Orchid

Volume 26 of the Assembly of Fragrant Plants original: Qunfangpu (羣芳譜). This was a major Ming Dynasty botanical encyclopedia compiled by Wang Xiangjin.

Those who mistake Maimendong original: 麥門冬 (Ophiopogon japonicus), commonly known as Dwarf Lilyturf or Mondo Grass. Its thin, evergreen leaves closely resemble those of certain orchids, leading to frequent confusion in historical texts. for the Orchid never realize their own error. Who was it that first propagated such a false claim?

Hong Qingshan Hong Mai (1123–1202), a prominent Song Dynasty scholar and author known for his wide-ranging intellectual interests. stated: "The Lancao original: 蘭草. Historically, this often referred to the Fragrant Thoroughwort (Eupatorium fortunei) rather than the modern orchid (Cymbidium). grows beside the water; the Zelan original: 澤蘭 (Lycopus lucidus), or Water Horehound. grows in marshes; while the Mountain Orchid grows on the slopes of mountains, resembling the Liujinu original: 劉寄奴 (Siphonostegia chinensis), a flowering herb used in traditional medicine. but with leaves that are not perfectly opposite. The center of its flower is a faint yellowish-red."

Truly, the investigation of things original: Gewu (格物). A core concept in Neo-Confucian philosophy referring to the pursuit of knowledge through the study of the natural world and classic texts. is a subtle art! Whether a plant is in the mountains or in the marshes, it remains what it is; even if their locations were swapped, how could their essential fragrance or character change? As for those unfounded theories—set them aside, set them aside!