White Poplar

original: 白楊 (baiyang); refers to the Populus alba. In classical Chinese poetry, the rustling of poplar leaves is often described as "white poplar wind," a sound associated with the melancholy of autumn or the atmosphere of old burial grounds.

[Illustration: This page features a woodcut illustration of a white poplar tree. The artist has emphasized a gnarled and knotted trunk, a stylistic choice common in Ming dynasty encyclopedias like the Sancai Tuhui to denote the age and character of the specimen. The foliage is depicted with sparse, delicate lines, focusing the viewer's attention on the tree's distinctive physical structure.]