Illustrated Investigation of the Names and Realities of Plants, Volume 4

Vegetables, Volume 4

Illustrated Investigation of Plant Names and Realities
Page 2

Among vegetables, those that are both sweet and salty have their essence focused entirely on the sweetness. If a zither or a lute played only a single, monotonous note, who could bear to listen to it?

However, if a flavor is sweet and clear, or sweet and rich, there are still those who will crave it. Yet, if one indulges in such things for too long, "tooth-worms" original: 齒蟲, chǐchóng; an old term for dental caries or cavities, once believed to be caused by literal worms and "stomach-parasites" original: 胃魷鼈, wèiyóubiē, literally "stomach squid-turtles," referring to various internal parasites or digestive ailments caused by poor diet are born. Even the weevils that fly among the grains become pests original: 蠱, gǔ, a term for parasitic or venomous entities created through stagnation because the sweetness is unrestrained by any other flavor.

When it comes to that which is sweet yet "turbid" and "incorrect" original: 邪, xié, meaning deviant, off-flavor, or unhealthy, then both the high-ranking literati and the humble gardeners despise it; the Beet Greens original: 蕎菜, qiáocài; here referring back to the leaf beet/chard discussed previously are exactly such a plant.

There are many people in this world who try to please others with "sweetness" i.e., flattery. Some people are pleased by it, and some are not. Is this simply because tastes differ? Or is it because, like the turbid and "incorrect" sweetness of this vegetable, such flattery is fundamentally base and despised by people of character? Those who flatter, and those who love to be flattered, must surely be able to distinguish this for themselves.