Fo-ti root, the scientific name of which is polygonum multiflorum goes by many different names, the most colorful of which may be He-Sho Wu, a Mandarin name meaning "He has black hair." According to Chinese legend, fo-ti root restores youthful vigor in older men; Lord He-Sho Wu reportedly lived to the ripe old age of 132. All Fo-Ti root is cured in a black bean solution during processing.

Fo-ti root has an important place among the beneficial herbs that make up the pharmacopeia of Traditional Chinese Herbs (TCM). According to Chinese tradition, dried Fo-ti root should be prepared by boiling it in the same water used to cook black beans; its primary purpose is to restore balance to the body's systems when the yin is weak. Other traditional uses of polygonum multiflorum in traditional Chinese herbs include use for both its diuretic and laxative properties.

All Fo-Ti root is cured in a black bean solution during processing.