The Chinese used sesame oil not only as a light source but also to create soot from which they made their superior sticky ink over 5000 years ago. Ancient Chinese calligraphic works of art using this sticky ink are still in existence.

Dried sesame flowers have been used to cure alopecia, frostbite, constipation (because of sesame oil's laxative effects), and warts. According to secondary sources, sesame oil has been a traditional Chinese remedy for dental and periodontal disorders (such as toothache and gum disease) since the 4th Century BC. Ground sesame seeds were used topically to treat insect bites and skin burns since the 8th Century BC. The Chinese also applied a sesame poultice to the skin to treat numerous disorders, including skin disorders (e.g., wounds and psoriasis) and joint disorders (such as joint inflammation). Sesame seeds (either consumed or applied to the scalp) are believed to prevent hair loss.

Hot water extracts of sesame seed are used to treat a wide range of conditions, including sexual dysfunction (such as impotence) and tuberculosis. Sesame is also used for tonic effects to promote healthy liver function and to prevent menopausal symptoms (such as vaginal dryness) in women. In western China (Tibet), sesame is said to promote weight gain in the underweight and also said to help overweight individuals avoid obesity.

Ancient Chinese civilisations regarded Sesame as the seed of longevity and there are many Chinese stories that talk about how consuming black sesame seeds can bring about longevity and beauty. Based on theories in Traditional Chinese Medicine, it is believed that ageing, the toils of life and worrying could bring about deficiencies in bodily functions. In particular, the liver and the kidney could be deficient in “Jing” and “Blood”. This deficiency in turn brings about ageing related symptoms like blurry vision, graying of hair as well as weakness in bones and joints. What the black sesame does is then provide the nutrients required to correct such “Liver-Kidney” and help the body to delay the onset of ageing related symptoms.

According to the Compendium of Materia Medica, the most comprehensive book on Traditional Chinese Medicine,