Archive for November 2019
Xin Yi 辛夷 (Magnoliae Flos)
A budding magnolia tree next to the busy 3rd Ring Road in Beijing, bristling with Xin Yi 辛夷 (Magnoliae Flos), a herb very commonly used in cases of sinusitis and rhinitis. The bud scales, the furry coverings encasing the buds, are usually formed in summer, and protect the budding leaves and flowers in the harsh…
Read MoreSculpture from Warring States
Amazingly detailed and expressive sculpture from the Warring States period. Amongst those pictured here are two comedians with incredibly dramatic visages, a smiling young maiden and a butcher displaying his wares. The Chengdu Museum is a real treasure trove.
Read MoreYi Quan Power emission意拳发力
Sun Xiang Yong 孙向勇 demonstrating Power emission 发力 from the Yi Quan 意拳 system of traditional Chinese martial arts. Although it looks like a beautiful backdrop, this was really for demonstration purposes only as this kind of humid, misty mountain environment does not really suit this kind of training. Gentler, more Qi based training is…
Read MoreHerbal market in Da Yi 大邑
Travelling through Da Yi 大邑 in Sichuan and stumbled across this local herb market full of many locally sourced, wild products some of which we hadn’t ever come across before – see how many of them you can name (without cheating and looking at the Chinese signs)
Read MoreIllustrations of Water from the Ming Dynasty Materia Medica of Foodstuffs 食物本草
More gorgeous illustrations from the Ming Dynasty Materia Medica of Foodstuffs 食物本草, this time of the various different types of water and their medicinal effects. Although much the text and descriptions of the water are drawn from other sources the illustrations are unique to this text alone
Read MoreTea House at He Ming Mountain 鶴鳴山
Drinking locally grown organic red tea at the tea house in the old Daoist temple at He Ming Mountain 鶴鳴山 in Sichuan. Incredibly sweet and fragrant tea in an incredibly lush mountain environment.
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