The Lacquer Tree

Dried Lacquer and Raw Lacquer original: 乾漆 (gānqī) and 生漆 (shēngqī) originate in the river valleys of Hanzhong a region in modern Shaanxi province. Today, they are found throughout the regions of Shuhan, Jin, Xia, Xiang, and Qinzhou these names refer to historical administrative divisions across central and southern China.

The tree reaches a height of two to three zhang Zhang: a traditional Chinese unit of length; one zhang is approximately 10 feet or 3.3 meters. Its bark is white, and its leaves resemble those of the Chinese mahogany original: 椿 (chūn); Toona sinensis. The flowers are similar to those of the scholar tree original: 槐 (huái); Styphnolobium japonicum, and its seeds are like those of the buckthorn original: 牛李 (niúlǐ); Rhamnus species. The heartwood of the tree is yellow. During the sixth and seventh lunar months, bamboo tubes are driven into the wood to collect the sap.

Dried Lacquer was traditionally said to be the substance that dries naturally within the lacquer collection buckets; in this form, it resembles a honeycomb original: 蜂房 (fēngfáng).

Its flavor is acrid, its nature is warming, and it is non-toxic. It is primarily used to treat severe traumatic injuries and to "supplement the middle" a reference to tonifying the digestive system and internal energy. It is used to knit together broken tendons and bones, replenish the marrow and brain, and harmonize the five internal organs.

It addresses the "five laxities and six tensions" original: 五緩六急 (wǔ huǎn liù jí); a traditional medical term referring to various states of constitutional weakness or acute spasmodic conditions, as well as "wind-cold-dampness" blockages commonly understood today as rheumatic or arthritic pains caused by environmental factors. It is also used to treat coughing, dissipate blood stasis and abdominal masses, and relieve lower back pain and gynecological masses in women. It benefits the small intestine and helps eliminate parasites and pests from the body.

Raw Lacquer is used specifically to eliminate "longworms" original: 長蟲 (chángchóng); usually referring to tapeworms or other large intestinal parasites. If taken over a long period, it is said to "lighten the body" and help one resist the effects of aging.