Zhiwu Mingshi Tukao (Vol. 2) (1848) - Page 15

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...? Mountain Vegetable Bean original: 山菜豆 (shancaidou). Scientifically known as Radermachera sinica. Though it is a tree in the Bignoniaceae family, it is noted for its long, bean-like pods which gave it its common name. Volume 2: Grains original: 穀類 (gulei). In historical Chinese classification, plants were often grouped by their use; here, it is categorized with grains because its seeds or pods were utilized as a food substitute during crop failures.

The following illustration is a detailed botanical woodcut. It depicts a plant with pinnate compound leaves—where small leaflets are arranged along a central stalk—and clusters of long, slender pods hanging from the branches, resembling green beans.

[Detailed Woodcut Illustration of the Mountain Vegetable Bean]

This style of illustration is characteristic of the Jiu Huang Ben Cao (Famine Relief Herbal), first published in the early 15th century. The woodcut is designed to be a practical field guide; by emphasizing the shape of the leaves and the specific way the pods hang, the author allowed common people to identify the plant accurately in the wild when traditional crops failed.