Wild Exotic Bamboos

Wild Exotic Bamboos

　　The bamboos of Yongzhou are graceful and full of charm, each with its own unique appeal. The tall and upright ones are moso bamboo, also known as nan bamboo. Fearless, they pierce straight toward the blue sky and are hailed as the "stalwart gentlemen" of the bamboo grove. The largest moso bamboo can have a section cut from it to make a bucket. In the past, mountain folk built their entire houses using bamboo. They used bamboo for water diversion and road construction. Especially in the home, many household items were made from bamboo: bamboo beds, bamboo mats, bamboo chairs, bamboo stools, bamboo bowls, bamboo cups, bamboo kettles, bamboo chopsticks, bamboo ladles, bamboo hats, bamboo sieves, and more. Even more uniquely, some mosquito nets were woven from bamboo fibers as fine as hair—called bamboo nets. People even cooked rice in bamboo tubes. The glory of bamboo culture is displayed here in all its splendor.

　　In Shunhuang Mountain, there is a variant of moso bamboo—golden jade bamboo, locally called "gold inlaid with jade" or "jade inlaid with gold." This bamboo grows as tall as moso bamboo, but its sections are marked with neatly arranged bands of yellow and green. The yellow resembles gold, and the green resembles jade. Sometimes, when yellow dominates, with green embedded within, it is called "jade inlaid with gold." This type of bamboo usually grows in a specific area and never mingles with other bamboos, appearing proud and elegant. Row upon row, patch upon patch, in alternating hues of gold and jade, they stand gracefully adorned, attracting visitors as the "beauty queens" of the bamboo grove.

　　Mottled bamboo. It has many aliases, such as tear bamboo or Xiangfei bamboo. It is a magnificent ornamental bamboo, with culms that shine brightly and are naturally covered with dense, tear-like markings—some purple-black, some snow-white, some blood-red. These speckled patterns sway gracefully in the wind, symbolizing the sincere and noble love between the legendary Ehuang, Nüying, and Emperor Shun. It is also famed worldwide for its translucent, glossy outer skin. Mottled bamboo is mainly found in Jiuyi Mountain and Shunhuang Mountain. Legend has it that when Emperor Shun went on a southern tour, he died in Cangwu and was buried in Jiuyi. His two consorts, Ehuang and Nüying, came in search of him, traveling up the Xiao River. Upon hearing the tragic news, they were heartbroken, cried until they had no more tears, and then wept blood, which fell onto the bamboo and turned it into mottled bamboo. Hence the poetic line: “One branch of mottled bamboo holds a thousand teardrops, each one a testament to love.”

　　A rare and curious sight is the purple bamboo, a variant of light bamboo. Its leaves are needle-shaped, growing two or three per twig, green on the surface and slightly white underneath, with culms standing three to five meters tall. New bamboo shoots start off green but gradually turn purple-black. Mature bamboo culms are jet-black and shiny, as if coated with lacquer, hence also called oil bamboo, black bamboo, or ink bamboo. “The bamboo leaves stay green and refuse to yellow, the branches stand gracefully against the bitter cold, shining bright in the east wind alongside all things, while new shoots eagerly push through the soil.” The revolutionary elder Dong Biwu vividly captured the growth characteristics and unyielding nature of purple bamboo in this poem. The tough, dark-purple bamboo culms are precious materials for making flutes, pipes, walking sticks, umbrella handles, and industrial products. Some say that carrying a piece of purple bamboo will keep venomous snakes at bay and stray dogs away. Purple bamboo is mainly found in Dong’an, Shuangpai, and Ningyuan. Due to its unique culm color, it can be planted in courtyards for landscaping, beautification, and ornamental purposes. The culm wood can be used for special weaving, and the shoots are edible.

　　Another beloved "circus clown" in the bamboo grove is the tortoise-shell bamboo. None of its sections are straight—all are tilted and crooked, with swollen, round ridges and a bumpy surface. From afar, it looks just like a little turtle stretching its neck up the bamboo stalk. It perfectly embodies the proverb: “Where there is not enough uprightness, there is ample crooked charm.”

　　Monk’s head bamboo is also amusing, as each section swells like a big belly—hence it is also called Buddha belly bamboo.

　　There is also a type called umbrella bamboo. Actually, it is not bamboo but a bamboo byproduct—bamboo “grandchildren.” Bamboo grandchildren are an extremely valuable mountain delicacy, a type of fungus that parasitizes the roots and decaying leaves of bamboo. It has a stem and a cap, with the cap being particularly beautiful, resembling a delicate white silk web. Thus, it is also called “immortal’s umbrella” and is considered a premium delicacy for entertaining guests, with an exceptionally delicious taste. Currently, some areas in our city have begun cultivating it artificially.

　　The bamboos of Yongzhou are the embodiment of beauty. In life, they are beautiful; in death, they become the soul of beauty. Yongzhou’s breathable bamboo mats, ventilated bamboo chopsticks, canned winter bamboo shoots, bamboo-carved calligraphy and paintings, and bamboo furniture are exquisitely crafted. Their beauty spreads from the Xiaoxiang region across the land, from the East to the West. No wonder Su Dongpo once said: “I would rather eat without meat than live without bamboo.”