The Book of Compendium of Materia Medica and Lotus

Li Shizheng was a great master in medicine and pharmaceutics in the 16th century in China, and his book, Compendium of Materia Medica, is a classical work in the history of Chinese science and technology development. He specially loved lotus, and in the famous book he used about 7 000 words to describe its naming, geographical distribution, germplasm resources, propagation techniques, and edible and medicinal value. Based on the previous studies by others, he cut off trivial details and filled in new discoveries, correct errors and proposed his own opinion on the medicinal function of each part of lotus plant. Served as a pharmaceutical expert of ordinary people, his love to lotus expressed his exalted spirit. He was born in a family of medicine, grew in the hometown of lotus, and his life-time friend was his teacher, all of these were the important history background to bring up him a great man.