June Frost

original: liuyueshuang (六月霜). Likely referring to a species of Lycopus or Adenostemma, common in Chinese folk medicine for their cooling properties.

In the year of Dingwei A year in the traditional 60-year cycle; given the context of such woodblock prints, this likely refers to 1847 or 1907., I was staying at a lodge in Fenghua A district in Ningbo, Zhejiang Province, known for its traditional medicine markets.. During the summer months, the local people all used this plant as a substitute for tea. They said it aids digestion and harmonizes the spleen, and that its medicinal nature is "cold," making it miraculously effective at relieving summer heat.

During the fifth lunar month, the villagers from the mountains usually harvest the plants, dry them, and tie them into bundles to carry into the city for sale. I purchased a bundle for a hundred coins. It looks much like dried peppermint, though it is twice as large. The stems are decorated with small white beads that form into spikes.

The locals say that the seeds are even more potent than the branches or leaves at "descending Qi" original: xiaqi (下氣). A traditional Chinese medicine term for redirecting "rebellious" energy downward to alleviate symptoms like bloating or reflux. and aiding digestion. I once happened to suffer from bloating and discomfort original: pimen (痞悶). A subjective feeling of fullness or oppression in the chest or abdomen., so I took a single branch and steeped it in hot water as a tea. The next day, I had an unusually hearty appetite. Their claims are truly no exaggeration.

The Diverse Species of the Three Realms original: Sancai Zaoyi (三才藻異). A reference to a classical Chinese encyclopedia or natural history text. states: Another name for this plant is "June Cold"; it is also known as Jointed Grass original: qujiecao (曲節草). It is named for its cold nature. Its flowers resemble peppermint, and its leaves look like those of Artemisia anomala original: liujinu (劉寄奴). An herb used to treat stasis, named after the childhood name of a Song Dynasty emperor.. It is also called Snake Indigo original: shelan (蛇藍).