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Tingli

Original: Tingli (葶藶). This name refers to the seeds of the Tansy Mustard (Descurainia sophia) or the Draba herb. In traditional medicine, these tiny seeds were known for their potent ability to "drain the lungs" and reduce swelling.

Tingli

[Illustration: A woodcut botanical illustration of the Tingli plant. It shows two variations of the herb: one with slender stalks bearing small seed pods, and another positioned artfully next to a scholar’s rock, a common aesthetic choice in Ming dynasty technical manuals to indicate the plant's natural habitat.]

Rhubarb

Original: Dahuang (大黃), literally "The Great Yellow."

Rhubarb grows in mountain valleys everywhere. The variety from Shuchuan The historical name for the Sichuan region characterized by "brocade patterns" Original: jinwen (錦紋). This describes the beautiful, marble-like veining seen in the cross-section of the dried root, which was considered proof of the highest medicinal quality. is considered the best. The next best varieties come from the Qin and Long regions Modern-day Shaanxi and Gansu provinces and are known as Tibetan Rhubarb.

In the first month of the lunar calendar, the plant produces green leaves that resemble those of the castor bean Original: Bima (蓖麻), Ricinus communis. The roots are similar to taro, reaching one to two feet in length, with side roots resembling those of burdock; even the smaller roots look like taro. In the fourth month, it opens yellow flowers, though some varieties have bluish-red flowers that resemble buckwheat blossoms. The stems are bluish-purple and shaped like bamboo.

The variety produced in the Jianghuai region The fertile plains between the Yangtze and Huai rivers is called Earth Rhubarb Original: Tu-dahuang (土大黃). This usually refers to local wild dock species (Rumex) which were often used as a cheaper or more accessible substitute for true medicinal rhubarb.. It flowers in the second month and produces small fruit.

Additionally, Dingzhou In modern Hebei province produces a type called Sheep’s Hoof Rhubarb Original: Yangti-dahuang (羊蹄大黃). This plant, likely Rumex japonicus, is named for its leaves which are shaped like the hoof of a sheep.