Collected Illustrations of the Three Realms: Trees

original: "楮樹" (Chushu) - Paper Mulberry; "椶櫚" (Zonglü) - Fan Palm; "木鱉" (Mubie) - Gac Fruit, literally "wooden soft-shelled turtle" due to the seed's shape; "桑樹" (Sangshu) - Mulberry, the leaves of which are essential for silkworm cultivation; "茶樹" (Chashu) - the Tea plant; "夜合" (Yehe) - Silk Tree, literally "evening closer" because its leaflets fold together at night.

Paper MulberryThe bark of the Broussonetia papyrifera was the primary raw material for making paper in ancient China, making it one of the most economically important trees in this list.

Thick Cinnamonoriginal: "菌桂" (Jungui). A high-quality variety of cinnamon bark, valued in traditional medicine for its "warming" properties.

Gambir-vineoriginal: "鉤藤" (Gouteng). Literally "hook vine," named for the hook-like thorns used in herbal formulas to treat tremors and headaches.

Kneeling Oxoriginal: "伏牛" (Funiu). Likely referring to Damnacanthus indicus, a spiny shrub. The name suggests a plant so thorny or sturdy that even an ox would kneel before it or find it impassable.

Mai-mu-zioriginal: "賣木子" (Maimuzi). A less common name for a medicinal shrub, historically associated with various species including Sageretia theezans. The literal translation is "wood-seller's seed."