Ben Cao Gang Mu, Volume 5: Creeping Herbs, Water Herbs, Mosses & Cereals

The Ben Cao Gang Mu (Compendium of Materia Medica), compiled by Li Shizhen (1518–1593), stands as the most complete medical encyclopedia in the history of traditional Chinese medicine. Volume 5 translates Chapters 18–25, focusing on creeping herbs, aquatic plants, herbs growing on stones, mosses, and cereals. This section reveals the diverse plant life spanning hidden groundcovers to staple grains, each documented for their healing and nutritional roles in Ming-era medicine.

Why It’s Tough Enough for Tough Kraut
• Diverse Plant Categories: From water herbs to stone-growing plants and mosses, this volume highlights species often overlooked yet vital in traditional healing systems.
• Cereals as Medicine: Grains are documented not only as food but also as functional remedies, bridging daily sustenance with therapeutic use.
• Part of UNESCO Heritage: The Ben Cao Gang Mu, listed in 2011 by UNESCO, preserves centuries of accumulated herbal and botanical wisdom.
• Living Lessons: For gardeners, herbalists, and permaculturists, it shows how even humble mosses and cereals have their place in holistic health.

Proven Finishing Touches
• Ground-Level Detail: Creeping herbs and mosses illustrate Li Shizhen’s meticulous care for plants both common and obscure.
• Trusted Translation: Paul Unschuld’s side-by-side annotated edition ensures the text is both accessible and academically rigorous.
• Valued by Practitioners: Readers appreciate how the Ben Cao Gang Mu connects hidden ecological niches with human wellbeing.

Why We Love It
At Tough Kraut, we relate to this volume’s focus on the often-overlooked plants that thrive in cracks, water edges, and stones. On our homestead, groundcovers, creeping herbs, and cereals all play a role in resilience — feeding soil, people, and animals alike. Volume 5 reminds us that every plant, no matter how small, has a function in the wider system.

Get Yours Now
Ready to uncover the wisdom of creeping herbs, mosses, and cereals? Ben Cao Gang Mu, Volume 5 is available through University of California Press and on Amazon in your region.

Specifications
• Title: Ben Cao Gang Mu, Volume 5: Creeping Herbs, Water Herbs, Herbs Growing on Stones, Mosses, Cereals
• 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: 978-0520385054