Ben Cao Gang Mu, Volume 3: Mountain & Fragrant Herbs of Ming China

The Ben Cao Gang Mu (Compendium of Materia Medica), compiled by Li Shizhen (1518–1593), is the most comprehensive encyclopedia of traditional Chinese medicine ever written. Volume 3 translates Chapters 12–14, focusing on mountain herbs and fragrant herbs — plants treasured for their healing properties, aromatic qualities, and spiritual significance. For herbalists, gardeners, and researchers, this volume offers a window into how the Ming Dynasty classified and used herbs from highland and aromatic plant families.

Why It’s Tough Enough for Tough Kraut
• Deep Dive into Herbs: This volume details mountain herbs and fragrant herbs, connecting each plant’s properties to its medicinal and cultural role.
• Expanding the Flora of TCM: Following the mineral and elemental focus of Volume 2, this book returns to plants, highlighting species that shaped herbal traditions for centuries.
• UNESCO-Registered Treasure: Part of the Ben Cao Gang Mu, recognized in 2011 as a global documentary heritage, preserving wisdom that has guided generations.
• Modern Herbal Relevance: From aromatics to alpine botanicals, many entries remain part of today’s herbal pharmacopeia, linking historical remedies with modern applications.

Proven Finishing Touches
• Highly Respected Translation: Paul Unschuld’s annotated edition pairs English commentary with the original Chinese text, providing depth and clarity.
• Cultural & Practical Significance: Fragrant herbs were valued not only for health but also for rituals, daily life, and symbolic meaning.
• Praised by Practitioners: Readers note its usefulness in bridging academic study with practical herbal insight.

Why We Love It
For us at Tough Kraut, this volume resonates deeply: mountain herbs remind us of the resilient plants thriving in tough landscapes, while fragrant herbs connect us to the sensory joy of working with nature. Just as our own homestead garden mixes function with beauty, Li Shizhen documented herbs for both healing and spirit. This book inspires us to see plants not just as resources but as companions in resilience.

Get Yours Now
Ready to learn from the aromatic and alpine herbs of Ming China? Ben Cao Gang Mu, Volume 3 is available through University of California Press and on Amazon in your region.

Specifications
• Title: Ben Cao Gang Mu, Volume 3: Mountain Herbs, Fragrant Herbs
• Author: Li Shizhen (1518–1593)
• Translator/Editor: Paul Unschuld
• Publisher: University of California Press
• Series: Ben Cao Gang Mu (9 volumes, 10 books)
• First Draft Completed: 1578 (Ming Dynasty)
• UNESCO Registration Year: 2011
• ISBN: 978-0520385016