King Wen's Writing Brush

King Wen's Writing Brush

　　Classification: Belongs to the genus Balanophora of the family Balanophoraceae, a dicotyledonous plant. 　　

　　Appearance: King Wen's Writing Brush is a perennial herb with a stem resembling a pen tube. Its head is slightly enlarged, round and slightly pointed, and the inflorescence resembles a brush tip dipped in ink. It is purplish-red, very bright and beautiful, and those who do not recognize it may mistake it for a poisonous fungus.　 　　

　　Efficacy: The whole dried plant is used medicinally, with effects such as stopping bleeding, promoting tissue regeneration, and relieving pain.　 　　

　　Growing Environment: King Wen's Writing Brush grows in the mountain forests at altitudes of 1000–2500 meters in locations such as Hongping, Bancang, Xiaguoping, Dalongtan, Yinuyu River, and Yazi Stone within the Shennongjia Forest District. 　　

　　Origin of the Medicinal Name: According to folklore, when King Wen of Zhou passed through Shennongjia, he was full of praise for the area’s stunning mountains and clear waters. While enjoying the scenery, drinking wine, writing poetry, painting, and reviewing official documents, he accidentally dropped his brush down a cliff while drunk. Unexpectedly, this left behind a unique medicinal herb for Shennongjia.