Ming herbal (painting): Longan

Monochrome painting of the longan (longyan, Dimocarpus longan) from Diannan bencao tushuo (The Illustrated Yunnan Pharmacopoeia). Diannan bencao tushuo was compiled by the Ming (1368-1644) writer Lan Mao in the 14th-15th century. The word 'Dian' in the title refers to the Yunnan region, in the Southwest of China. It provides a record of the plants and other substances commonly used for medicinal purposes in Yunnan in the Ming period. Most of the entries are illustrated with ink and wash paintings. This manuscript copy was executed in 1773 (38th year of the Qianlong reign period of the Qing dynasty, Gui Si year) by Zhu Jingyang. In the text, Lan Mao states: The longyan has the medicinal properties of nourishing the blood and calming the mind, enhancing the intellect, astringing perspiration, dispelling parasitic toxins (gudu), removing malign Qi (xieqi) from the five viscera, and invigorating the spleen. It is used to treat fright palpitations and fearful throbbing (jingji zhengzhong), impaired memory and insomnia, insufficiency-overexertion (xulao), frailty and emaciation etc. The powdered, calcined peel is applied externally to treat wounds that fail at length to heal. The kernel, ground to a powder and appled externally, is used to treat scrofula (luoli) and goitre.

Longan (longyan, Dimocarpus longan) is indicated for nourishing the blood, calming the mind and enhancing the intellect, astringing perspiration, dispelling parasitic toxins (gudu), removing malign Qi from the five viscera, stimulating the appetite, and replenishing the spleen. For unweaned infants who will not take food. The powdered peel is used as a salve for incised wounds, which heal extremely rapidly. The leaves are sun-dried and ground to powder, and applied, for children, to the seven-star location. When the child comes out in a pox, there will only be a few lesions; and it also dispels foetal poisons [which are expressed in the infant as skin conditions, etc.]. It is most efficacious if seven leaves(?) are also administered to the child. The kernels are ground to make a powdered medicine which is used to treat goitre.