Chinese Gall

(Galla Chinensis)

original: 五倍子 (Wǔ Bèi Zǐ). Also known as the "Hundred Insect Granary," these are galls produced by aphids on the Sumac tree (Rhus chinensis). They are highly prized in traditional medicine for their powerful astringent properties, used to stop bleeding, treat coughs, and as a component in dyes and inks.

[Botanical Illustration]
A detailed woodblock print depicting the Galla Chinensis plant. The image shows branches with serrated, ovate leaves and the characteristic galls—irregular, bumpy outgrowths—on the stems. The plant is depicted growing from a stylized rocky base, a common artistic convention in Ming dynasty scientific illustrations to indicate the plant's natural habitat.

The term "Fivefold Seeds" (Wǔ Bèi Zǐ) refers to the shape and density of the galls. In the Ming dynasty, encyclopedias like the Sancai Tuhui served as essential visual guides for scholars and physicians to identify such Materia Medica in the wild.