Illustrated Investigation of the Names and Realities of Plants (Volume 25)

Orchid Flower original: Lanhua (蘭花). In East Asian tradition, this primarily refers to Cymbidium species, valued for their subtle fragrance and association with the "gentleman" scholar.

The Orchid Flower is what Tao Yinju Tao Hongjing (456–536 AD), a renowned Taoist physician and pharmacologist. called "Swallow Grass." Li Shizhen The famous Ming Dynasty author of the Compendium of Materia Medica (Bencao Gangmu). considered it to be the "Earthly Teasel," while the text Leisurely Observations of Xunzhai referred to it as the "Quiet Orchid." Its varieties are numerous. In the mountains during the spring, those with a single flower per stem and those with several flowers per stem are found everywhere.

Among those produced in Min Fujian Province, China, historically famous for orchid cultivation., the Pure Heart original: Suxin (素心). This refers to orchid blossoms with a clear, unspotted labellum (lip), which were—and are—highly prized for their perceived purity. variety is the most highly valued. It is a common custom to preserve the flowers in honey and add them to tea. However, its roots are poisonous; eating them causes a sense of suffocation and loss of consciousness. Not all varieties are depicted in this illustration.

Farmer Yue Lou says: "The Botanical Commentary on the Lisao The Lisao (Encountering Sorrow) is a classic Chinese poem by Qu Yuan; the commentary identifies the many plants mentioned in the text. states that the orchid can be used for bathing but should not be eaten."

A scholar from Lang-Shu An area in modern-day Sichuan Province. says: "I have frequently seen people who, being drunk and thirsty, drank the water from a vase containing orchid flowers, only to suffer from vomiting and diarrhea and subsequently die. Furthermore, among the poisons stored in the Gorges to harm people, the orchid flower is ranked first. Thus we know that which is exceptionally beautiful must also have an exceptionally evil side. The orchid is the 'Fragrance of the Nation,' and people wear it to be charming; yet one should love it while also being aware of its dangers.

Alas! If the orchid is classified as a 'Superior Medicine' in the classics, how could it be a poisonous weed? Those who do not recognize the true orchid are merely writing slanderous books."

Refining through leaf transformation... The text cuts off here, continuing the discussion of the plant's physical changes or cultivation techniques.