The humble mung bean is fast becoming a precious commodity thanks to a television endorsement by a Chinese health guru. So swift has been the increase in the cost of a jin (500 grams) of the little green beans that the Government has had to step in to cool the market before the rise contributes to a spike in inflation. 

    Much of the blame has been laid at the feet of Zhang Wuben, who gained national fame with a talk show on popular Hunan Television. Officials have now taken the unusual step of declaring that he lacks any proper medical qualifications. The man himself has disappeared. 

    One Beijing housewife said: “It’s true that in the market the price of one jin of mung beans is now nine yuan when it was only four yuan a year ago. My friends say it’s because of the drought in the southwest. But others say it’s because Zhang Wuben recommended green bean soup.” 

    State media avoided mentioning Mr. Zhang as a factor in the price rise. However, his Wubentang clinic in eastern Beijing has been dismantled. His rise to fame began in 2000 when he started selling healthcare products and teaching Chinese medicine. Three years ago his book “Eat out the Diseases You Have Eaten” — mostly recipes based on mung beans, eggplant and white radish — sold three million copies. Long queues and waiting lists appeared at his clinic where an appointment with the master could cost 1,800 yuan. Before the clinic closed, clients were told they would have to wait two years to see him, even though he saw 50 patients a day. 

    One patient suffering from lethargy and dry eyes was given a prescription requiring her to stew 2.5 kilos of mung beans with 50 grams of liquorice root for seven to eight minutes and to substitute this for all drinks. She was to eat raw balsam pear for lunch, raw eggplant for dinner and a glass of raw radish juice before bed. 

    In a recent newspaper interview, Mr. Zhang said: “The rising prices are completely unrelated to my food treatment. I am a man, not a god. You can’t say that I have anything to do with a rise in the price of eggplant simply because I say to eat eggplant. Hot peppers are what I oppose most strongly, but their price has risen too.”

    Last year the price of garlic soared after rumors circulated claiming that eating it could prevent swine flu. 

    Source: Times

 “保健神医”神话破灭

       不起眼的绿豆因为一位电视上中国保健“专家”的推荐成了抢手货。绿豆价格飞涨，为防止引起通货膨胀，政府不得不进行市场干预。

       很多人责备张悟本，他因为在湖南台的一档电视谈话节目闻名全国。官方已经宣布张悟本没有正规的从医资质，他本人也不再露面。

       一个北京的家庭主妇说：“去年绿豆只有四元一斤，现在是九元一斤。我朋友说这是因为西南的旱灾，但其他人说是因为张悟本推荐吃绿豆。”

       国内媒体没有说明张悟本是造成食品涨价的因素，但是在北京东部的悟本堂已经被拆除。张从2000年开始销售保健用品和教授中医，并开始出名。三年前张悟本的书《把吃出来的病吃回去》卖了三百万本，书中主要的方子就是绿豆、茄子和白萝卜。在他的悟本堂，患者求诊排长队，而他看一个号要收1800元。在悟本堂拆除前，挂号者被告知，即使张悟本每天看50名患者，要排到还要等两年。

       他给一名有昏睡症和干眼症的患者开的药方是，每天用五斤绿豆和一两甘草煮七八分钟当茶喝，午饭吃生香梨，晚饭吃生茄子，睡觉前喝一杯生萝卜汁。

       在最近的一次采访中，张悟本说：“价格上涨和我的食疗完全没有关系。我只是个凡人，不是神，不能因为我说要吃茄子，就说我和茄子涨价有关。我是很反对吃辣椒的，可它的价格也在涨啊。”

       去年，因为有谣传大蒜能防治甲流，导致蒜价大涨。

       张薇薇译