The Root That Was Worth More Than Gold

For centuries, Chinese Rhubarb was considered one of the most valuable roots in the world. Known as Da Huang, the Great Yellow, this mysterious root traveled across deserts, mountains, and empires along the Silk Road. Marco Polo wrote about the abundance and quality of rhubarb in China, while European apothecaries later paid enormous prices for it. But the story becomes even more surprising when China threatened to use rhubarb as a political weapon against Britain during the Opium tensions. From ancient Chinese medicine to Marco Polo and the Silk Road, discover the incredible story of the root that was worth more than gold.