An account with a more mythic feel to it has Shen Nong using a red whip to beat the hundred herbs. In this way he was able to learn the characteristics of each and pass down knowledge of herbal medicine.
更神奇的傳說是神農用一根赭鞭來鞭打百草，因而知悉各類藥草的藥性，他將草藥知識傳授下來，成為我國的醫藥之神。