Forsythia (Lianqiao)

Lianqiao (連翹) Commonly known in the West as Forsythia (Forsythia suspensa), this plant is prized in traditional medicine for its bright yellow spring flowers and its "cold" medicinal properties used to reduce swelling and fevers.

[Botanical Illustration]

The illustration above serves as a primary scientific record for the identification of the species. It depicts two distinct botanical specimens:

• The Upper Section: Shows an ascending, slender stem featuring leaves growing in opposing pairs.
• The Lower Section: Provides a detailed view of the plant's thick, gnarled rhizome (root system) and more mature, dense foliage.

Woodblock prints like this were essential for practitioners of the Ming and Qing eras, as they provided a visual standard to distinguish genuine medicinal plants from lookalikes in the wild.