The Cure for Innumerable Ailments

Herbs for soaking, and a bottle of liquid yuk jiao.

My bum leg (luckily only bruised, not broken) has elicited much sympathy from the older generation, all of whom advised me to rub the affected area with yuk jiao (aka dit da jow). I have been plied with bottles of the ancient Chinese liniment, the cure for innumerable ailments.

One aunt gave me a package of dried herbs that came from her mother's garden (her mother died 40 years ago). The herbs were to be soaked in rubbing alcohol or whiskey. I now understood why another relative sipped the black smelly liquid every day; she lived to the age of 94.

Another lady gave me a bottle of her stash that was mixed by her mother, who died in 1960. Like fine wine, yuk jiao purportedly improves with age.

I honored their gifts by applying the yuk jiao every morning and evening, and, you know what? I do feel better. © 2014 Stephen Yuen