Plants and animals help keep the soil fertile. Plant roots tunnel through the soil and break it up, and decaying plants form humus. Burrowing animals mix the soil; the excrete of animals contribute nutrients and improve soil structure.
Chinese medicine is a system of medicine partly based on the idea that an energy, called qi (say chee), flows along pathways in the body called meridians. In this belief, if the flow of qi along these meridians is blocked or unbalanced, illness can occur.
Chinese boxthorn is a major Chinese tonic herb with a history of almost 2,000 years of medicinal use. Both the berries and the root are used and traditionally the plant is believed to promote long life. The fruit is one of the most popular tonics used in Chinese herbal medicine.