were prepared for external use rather than simply consumed as medicine.
2. A Hair-Washing Preparation in Bei Ji Qian Jin Yao Fang
Written by Sun Simiao during the Tang dynasty, Bei Ji Qian Jin Yao Fang (also known as Qian Jin Fang) records another preparation involving arborvitae leaves.
The text describes a formula using fresh arborvitae leaves, prepared aconite, and lard. The ingredients were made into pills, one of which was wrapped in cloth and boiled in rice-washing water for washing the hair.
This is an interesting detail: the preparation was intended for hair washing, using a herbal formula and rice-washing water as part of the process.
These historical records show that arborvitae leaves were included in traditional hair-care practices long before modern shampoos existed.
They are historical records of traditional use, however, rather than clinical evidence that the preparations can regrow hair or prevent hair loss.
Traditional Use and Modern Research Are Not the Same
Today, people may encounter claims that arborvitae leaf can improve scalp circulation, stimulate hair follicles, or encourage new hair growth.
These claims need to be evaluated carefully.
Research on a plant extract in a laboratory does not necessarily establish that the whole plant, a traditional decoction, or a finished shampoo produces the same effect in people. The preparation method, concentration, and type of study all matter.
For this reason, it is useful to distinguish between what traditional texts recorded, what modern laboratory studies suggest, and what has actually been demonstrated in human studies.
The historical use of an herb can be worth exploring without assuming that every traditional claim has already been confirmed by modern science.
Bringing Traditional Herbal Ingredients Into Everyday Hair Care
At Joy Garden Botanicals, we draw inspiration from traditional Chinese herbal preparations and the plants used in them.
Rather than treating herbs simply as names on an ingredient list, we are interested in the plants themselves and the ways they have traditionally been prepared.
Our herbal shampoos are made using a slow-boiled herbal decoction approach, bringing together botanical ingredients in formulas designed for everyday hair washing.
Two formulas offer different herbal combinations:
Fo-Ti, Reishi Mushroom & Soapberry Herbal Shampoo
This formula brings together Fo-Ti (He Shou Wu), Reishi mushroom, and soapberry, drawing on traditional Chinese herbal ingredients in a plant-based cleansing formula.
Explore the Fo-Ti, Reishi Mushroom & Soapberry Herbal Shampoo
Ginger, Angelica Root & Soapberry Herbal Shampoo
This formula combines ginger, Angelica root, and soapberry. Ginger gives it a distinctive, fresh herbal character, while the formula offers another way to experience traditional botanical hair care.
Explore the Ginger, Angelica Root & Soapberry Herbal Shampoo
Each formula has its own combination of herbs and its own character.
A Plant Worth Getting to Know
Oriental arborvitae leaf is one example of how closely plants and everyday care have been connected in Chinese herbal traditions.
Its clean woody aroma, distinctive leaf structure, and presence in historical hair-washing preparations make it an interesting plant to learn about.
We do not need to turn every traditional herb into a miracle ingredient. Sometimes, understanding where a plant comes from, how it was prepared, and how people used it is a good place to begin.
That is part of what we hope to share through Joy Garden Herbal Journal: a closer look at the plants, preparations, and traditions behind Chinese herbal care.
