Illustrated Compendium of Materia Medica (Vol. 34)

The Treasure Tree

The Treasure Tree original: "寶樹" (Baoshu). This name is often applied to rare or sacred trees found in temple grounds. grows in the Buddhist temples of Mount Lu A mountain in Jiangxi Province famous for its beauty and long history of Buddhist and Taoist practice.. It stands tall and straight, with leaves resembling those of pines and firs, yet it possesses forked branches. Tradition holds that during the Ming Dynasty, it produced a single flower that looked like a lotus.

According to the Miscellaneous Morsels from Youyang original: "酉陽雜俎" (Youyang Zazu). A wide-ranging collection of Tang Dynasty legends, flora, and fauna compiled by Duan Chengshi in the 9th century., a tree suddenly sprouted in a monk’s cell in Baling. A monk from a foreign land saw it and identified it as the Bala tree original: "婆羅" (Poluo). This refers to the Sal tree (Shorea robusta), under which the Buddha is said to have been born and passed away.. At the beginning of the Yuanjia era 424–453 AD, it produced a lotus-like flower, suggesting it may belong to this category.

The Study of Chinese and Foreign Flowers and Trees original: "華夷花木考" (Huayi Huamu Kao). records that the Bala tree produces seven leaves on every branch. Its flower spikes are exceptionally long and yellow, much like the blossoms of a chestnut tree. After autumn, it bears edible fruit that resembles chestnuts. However, this is actually the Celestial Master’s Chestnut original: "天師栗" (Tianshi Li). Aesculus chinensis, or the Chinese Horse Chestnut. It was often planted in Chinese temples as a substitute for the tropical Sal tree, which could not grow in northern climates. and not the true Bala tree. The great physician Li Shizhen The author of the Compendium of Materia Medica (Bencao Gangmu). also confirmed this to be the case.