original: 重刊本草綱目考, Chóngkān Běncǎo Gāngmù Kǎo. This refers to a scholarly study of a reprinted edition of Li Shizhen’s 16th-century masterpiece of Chinese medicine.

Page Three

Vegetables, Volume 4

Fennel

[A fine-line woodcut botanical illustration of a fennel plant is displayed here. It is characterized by its upright stems, delicate feathery leaves—technically called pinnatisect leaves—and a sturdy, bulbous rooted base. This style of woodblock printing was typical of the Ming and Qing dynasties, designed to provide scholars and physicians with an accurate visual guide for identifying plants in the wild.]

original: 蘹香, Huáixiāng. In modern Chinese, this plant is more commonly known as Xiǎohuíxiāng. Fennel has been used in China for centuries both as a flavorful vegetable and as a medicinal herb to aid digestion and regulate "Qi" (vital energy).