[The history of development of oral medicinal liquor before the Song and Yuan Dynasties].

This paper examines the development history of oral medicinal liquor before the Song and Yuan Dynasties and delineates its evolutionary trajectory parallel with the history of traditional Chinese medicine. The oral medicinal liquor turned from sacrificial offerings to medical applications, with excavated bamboo and silk manuscripts and medical texts corroborating its extensive clinical use in the pre-Qin and Han Dynasties. Its production process became increasingly standardized, as its separate dosage form evolved. Its formulation composition and scope of application were also expanded significantly with the compatibility principle of 'using medicine with the help of liquor' in the Jin and Tang Dynasties. The application of distillation technology as a core breakthrough in the Song and Yuan Dynasties enhanced its extraction efficacy and preservation capacity. The number of oral medicinal liquor formulas recorded in medical texts increased dramatically, with diversification of producing methods at that time. The distinctive use model 'taking pills and powders with medicinal liquor' emerged. The function of oral medicinal liquor was expanded from disease treatment to health and wellness, with particular attention on elderly care and recuperation. It was found that oral medicinal liquor is an important carrier of traditional Chinese medicine. Its future development should to adhere to the principles of inheritance and innovation, with the help of modern sciences and technology to promote its standardisation and scientification.