It used to be the root that made people smile, the nudge and wink smile that relegated Ginseng to the realms of sexual innuendos. it's popularity relying more on its reputation as an aphrodisiac than a health supplement. Promotions along the lines of Satisfies the Thirst of Women and Re-Activates the Male Desire kept the root firmly in the field of sexual problems for many years.
Nowadays however, ginseng is recognized as having qualities that stimulate all the senses and it is even credited with preventing breakdowns in both health and the nervous system. These qualities may sound outlandish, but to the believer, two grammes a day, the recommended dose to keep one healthy, is the antidote to all ills. However, the jury is still out on the efficacies claimed for the product.
Geumsan, the Capital of the Ginseng Root offers Chicken Soup with Gingseng
Geumsan, a small town just three hours south of Seoul, is the undisputed ginseng capital of South Korea and they have a ten-day Ginseng Fair and Market where the emphasis is solely on the plant. Hundreds of tons of the product are on sale as well as its by-products, ginseng tea, chocolates, cereal bars, jam, shampoo, soap and face creams. These can be bought in many forms, bottled, dried, raw, peeled, sliced, shaved, or steamed and there is a side trade in ginseng wine and chicken gingseng soup! The wine at 13% alcohol and has the obvious effect of perking most people up very quickly, proof to the believers, that the root's powers are strong.
The Ginseng Fair and Market at Geumsan, Korea
The 10-day Ginseng Fair and Market in Geumsan every September attracts thousands of tourists, most from Japan and Korea. The emphasis is on health and well-being and Geumsan is the place to snap up, not only fresh raw ginseng, but the processed products.
At the fair there is a medical pavilion where visitors can experience traditional treatments - including acupuncture - and discuss the ginseng effect with specialists. There are lectures from the doctors in attendance, on the medical effects of the root and there is also a section for the treatment of children's illnesses.
The Best Ginseng in the World
The best ginseng is considered to be South Korean, opinions that not only come from Korea, but from Hong Kong and China, both major importers of the crop. This has a lot to do with the shape of the root which the Chinese take to resemble the human body (ginseng from other countries resembles a carrot). It is said that it is the acidic soil and the heavier than average rainfall in Geumsan that contributes so much to the quality of their ginseng.
The people of Geumsan can convince you of anything – their marketing skills are way above what anyone would expect from this small town – but they emphasize that Ginseng should be taken over a long period. So whether you take the root as an aphrodisiac, for its health properties, or to cure some illness or disease, remember that it does not have an immediate effect.
Ginseng is available in all countries from health shops and other specialist shops, but to find a good supply of the root, seek out the Chinatowns of western countries where it will be found in abundance. It is, of course, easily found in Hong Kong, China, and, of course, Korea who believe that there is nothing that ginseng cannot cure..
Mari Nicholson - Award Winning travel writer and historian, member of British Guild of Travel Writers.Travelwriters.co.uk, and Society of Women Writers and ...
