Bencao yuanshi (Origins of Materia Medica) by Li Zhongli is a herbal in 12 volumes, containing 379 illustrations. It was first published in 1612. This illustration of the Japanese thistle (daji, Cirsium Japonicum) and field thistle (xiaoji, Cirsium segetum) is taken from the revised edition of Ge Ding, engraved in 1638 (11th year of the Chongwen reign period of the Ming dynasty, Wu Yi year).
The Japanese thistle and field thistle are similar in appearance. They have thorny leaves. The Japanese thistle grows to 3-4 chi in height (1 chi [Chinese foot] = c. 1/3 m.) and has wrinkled leaves, while the field thistle grows to about 1 chi and the leaves are not wrinkled. Both varieties are employed in medicine, either the entire plant or the root being used. They have a similar sapor and thermostatic character, both being sweet and cooling, and non-poisonous. They have the medicinal properties of cooling the blood and arresting bleeding, removing blood stasis and reducing swelling. They are used to treat bringing up blood (tu xue) and nose bleeds; blood in the faeces and urine; metrorrhagea (flooding, xuebeng); boils and toxic swellings (zhongdu), etc.
