Ming herbal (painting): Lindera

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Ming herbal (painting): Lindera. Wellcome Collection. Public Domain Mark. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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Description

Painting of lindera (diaozhang) in the meticulous (gongbi) style, in colour on silk, from Bencao tupu (Illustrated Herbal). The painted illustrations in Bencao tupu were jointly executed by Zhou Hu and Zhou Xi in 1644 (the final year of the Ming period). The explanatory texts were provided by Zhou Rongqi. The book was not completed: each volume was to have contained 14-15 paintings, but only 29 are extant. Zhou Rongqi writes: Lindera grows in Chenzhou [in Hunan]. The bush grows to over 1 zheng (c. 3.3 m.) in height. The root and bark are collected in the eighth or ninth [lunar] month and dried for use in medicine. It is pungent in sapor, warm in thermostatic character, and non-poisonous. It has the medicinal effects of killing parasites, promoting the healing of wounds and lesions, promoting diuresis, and getting rid of damp. It is used to treat wounds and lesions, mange (jiexuan), beri-beri (jiaoqi), oedema, itchy rashes, etc.

Lettering

Diaozhang teng (lindera vine) [sic -- possibly a scribal error for 'lindera root' ]

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