Dit Da Jow
Dit Da Jow — Traditional Martial Arts Medicine
Dit Da Jow (跌打酒), often translated as “fall-hit wine,” is a traditional form of Chinese martial arts herbal medicine developed to address the kinds of injuries commonly encountered in Kung Fu training and everyday life. Herbal liniments and preparations have traditionally been used for bruising, swelling, soreness, inflammation, sprains, strains, and recovery following impact, falls, and other traumatic injuries. Dit Da medicine has also traditionally been used as part of the care of more persistent joint and musculoskeletal complaints.
My relationship with this medicine began through Kung Fu more than 35 years ago. In many ways, I feel that I received two different educations in Chinese medicine.
One was my formal, scholastic education in acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine. The other was a much more traditional, street-level education that came through decades of martial arts practice—learning from my Kung Fu teachers, spending time in the herb shops of Chinatown, and studying with people whose knowledge of herbs and traditional remedies was passed down through experience and generations of practice.
Those two paths gave me very different perspectives on the same medicine.
As a longtime Kung Fu practitioner, I understand these remedies from the perspective of someone who has actually trained, been struck, fallen, grappled, and dealt with the injuries that accompany decades of martial arts practice. As a licensed acupuncturist and Chinese herbalist, I can also approach those traditions through the lens of formal Chinese medical training, anatomy, pattern differentiation, herbal pharmacology, and modern clinical practice.
My approach to Dit Da medicine brings these two educations together: the traditional knowledge of the martial arts and Chinatown herb shops with the clinical perspective of acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine.
It is a tradition I have spent decades studying, practicing, and preserving, and one that I am honored to now share with my patients.
Dit Da Jow
Dit Da Jow (跌打酒), often translated as “fall-hit wine,” is a traditional Chinese herbal liniment that has been used for generations as part of Kung Fu training and martial arts medicine. Traditionally applied to bruises, swelling, soreness, sprains, strains, and injuries caused by striking, falling, and repetitive training, Dit Da Jow has long been an important part of the martial artist’s approach to injury care and recovery.
Dit da Gao
Dit Da Gao (跌打膏) refers to a traditional herbal plaster or paste used in Dit Da medicine. Herbs are finely powdered and combined with a thickening or binding medium to form a paste, which is applied directly over the injured area and may be left in place for an extended period, often overnight. Unlike Dit Da Jow, in which herbs are traditionally extracted in alcohol over time, Gao provides prolonged, direct contact between the herbal preparation and the affected area.
Internal Formulas
nternal Herbal Decoctions are customized herbal formulas taken internally to support the body following injury and during recovery. Unlike topical preparations, internal formulas are individually tailored to the patient, allowing us to address deeper patterns and imbalances that may be contributing to pain, inflammation, circulation, healing, and overall recovery.
Reach Out to Us
If you have any questions about Dit Da Jow, Chinese herbal medicine, acupuncture, moxibustion, or traditional Kung Fu, please don’t hesitate to reach out. I’m always happy to answer questions, share what I’ve learned, and have a conversation about these traditional practices.
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