Jiu Huang Ben Cao: A Plant Atlas for Famine
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Introduction
Jiu Huang Ben Cao ("Materia Medica for Famine Relief") was an illustrated botanical manual for plants that could be used for survival during famines, written by Zhu Su, who was the son of Hongwu Emperor in the Ming dynasty. A total of 414 species of plants were recorded, each with exquisite woodcut illustrations. Among them, 245 species of grass, 80 species of wood, 20 species of grain, 23 species of fruits, and 46 species of vegetable were organized into different sections. The book has 4 volumes with 16 chapters, each focusing on one category such as birds, insects, animals, flowers, utensils, plants, stones, mountains, people, scenery, etc. The substrate is Chinese Xuan paper, a kind of thin paper fits perfectly with Chinese painting and calligraphy. The book is thread-bound as many old Chinese books are. It is not only the ancient poetry paper book with the largest number of patterns and designs, but also a treasure work combining painting, engraving and printing techniques of the Ming dynasty.