Description

Jiu huang ben cao (Materia medica for the relief of famines) was compiled by Zhu Su (1361‒1425), whose given name was Zhou Wang or Zhou Ding Wang, the fifth son of Ming Taizu, the first Ming emperor (reigned 1368‒98). The work is an album with illustrations of local plants and an introduction to the classifications of Chinese plants that were of economic significance. This is also the earliest work on agriculture and botany in China to focus on the relief of famines. While still young, Zhu Su became ...