Ming herbal (painting): Paulownia

Painting of the paulownia or Chinese parasol tree 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: The paulownia flower (tonghua) is also known as the flower of the Chinese parasol tree (wutong hua). The Chinese parasol tree (wutong) is found everywhere. It has a fairly straight trunk, green bark,and smooth, pointed leaves with three sections. The flowers are pale yellow and have fine pistils. The seeds are spherical. Pawlonia seed is sweet in sapor, neutral in thermostatic character, and non-poisonous. It has the medicinal effects of moving Qi, regulating the stomach, and promoting digestion. It is used to treat stagnant accumulation of food and drink, paediatric mouth ulcers, etc. Pounded till liquefied, it can be applied externally to get rid of white hair and promote the growth of black hair. The white bark of the Chinese parasol tree is sweet in sapor and neutral in thermostatic character. It has the medicinal effects of dispelling wind, harmonising the blood, and alleviating pain. It is used to treat greying hair at the temples, failure to lactate, haemorrhoids and anal prolapse, etc. The leaves of the Chinese parasol tree are bitter in sapor, cold in thermostatic character, and non-poisonous. They have the effects of clearing heat and dispelling poisons, and dispelling wind and removing dampness. They are used to treat boils, toxic swellings (zhongdu), abscesses on the back, etc.

Paulownia flower (tonghua)