Can cut bamboo survive without roots? A guide to planting methods
Bamboo gives people a feeling of tranquility and serenity, which is why many people like to use bamboo for environmental decoration. Although bamboo has strong vitality and is easy to care for, how should bamboo be planted? And can bamboo that has been cut into sections survive without roots?
Bamboo has quite strong vitality. Generally, once it is established, it basically needs no care, and it can produce offspring upon offspring, growing into a large clump. Of course, I am talking about Fargesia, Phyllostachys, green bamboo, and the like; lucky bamboo is cultivated differently. When it comes to planting, how should bamboo be planted, and can rootless bamboo survive?
There is a chance that bamboo without roots can be planted successfully, such as green bamboo. When bamboo has no roots, it is mostly propagated by cuttings.
I. Bamboo planting method one
In Sichuan, I have seen bamboo successfully grown using the following method. Choose thick, sturdy bamboo and take a middle section, with a length of three or four nodes; it is even better if one or two leaves can be kept on the nodes, and the bamboo section should be undamaged. Cut the lower end of the selected bamboo section into a slanted opening (the blade must be sharp), and insert it into a hole dug in advance (water the soil in the hole until it becomes muddy, and a little rooting powder may be added).
It should be noted that the end buried in the soil must have a node. In the early stage of planting, be sure to maintain moisture; after planting, be sure to water thoroughly, and do not shake it at will. Fill the topmost node of the bamboo with water.
II. Bamboo planting method two
Some people also stuff both ends of the bamboo section with mud and bury the whole piece in the soil. No matter which method is used, clumping bamboo has a higher survival rate than running bamboo and mixed bamboo. Generally, clumping bamboo shows results one or two months after planting. The latter two take more than three months; if there is still no response after six or seven months, then it can be pulled out directly.
III. Lucky bamboo planting method
Besides the bamboo planting methods above, lucky bamboo is cultivated differently from these. Of course, lucky bamboo is not really bamboo; it belongs to the Liliaceae family, while bamboo belongs to the Poaceae family.
When rooting lucky bamboo in a vase, use a sharp knife to cut its lower end into a slanted opening, remove excess leaves, soak it in a solution with rooting powder for one or two hours, then place it in the vase, changing the water once every three or four days. After white fibrous roots grow, do not change the water frequently; change it only when the water in the vase becomes low. At this time, you can apply a little fertilizer to ensure an appropriate and sufficient supply of nutrients.
On ordinary days, lucky bamboo should be placed in a sunny spot, but avoid exposure to strong sunlight, especially in summer. In addition, if dust collects on the leaves of lucky bamboo, wipe it clean with a wet towel. You can occasionally spray some water around it, which helps prevent the leaf tips from turning yellow and dry.
No matter what kind of bamboo it is, cultivating it requires no shortage of patience. I hope the above points are somewhat helpful.
Bamboo Bambusoideae Bamboo guide: how to grow bamboo / how to propagate bamboo
Bamboo profileBamboo Bambusoideae
Alias: bamboo
Classification: perennial herbaceous flower
Family and genus: Plantae, Angiosperms, Monocotyledoneae, Poales, Poaceae, Bambusoideae
Full bloom period: does not bloom
Bamboo is a giant grass and a plant in the Poaceae family. It is an evergreen (a few bamboo species lose their leaves in the dry season) shallow-rooted plant, and its stems are generally cylindrical and jointed; however, one type, square bamboo, has a square culm. Bamboo is one of the important forest resources, with characteristics such as wide distribution, fast growth, many uses, and high ecological and economic value, and it is known as the "green gold mine." Bamboo is also called zhu, a perennial grass plant with woody stems, a branch of the Poaceae family, scientific name Bambusoideae (Bambusaceae or Bamboo), distributed in tropical and subtropical regions, East Asia,...
Bamboo cultivation methods and precautions, an introduction to bamboo
Bamboo is a giant grass and a plant in the Poaceae family. It is an evergreen (a few bamboo species lose their leaves in the dry season) shallow-rooted plant, and its stems are generally cylindrical and jointed; however, one type, square bamboo, has a square culm. Bamboo is one of the important forest resources, with characteristics such as wide distribution, fast growth, many uses, and high ecological and economic value, and it is known as the "green gold mine."
Bamboo is also called zhu, a perennial grass plant with woody stems, a branch of the Poaceae family, scientific name Bambusoideae (Bambusaceae or Bamboo). It is distributed in tropical and subtropical regions, with the densest distribution and greatest variety in East Asia, Southeast Asia, and the islands of the Indian Ocean and Pacific Ocean. Some are low like grass, while others are as tall as large trees, and they grow rapidly. They usually grow in patches through underground creeping rhizomes, and can also reproduce by flowering and setting seed; the seeds are called bamboo rice. The bamboo shoots of some species are edible. Bamboo branches and culms are upright and slender, green in all four seasons, and resistant to frost and rain, and are greatly loved by Chinese people. Together with plum, orchid, and chrysanthemum, they are called the Four Gentlemen, and together with plum and pine, they are called the Three Friends of Winter. Through the ages, many men of letters have loved bamboo and praised it.
Morphological characteristics of bamboo
Bamboo is a tall, tree-like grass plant. More than 70 genera and over 1,000 species have been recorded, but many of them are synonyms. Bamboo is a tall, fast-growing grass plant with woody stems. It is distributed from tropical and subtropical to warm temperate regions. It is most densely distributed and most diverse on the islands of East Asia, Southeast Asia, and the Indian Ocean and Pacific Ocean. The aboveground stem of bamboo is woody and hollow (what we call the culm), and it grows in clusters from the underground stem (rhizome) of bamboo.
The shortest bamboo species has culms 10 to 15 cm high, while the largest bamboo species has culms more than 40 m high. Mature bamboo produces horizontal branches, the leaves are sword-shaped and have petioles, and the leaves of young plants grow directly from the stem. Although the stems of some species grow rapidly (they can grow 0.3 m per day), most species flower and set seed only after growing for 12 to 120 years. Bamboo flowers and sets seed only once in its life.
The underground stem of bamboo (commonly called the bamboo rhizome) grows horizontally, is slightly hollow in the middle, and also has nodes that are numerous and dense, with many fibrous roots and buds growing on the nodes. Some buds develop into bamboo shoots that push out of the ground and grow into bamboo, while other buds do not grow out of the ground but grow horizontally and develop into new underground stems. Therefore, bamboo always grows in patches and groves. Tender bamboo rhizomes and bamboo shoots are edible.
In autumn and winter, when the bamboo buds have not yet grown out of the ground, digging them out is called winter bamboo shoot; in spring, when the bamboo shoots grow out of the ground, they are called spring bamboo shoots. Winter bamboo shoots and spring bamboo shoots are both common foods in Chinese cuisine. In spring, bamboo buds wait in dry soil for spring rain; if a rain falls, the spring bamboo shoots will grow out of the ground at a very fast rate.
Although people often call bamboo a tree, it is a herbaceous plant and its xylem is not well developed. Bamboo leaves are narrowly lanceolate, 7.5 to 16 cm long and 1 to 2 cm wide, with a gradually pointed apex and a blunt base, and a petiole about 5 mm long; one side of the margin is relatively smooth, while the other side is rough with small serrations; the veins are parallel, with 6 to 8 pairs of secondary veins, and the small cross veins are very prominent; the leaf surface is dark green and hairless, while the underside is lighter in color and has slight hairs at the base; the texture is thin and rather brittle. Bamboo shoots are 10 to 30 cm long, and the number of nodes on a mature bamboo culm, which is green throughout, is generally between 10 and 15.
Most bamboos have underground rhizomes with obvious nodes, and buds grow at each node. The buds at each node of the underground stem can sprout into underground horizontally running bamboo rhizomes or aboveground culms. The buds on the culm nodes often form branches at each node. The leaves on the branches are vegetative leaves, lanceolate, with short petioles.
Bamboo rhizomes In some areas, there are also clumping bamboos, whose underground stems form multi-noded false rhizomes, with no buds or roots on the nodes, and the terminal bud emerges from the soil to form culms, with the whole plant growing and distributed in clumps, typically such as fernleaf hedge bamboo, Sinocalamus affinis, Dendrocalamus latiflorus, and hedge bamboo. They generally grow in areas with relatively sufficient water and heat conditions.
Bamboo is also the fastest-growing plant in the world. The hollow aboveground stems of some bamboos can grow 40 cm per day, and after full growth they can reach a height of 35-40 m. The reason bamboo grows quickly is that its branches and stems are jointed, so while other plants have only the apical meristem growing, bamboo grows simultaneously at every node. However, as bamboo continues to grow, the sheaths wrapping the outside of the nodes fall off, and the height of the bamboo stops increasing, but the internal tissue growth and filling continue. It is widely distributed and easy to keep alive.
Bamboo differs greatly from ordinary trees. The aboveground part of bamboo is composed of jointed culms, branches, and leaves. The base of the culm connects to the underground stem, and the underground stem is also jointed. The slender roots on the nodes of the underground stem, called fibrous roots, are the true roots. The tensile strength and load-bearing capacity of bamboo are 1-3 times those of ordinary trees, and it also has good elasticity, making it an excellent building material. As early as the Han Dynasty in China, bamboo began to be used as a raw material for papermaking; moso bamboo, because of its unique fine and even texture and hard texture, is very suitable for producing flooring and other decorative boards. Bamboo can of course also be made into commonly used bamboo cutting boards, bamboo mats, bamboo beds, bamboo cabinets, bamboo chairs, and so on. In addition, bamboo can also be used to make musical instruments, such as sheng, guan, and xiao; bamboo woven handicrafts are even more dazzling and highly ornamental. Crisp, sweet bamboo shoots are also edible, and bamboo can also be used as medicine. Among more than 1,200 kinds of bamboo, moso bamboo is one of the excellent timber bamboo species; its texture is hard and its surface texture is elegant and beautiful, making it the best decorative material of the new century.
Bamboo grows quickly; some can grow more than one meter within a single day, and they can fully develop in just two or three months, after which they no longer grow taller or thicker and keep that size until they die. The life cycle of bamboo is not long, only a few years. When bamboo grows old, it will flower and then die. This is to eliminate old bamboo and preserve new plants, so as to promote the growth vitality of the bamboo grove, but bamboos often flower and die together.
Ecological habits of bamboo
The suitable or relatively suitable climate for bamboo has an annual average temperature of 12 to 22°C, a January average temperature of 5 to 10°C, and an extreme minimum temperature of -20°C; annual precipitation of 1000 to 2000 mm, and an annual average relative humidity of 65% to 82%. North China, however, has a typical continental climate, with severe cold in winter and intense heat in summer. Although there is more rainfall in July and August, the annual average precipitation is only 500 to 600 mm, so it is not an ideal climate condition for bamboo growth. Therefore, running bamboo varieties with relatively strong cold resistance should be selected, such as Phyllostachys aureosulcata, Phyllostachys aureosulcata f. spectabilis, Phyllostachys aureosulcata f. aureocaulis, Phyllostachys nigra, and Phyllostachys propinqua. The above varieties not only have strong cold resistance, but also have much successful experience in northern garden construction that can be drawn on.
Bamboo is a perennial plant that flowers once. Bamboo flowering is a normal natural phenomenon and belongs to the process of bamboo seed reproduction. The people of ancient China observed this phenomenon long ago. In the Classic of Mountains and Seas more than 2,000 years ago, there is a record: "When bamboo produces flowers, it withers that year." In the Bamboo Manual written by Dai Kai of the Jin Dynasty, it is recorded: "The medicine must be sixty, and again six years.
"Its annotation is: "At sixty years bamboo also changes roots, and when it changes roots it then bears fruit and dies." However, bamboo mainly reproduces asexually. Every spring, shoots grow from the underground bamboo rhizomes and then develop into new bamboo. The bamboo rhizome is not its root, but an underground stem. Underground stems can be divided into three types: the monopodial type of underground stem can continue growing, with buds growing on both sides, and the lateral buds develop into shoots; the sympodial type has the terminal bud develop into a shoot, and the lateral buds produce new underground stems, which connect to form a sympodium, and the underground stems produce culms that are densely clustered. The Yuzhu bamboo and Huajuzhu bamboo that giant pandas like to eat belong to this category; in addition, there is also a amphipodial type, which is a mixed type of the above two. The sexual reproduction of bamboo, like that of other flowering plants, first flowers and then sets seed, completing the entire growth cycle. The flowering cycle of bamboo also has three types depending on the bamboo species: a few bamboos can flower every year, and after flowering the culms do not die and can still send out rhizomes and grow shoots; most bamboos flower only once in the entire growth process, and with a certain cycle, ranging from 40 to 80 years. After flowering, the culms and leaves turn yellow and dry, die in patches, and the underground stems gradually turn black and lose their sprouting ability. The seeds formed are the so-called bamboo rice. Only after sowing and sprouting and growing can new bamboo grow. Fargesia and Huajuzhu bamboo belong to this type; there is also a type that flowers sporadically at irregular intervals, and after flowering the bamboo grove does not die, for example Sinocalamus affinis is one of them.
Huajuzhu bamboo, large Fargesia, and others all belong to the category that flowers in patches at regular intervals. The interval between flowerings of this type of bamboo is very long, generally 50-60 years; some even flower only once in nearly a hundred years. However, no matter in which year the culms grow, as long as the age of the bamboo rhizomes is the same or similar, then the flowering time will be roughly the same. Even if the ecological environment differs greatly, such as sunny slope, shady slope, steep slope, gentle slope, different soils, and different altitudes, they can all flower at the same time.
Bamboo cultivation techniques: selecting suitable varieties
The suitable or relatively suitable climate for bamboo has an annual average temperature of 12 to 22°C, a January average temperature of 5 to 10°C, and an extreme minimum temperature of -20°C; annual precipitation of 1000 to 2000 mm, and an annual average relative humidity of 65% to 82%. North China, however, has a typical continental climate, with severe cold in winter and intense heat in summer. Although there is more rainfall in July and August, the annual average precipitation is only 500 to 600 mm, so it is not an ideal climate condition for bamboo growth. Therefore, running bamboo varieties with relatively strong cold resistance should be selected, such as Phyllostachys aureosulcata, Phyllostachys aureosulcata f. spectabilis, Phyllostachys aureosulcata f. aureocaulis, Phyllostachys nigra, and Phyllostachys propinqua. The above varieties not only have strong cold resistance, but also have much successful experience in northern garden construction that can be drawn on.
Scientific planting
According to the characteristics of bamboo, which likes a warm and humid climate, a sheltered and sunny location should be selected for planting, such as the sunny side of a rockery, building, or hill.
The soil at the planting site is best if it is loam or sandy loam. If the soil is too clayey or pure sand, soil improvement should be carried out. On the basis of applying sufficient base fertilizer (mainly organic fertilizer, about 4 cubic meters per mu), carry out plowing and turning, with a depth of no less than 40 cm.
Most bamboos planted in northern China are running bamboos, generally using the method of transplanting bamboo or transplanting rhizomes. No matter which method is used, bamboo rhizomes that are 1 to 2 years old, very strong, free of pests and diseases, bright yellow, and with plump buds must be selected. When transplanting bamboo, the underground bamboo rhizome must also be brought along, otherwise it is difficult to survive.
The best planting season is late spring and early summer. If it is too early, drought, little rain, dry climate, and wind will affect survival; if planted too late, bamboo has already entered its rapid growth period, and too much root damage is also unfavorable for survival. If local seedling sources are used, transplanting can also be done in the rainy summer, but a soil ball must be kept.
The planting depth should be determined according to the degree of soil clayeyness, generally 20 to 25 cm. If it is too deep, bamboo shoots have difficulty breaking through the soil; if too shallow, the bamboo shoots will be thin and weak after emerging. According to the length of the bamboo rhizome (generally 40 to 50 cm), dig a long strip hole, bury the bamboo rhizome, firm the soil after covering, and water thoroughly.
Management after planting
Bamboo likes moisture, so after planting the soil should often be kept moist; especially during the shoot emergence period or the young bamboo growth period, water must be supplied in time. When transplanting and planting, water should be sprayed promptly on the aboveground plants; where conditions permit, spray water on the bamboo leaves before 9 a.m. and after 3 p.m. every day, and a 30% to 50% shade net can also be used for shading. If planted on flat ground, windbreaks need to be set up on the northwest, north, and northeast sides.
When transplanting bamboo for planting, there is a "false death phenomenon." Under improper management, the bamboo leaves may partially or completely fall off. But as long as the branches and stems always remain fresh green and moisture is maintained, they can all sprout and unfold leaves again.
Strengthen the prevention and control of pests and diseases. Bamboo aphids are one of the main pests harming bamboo, and the annual peak occurrence in the north is mostly from August to October. They can be killed by spraying 50% zinc sulfur phosphorus and 50% fenitrothion each at 1000 times dilution. In addition, there are also pests such as whiteflies, all of which should be controlled in time. Bamboo leaf sooty mold is one of the bamboo leaf diseases, mostly caused by bamboo insects, and is extremely likely to occur under conditions of high temperature and high humidity and poor ventilation. In addition to strengthening bamboo garden management and improving adverse environmental conditions, eliminating bamboo aphids is the fundamental measure for controlling sooty mold.
Bamboo cultivation methods
Bamboo growth has its particularity. It relies on the shoot buds on the underground stem (commonly called the bamboo rhizome) to develop into bamboo shoots, and then grow into new bamboo. New bamboo can complete height and diameter growth within 1 to 4 months, and after that no longer increases. Bamboo sends up shoots and grows into bamboo every year. Therefore, the planting techniques for ornamental bamboo are also different from other nursery stock. The planting methods for bamboo such as Phyllostachys propinqua, Phyllostachys, Phyllostachys aureosulcata f. spectabilis, Phyllostachys aureosulcata, Phyllostachys aureosulcata f. aureocaulis, Phyllostachys nigra, and Indocalamus are broadly the same.
I.Planting time
1. Running bamboo
Running bamboo usually begins to send up shoots in spring from March to May, most bamboo species basically complete height growth by June and send out branches and grow leaves, a large number of rhizomes grow from August to September, and after entering November, as the temperature drops, physiological activity gradually slows. By February of the following year, along with the rise in temperature, physiological activity gradually recovers. According to this growth rhythm, the ideal bamboo planting time for running bamboo should be from October to February of the following year, especially the "Indian summer" of October. When planting bamboo in winter from November to December, although there is little rain and the weather is dry, at this time the physiological activity of bamboo weakens and transpiration is not strong, so the survival rate of planted bamboo is also relatively high. In the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River, bamboo transplanting for afforestation can be used in normal years during the plum rain season. However, it is only suitable for short-distance transplanting, and only with a soil ball on the root ball can a high survival rate be ensured. Because of the severe cold in winter in northern regions, it is suitable to plant bamboo in October of autumn and February of early spring. It is worth noting that the shoot emergence period from March to May in spring is not suitable for planting bamboo. "There is no fixed time for planting bamboo; transplant it after rain." As long as the quality of the mother bamboo is ensured, management is careful, and water balance is maintained, it can be planted at other times of the year except during the hot dog days and the severe cold of the sanjiu period. If container bamboo seedlings are used, bamboo can be planted in all four seasons in both north and south, ensuring survival.
2. Clumping bamboo
Generally, culms sprout from March to May and shoots are sent up from June to August, and clumping bamboo is not resistant to severe cold. Therefore, clumping bamboo is best planted in spring in February, before the bamboo buds have sprouted and before the bamboo sap begins to flow. Likewise, if management conditions are good or container bamboo seedlings are used, bamboo can also be planted in all four seasons.
3. Mixed bamboo
The growth and development rhythm of mixed bamboo lies between running bamboo and clumping bamboo. It sends up shoots and grows into bamboo from May to July, so the bamboo planting season is suitable in autumn and winter from October to December and in spring from February to March.
II.Planting site preparation
Bamboo growth requires a soil depth of 50 to 100 cm (50 cm is enough for small- and medium-diameter bamboo, while large-diameter bamboo such as moso bamboo requires 80 to 100 cm), fertile, moist sandy loam with good drainage and aeration, slightly acidic or neutral, with pH 4.5 to 7.0 being suitable, and a groundwater level below 1 m (moso bamboo) or below 50 cm (small- and medium-diameter bamboo). Land preparation is an important step before bamboo planting; whether the land preparation is good or bad directly affects the quality of bamboo establishment and the speed of forest formation. The best land preparation method is full land preparation, that is, carrying out full plowing and turning of the planting site to a depth of 30 cm, and removing stones, weeds, tree roots, and other debris from the soil. If the soil is too clayey, saline-alkaline, or contains too much construction waste, methods such as applying more organic fertilizer, replacing soil, or filling with imported soil should be used for improvement. After the land is prepared, planting holes can be dug. The density and specifications of the planting holes are determined specifically according to different bamboo species, bamboo seedling specifications, and project requirements. In landscaping projects, generally small- and medium-diameter bamboo is planted at 3 to 4 plants per square meter, with a plant and row spacing of 50 to 60 cm, and the planting hole specifications are 40 cm in length and width and 30 cm in depth.
III.Requirements for mother bamboo
The quality of mother bamboo has a great influence on the quality of bamboo establishment. High-quality mother bamboo is easy to survive and form a forest after planting, while inferior mother bamboo is not easy to plant successfully or difficult to form a forest. The quality of mother bamboo is mainly reflected in aspects such as age, thickness, growth vigor, and soil ball size.
① Age of mother bamboo: it is best if it is from the current year to 2 years old. This is because the bamboo rhizome connected to mother bamboo from the current year to 2 years old is generally at the vigorous age stage, with plump rhizome buds and sound rhizome roots, so it is easy to plant successfully and grow new bamboo and new rhizomes, and forest formation is faster. Old bamboo (more than 3 years old) is not suitable as mother bamboo.
② Thickness of mother bamboo: for medium-diameter bamboo (Phyllostachys dulcis, Phyllostachys propinqua, etc.), a diameter at breast height of 2 to 3 cm is suitable; for small-diameter bamboo (Phyllostachys nigra, Phyllostachys aureosulcata f. spectabilis, Phyllostachys bambusoides, etc.), a diameter at breast height of 1 to 2 cm is suitable.
③ Mother bamboo should preferably be robust in growth, low-branching, lush in branches and leaves, and free of pests, diseases, and signs of flowering.
④ The diameter of the soil ball is preferably 25 to 30 cm. If the soil ball is too small, the mother bamboo is prone to excessive water loss, reducing survival, and the bamboo rhizome is short with few roots, so forest formation is slow. If the soil ball is too large, it is inconvenient to transport. Small- and medium-sized ornamental bamboos usually grow densely, so several culms can be dug up together as one "plant" of mother bamboo. The specific requirements are: running bamboo 1 to 2 culms per plant, mixed bamboo 2 to 4 culms per plant, and clumping bamboo can be dug up and divided into 3 to 5 culms per clump. After the mother bamboo is dug up, the bamboo tip should generally be cut off, 4 to 5 whorls of branches should be retained, and overly dense branches and leaves should be pruned to reduce water evaporation and improve the planting survival rate. When mother bamboo is transported over long distances, if the soil ball is loose, it must be wrapped, using straw, woven bags, and the like to wrap the soil ball well. After loading onto the vehicle, first spray a small amount of water on the bamboo leaves, then fully cover the bamboo with a tarpaulin to prevent wind and reduce water loss. Short-distance transport of mother bamboo does not need wrapping, but damage to rhizome buds and "screws" and shaking off of the original soil must be prevented.
IV.Planting of mother bamboo
After the mother bamboo is transported to the planting site, it should be planted immediately. Bamboo should be planted shallowly, not deeply; the surface of the mother bamboo root ball being 3 to 5 cm lower than the planting hole surface is sufficient. First, mix topsoil or organic fertilizer with topsoil and backfill it into the planting hole, generally 10 cm thick. Then remove the wrapping from the mother bamboo root ball, place the mother bamboo into the hole, keep the root ball surface parallel to the ground surface, make the rhizome roots spread out and the lower part in close contact with the soil, then first fill with topsoil, then with subsoil, pick out stones, tree roots, and other debris, and firm it layer by layer so that the root system and soil are in close contact.
During the process of filling soil and firming it, be careful not to damage the rhizome buds. Then water thoroughly with "settling water" to further bring the roots and soil into close contact. After the water has completely infiltrated the soil, cover with a layer of loose soil and pile it into a steamed bun shape at the base of the culm. Finally, a layer of straw can be placed over the steamed bun-shaped soil pile to prevent water evaporation from the planting hole. If the mother bamboo is tall or the location is windy, support frames need to be added to prevent the wind from shaking the culm, which would prevent close contact between roots and soil and reduce the survival rate.
Potted cultivation and care of bamboo
Bamboo is upright and elegant, with varied branches and leaves, and is evergreen all year round. It is a traditional courtyard ornamental plant in China. Together with plum, orchid, and chrysanthemum, it is called the "Four Gentlemen." The Song Dynasty poet Su Dongpo said: "I would rather eat without meat than live without bamboo." Today, bamboo is also regarded by people as an excellent product for decorating the home and environment. People in the north especially love bamboo, but because the winter temperature is too low for open-air planting, it cannot survive, so placing potted bamboo indoors for viewing is a better way.
Ornamental potted bamboo species
Ornamental potted bamboo is best with small- and medium-sized and ground-cover bamboos that have peculiar culm shapes, elegant branches and leaves, and colored culms and leaves, including several major categories such as culm shape, culm color, leaf color, and plant shape. Some excellent ornamental potted bamboo species are classified as follows:
1. Culm shape viewing category
① Buddha belly bamboo (human face bamboo) Ph. aurea The several nodes at the base or below the middle of the culm are abnormally shortened, and the internodes are swollen or constricted, resembling a human face;
② Small Buddha belly bamboo B. ventricosa The culms are short and clumping, and the internodes are shortened and swollen, resembling a "Buddha's belly";
③ Large Buddha belly bamboo B. vulgaris cv. Wamin The culms are relatively large, reaching 8 cm in diameter, and the internodes of the culms and branches are shortened and swollen in a Buddha belly shape;
④ Square bamboo Ch. quadrangularis The base culms are square, and the lower part of the culm is square while the upper part is round;
⑤ Qiong bamboo Q. tumidinoda The culm rings are strongly raised like two discs buckled together, shaped like abacus beads.
2. Culm color viewing category
① Black bamboo (ink bamboo) Ph. nigra The new culms are green, gradually turning purplish black in autumn and winter of that year;
② Mottled bamboo (Xiangfei bamboo) Ph. bambusoides f. lacrima-deae The culms are green, with purplish black patches and spots;
③ Golden bright bamboo Ph. bambusoides var. castillonis The culms and branches are yellow, the longitudinal grooves are bright green, the bamboo leaves are deep green, and the branches spread out;
④ Yellow-culm Phyllostachys vivax f. aureocaulis The culm diameter is 3 to 5 cm, the culms are a unique golden yellow, and below the middle there are irregular dark green stripes of varying thickness;
⑤ Yellow-striped bamboo Ph. vivax f. huanwenzhu The culms are green, and the longitudinal groove on one side of the branches is golden yellow. In addition, there are also Phyllostachys aureosulcata f. spectabilis (culms golden yellow, grooves green), Phyllostachys aureosulcata f. aureocaulis (culms entirely golden yellow), Phyllostachys arcana f. luteosulcata (culms green, longitudinal grooves yellow), and Bambusa vulgaris cv. Vittata (large clumping bamboo, culms and branches golden yellow with intermittent green longitudinal stripes), etc.
3. Leaf color viewing category
① White-striped Hibanobambusa tranguillans f. shiroshima The culms are obvious, 1.5 m high, the leaves are broad and large, with relatively wide yellow stripes interspersed, native to Japan;
② Sasa fortunei A ground-cover bamboo, culms 25 cm high, leaves green with obvious broad white or pale yellow stripes;
③ Pl. kongosanensis f. aureostriatus A ground-cover bamboo, culms 30 cm high, leaves relatively broad and large, green, with irregular yellow stripes interspersed; ④ Indocalamus herklosii Culms 1.5 m high, bamboo leaves broad and large, evergreen all year round.
4. Plant shape viewing category
① Fernleaf hedge bamboo B. glaucescens var. riviererum A clumping bamboo with small leaves arranged in two rows on small branches, resembling pinnate compound leaves, often pruned into a spherical shape;
② Xiaoginsi bamboo (flower hedge bamboo) B. glaucescens f. Alphonse-Karr A clumping bamboo, new culms light red, old culms golden yellow, with irregular green longitudinal stripes interspersed;
③ Olive bamboo Acidosasa gigantea The culms are upright, the branches spread out, the bamboo leaves are dense, the bamboo crown is layered, and the leaves are soft and slightly wrinkled.
Potted facilities and materials
1. Greenhouse
Newly planted potted bamboo should be kept under shaded conditions for care, and in northern winters it must overwinter indoors. Therefore, before potting bamboo, facilities should be built and shade nets covered to ensure shading in the hot summer and heat preservation in the cold winter, and heating equipment can also be installed if conditions are good.
2. Water source
In potted bamboo management, water management is the most labor-intensive and directly affects survival. Therefore, the planting site must have sufficient water supply to meet production needs.
3. Pot soil
Bamboo likes acidic, slightly acidic, or neutral soil, with pH 4.5 to 7.0 being suitable, and avoids clayey and alkaline soil. Northern soil is strongly alkaline, so 0.2% ferrous sulfate can be added. The pot soil is best if it is loose, fertile, and well-drained sandy loam, and farmland soil mixed with red-yellow soil, humus soil, and fine sand can be used. If Sasa fortunei is planted with ordinary pot soil, the survival rate is low, but if vermiculite or peat mixed with perlite is used as the substrate, the survival rate is relatively high.
4. Fertilizer
Bamboo fertilizer is mainly organic fertilizer, and decomposed animal manure, garbage fertilizer, and river mud are all acceptable. Organic fertilizer is mainly used as base fertilizer, mixed into the pot soil for combined use, generally at 10% to 15% of the pot soil amount.
5. Pot body
The pot body for potted bamboo can use plastic flower pots, plastic buckets, nutrient pots, seedling bags, clay pots, and ceramic pots, among which nutrient pots and seedling bags are the most economical and the effect is also good. Choose the pot according to the size of the bamboo. For ground-cover bamboo such as Sasa fortunei, a 10 x 10 or 13 x 12 cm nutrient pot can be used; for small bamboo such as Buddha belly bamboo, a 30 x 30 cm nutrient pot can be used; for medium bamboo such as yellow-culm Phyllostachys vivax, a 30 x 45 or 35 x 50 cm seedling bag can be used.
Potting process
1. Potting time
For running bamboo, the best potting time is February and March before bamboo shoots emerge in spring and September and October in autumn, among which ground-cover bamboo is best in February. Because clumping bamboo sends up shoots in summer and autumn, spring from March to May is better.
2. Potting requirements
From the bamboo nursery, dig up ornamental bamboo with low branches, lush bamboo leaves, and beautiful plant shape, 2 to 3 culms per clump. When digging, bring more original soil to ensure the rhizome buds and rhizome roots are intact. After digging, immediately transport to a shady place and spray water on the leaf surface. When digging and transporting bamboo, do not shake the culms, so as not to damage the "screws" and affect survival. If the bamboo is too tall, the tip should be cut off; if there are too many bamboo leaves, some leaves can be removed. When placed indoors, the bamboo height should be controlled at about 2 m.
3. Key points for potting
When potting, first place the pot flat and put a layer of breathable material such as crushed stone pieces or coal cinder at the bottom of the pot. Then fill in a layer of pot soil and place the bamboo into the pot. Finally, fill in soil again, and while filling, use a wooden stick to tamp the soil firmly around the pot. After potting, water thoroughly immediately until water flows out from the bottom of the pot.
Care and management
To ensure that potted bamboo survives, grows robustly, and stays elegantly green, maintenance and care must be strengthened. The main tasks include the following aspects:
1. Water management
Bamboo likes moisture but fears waterlogging. After potting, the first watering should be thorough, and afterward the potting soil should be kept moist. Do not water too much, otherwise the rhizomes and roots are prone to rot. From potting to the stage of establishment, the leaves should also be sprayed with water frequently. If the potting soil lacks water, the bamboo leaves will curl; at this time, water promptly, and the bamboo leaves will unfold again. In summer, water on average once every 1 to 2 days; in winter, water less, but ensure the potting soil remains moist to prevent "dry freezing."
2. Fertilizer management
Fertilizer for potted bamboo is mainly organic fertilizer mixed into the potting soil at potting time. After the bamboo is established, apply supplementary fertilizer appropriately, "light fertilizer applied frequently." In spring and summer, apply 0.5% urea or 1.0% compound fertilizer with water.
3. Pest and disease control
The main insect pests of potted bamboo include aphids, scale insects, and others, which can be sprayed with a 1000-fold dilution of 80% dichlorvos emulsion or 40% dimethoate emulsion; the main diseases include sooty mold and witches' broom, among others. Management should be strengthened, and diseased plants pruned promptly.
4. Other management
In high-temperature seasons, potted bamboo should be moved to a shaded place to avoid scorching sun exposure. Greenhouses should be covered with shade netting, and water should be sprayed on the leaves to keep the leaf color emerald green. In winter, potted bamboo must be moved to a wind-sheltered, sunny place or indoors, and greenhouses should be covered with plastic film for insulation.
Bamboo propagation methods
Bamboo is mostly propagated by division, burying culms, transplanting rhizomes, and sowing seeds.
Bamboo rhizomes have strong sprouting ability and clumping habit. Before sprouting in early spring, cut the bamboo rhizomes and plant them separately together with the culms; new bamboo can grow by that summer. Seeds from bamboo after flowering can also be sown.
When planting bamboo, choose a wind-sheltered, sunny, and humid environment. Bamboo grows fast and has a large growth volume, with high water and fertilizer requirements; it requires sufficient moisture but also good drainage. It requires deep, fertile, slightly acidic soil rich in organic matter and mineral elements. Common courtyard plantings include moso bamboo, fernleaf hedge bamboo, sweet bamboo, dryland garden bamboo, and stiff bamboo, among others.
1. Rhizome-burying propagation
Suitable for scattered bamboo species and mixed bamboo species. Method: dig out strong rhizomes, retain rhizome roots and rhizome buds, keep more of the original soil, cut the bamboo rhizomes into 50-60 cm segments, lay them flat on the seedbed, cover with 5-8 cm of soil, and keep the seedbed moist. The best time for burying rhizomes is about one month before bamboo shoots emerge in early spring. After burying the rhizomes, pay attention to watering in dry weather and drainage in rainy weather. After seedlings emerge, apply nitrogen fertilizer at the appropriate time, such as urea, ammonium sulfate, and decomposed human manure, and also weed promptly. With proper management, after one year each rhizome can produce 2-3 bamboo seedlings for afforestation the following spring.
2. Culm-burying propagation
Suitable for clumping bamboo species. Method: select 2-year-old robust culms, dig them up with the base or cut them without the base, keep one branch node on the branches at each node of the culm, cut off and remove the top of the culm, and every 1-2 nodes, chop or saw a notch in the middle of the node. Soak the culm in clean water; after the culm cavity is filled with water, seal the cut with clay. Open level trenches in the seedbed, place the culm flat (with the cuts facing upward), then cover with 5-10 cm of soil and keep the seedbed moist. After about 1 month, the buds at the culm nodes gradually sprout and emerge. After half a year to one year, the culms can be dug out and cut into individual bamboo seedlings for afforestation. The best time for culm-burying propagation is about 1 month before bamboo sprouting.
3. Node-burying propagation
This method is also suitable for clumping bamboo species, especially clumping bamboos with dormant buds at the base of side branches, such as Chengzhu bamboo, green skin bamboo, Daitoudian bamboo, and Diaosi bamboo. Method: saw the culm into segments node by node or every two nodes, then transplant and bury them in the seedbed, cover with soil, and keep moist. The management requirements are the same as for culm-burying propagation.
4. Side-branch propagation
This method is also applied to clumping bamboo species. Method: remove side branches (secondary branches) from the nodes of culms 2 years old or older, cut off excess branch tips and bamboo leaves, retain 5-8 nodes, and protect the buds at the base. Insert the side branches into the seedbed with the upper half of the branches and leaves exposed, set up a shade shed over the seedbed, and spray water frequently to keep moist. After 1-2 weeks, roots grow from the base of the secondary branches, new buds grow on the branch nodes, and they gradually develop into independent bamboo plants. Generally, side-branch cuttings have the best effect when done during the period of most vigorous bamboo growth. After one year of cultivation, the side-branch seedlings tiller into bamboo clumps and can then be used for afforestation.
Bamboo propagated by any vegetative method is a mutation, which leads to flowering.
Bamboo disease control
The main insect pests of potted bamboo include aphids, scale insects, and others, which can be sprayed with a 1000-fold dilution of 80% dichlorvos emulsion or 40% dimethoate emulsion; the main diseases include sooty mold and witches' broom, among others. Management should be strengthened, and diseased plants pruned promptly.
Bamboo variety classification: contemporary varieties
1. Ci bamboo
Ci bamboo is a clumping type. A typical representative of bamboo: tall, with long internodes and dense, lush leaves. Its biological characteristics:
(1) Growth characteristics of the aboveground part: shoot buds emerge from June to August, and growth basically stops in mid-October. Generally 20-30 nodes, 8 to 13 m tall; lifespan up to 9 years; 1-2-year-old mother bamboo has the strongest shoot-producing ability, and 3-5 connected generations show a large growth rate of new shoots and can cultivate large timber; leaves are replaced once a year; flowering is unrelated to age but related to moisture and nutrients. Before flowering, leaves turn yellow; after flowering, leaves gradually fall off, the plant gradually dies, and the material becomes brittle; 1-year-old is young bamboo, 2-3-year-old is mature bamboo; 4-5-year-old is old bamboo. The sheaths are hairy.
(2) Growth characteristics of the underground part: the culm base has 6 nodes, of which only one node has shoots growing from it (the part connecting the culm base to the old bamboo); the underground parts are densely packed together, do not extend elsewhere, and have a tendency to arch upward toward the ground; the underground stems of a single clump have well-developed fibrous roots, most of them in the surface layer, reaching as deep as 2 m. Newly born young bamboo does not produce roots in the same year; roots form in the second year and then gradually weaken; 6-7-year-old old bamboo has very few living roots; stems that have lost their aboveground parts can remain underground for more than ten years before rotting. If not treated promptly, they coil and bind layer upon layer, affecting the formation of bamboo shoots and the growth of the bamboo grove. The connection between the bamboo culm and the old stump should be cut off; this is called "digging out the stump."
Ci bamboo culms have strong fiber toughness, sparse nodes, and long internodes, making them superior material for bamboo weaving crafts. Ci bamboo is the main bamboo species in Qingshen; in rural areas, almost every household plants it.
2. Dan bamboo
Commonly known among the people as "bitter Ci," it is a high-quality Ci bamboo in the genus Ci bamboo with the longest internodes (more than one meter long). The bamboo texture is fine, and the fiber toughness is especially strong; it can be split into bamboo strips as thin as cicada wings and as fine as hair, woven into exquisite bamboo crafts resembling silk or satin. This species mostly grows in fertile, shady mountain areas and is the best material for bamboo weaving. Besides Qingshen, some of this "bitter Ci" bamboo also grows in the Meishan and Qionglai areas.
3. Four-season bamboo
This is a high-quality bamboo species introduced to Qingshen in recent years. Clumping type, named for producing shoots in all four seasons. A species in the genus Ci bamboo, its greatest characteristics are thick, large, tall, and straight culms; a single culm weighs several dozen jin, the fibers are fine, and it reproduces and grows quickly. It is a good material for papermaking and has great economic value. In Qingshen's Xilong, Guanjin, Guihua, Baiguo, Luowan, and other townships, there are more than 100,000 mu of this bamboo base. This bamboo originated in Daping Township, Yuanling County, Hunan.
4. Yingtouhuang
Clumping type, with tall, straight, hard culms, thick walls, and small cavities, so it is mostly used for building materials; in rural areas it is all used for load-bearing and for carrying and lifting things. Planting volume is small.
5. Speckled bamboo
Also known as Xiangfei bamboo, scattered type, with tall, straight, upright culms, large diameter, and hard texture. There are brown spots on the bamboo surface. Legend says they were formed by the tears of Yao's two daughters shedding onto it, hence the name "speckled bamboo." This bamboo is mostly used for building materials and can also be split into strips for weaving. In ancient times, tow ropes for pulling boats were mostly made from strips of this bamboo. Its characteristics are that water does not easily erode it, it is lightweight, and it has strong tensile strength. The planted amount in Qingshen is not large. It is mainly produced in the Xiang River basin of Hunan.
6. Nan bamboo
Also known as moso bamboo, it is the representative of scattered bamboo. The culms are tall and straight, hard. The diameter is about 20 cm, and it is a good material for construction; the bamboo head is a good material for carved crafts; bamboo shoots are an excellent dish, called "jade nan slices." In Qingshen it is planted in Zhongyan Temple, Deyun Temple, and other places. It is abundantly produced in Changning, Sichuan; Chishui, Guizhou; Jiangxi; Zhejiang; Hunan, and other places.
7. Thorny nan bamboo
A species in the genus Nan bamboo, named because both culms and branches have hard "thorns." Clumping type, with tall, straight, upright, and thick culms (diameter more than 10 cm), thick flesh, small cavities, hairless shoot sheaths, and few leaves. Mostly used for building materials. There is a small amount planted in Qingshen Bamboo Art City, Tianmiao, and other places.
8. Water bamboo
Scattered type, with slender, hard culms shaped like steel pipes, sparse leaves, and relatively strong bamboo toughness. Mostly used as material for making bamboo furniture; when growing in large patches, it can be used as papermaking material. There was once a patch of water bamboo in Luowan, Qingshen, called the "bamboo sea."
9. Ink bamboo
Scattered type, a rare bamboo species. Named because both culms and branches are black; the outer shell of the shoot tip is reddish brown, and it matures in one year. It is the best material for making flute and xiao pipe instruments. There is little of it in a few places in Qingshen.
10. White powder bamboo
Clumping type, genus Ci bamboo, with long internodes, shaped like "bitter Ci," named because the surface of the bamboo culm has a thin layer of white powder.
Ornamental bamboos introduced by Qingshen "Bamboo Art City" include:
11. Arhat bamboo
Clumping type, with short culms, a large head, and a small upper body; several nodes at the head bulge like an "arhat's" belly, hence the name. It can be used as craft material.
12. Qin-si bamboo
Clumping type, some tall and some short, with culm surfaces pale yellow and marked with alternating thick and thin green lines, shaped like "qin strings," hence the name.
13. Fernleaf hedge bamboo
Clumping type, with slender and short culms and very fine branches and leaves, shaped like a phoenix tail, hence the name.
14. Square bamboo
Mixed type, named because the bamboo culms are roughly square. The surface is pale yellow, and there is a ring of small thorns on the node ring, so it is also called "thorn bamboo." It can be used as material for craft processing. This bamboo is rare and belongs to rare bamboo types. There is a precious patch of "square bamboo" in Fengli Village, Zhayang Township, Tuorong County, Fujian.
15. Palm bamboo
Mixed type; its stem resembles bamboo but is not bamboo, black with a skin, solid in the center, and with white bristle-like markings in the flesh.
16. Bamboo hat bamboo
Mixed type, with slender, straight, hard culms and broad leaves, and strong reproductive capacity. In ancient times, the culms were used to make arrow shafts. People in Qingshen often put the leaves inside woven bamboo hats to protect against rain or sunlight, hence the name "bamboo hat bamboo."
17. The largest bamboo in the world, giant dragon bamboo
Produced in the Yunnan region of China, where local people can use it to make buckets or large utensils. Some professionals say it is golden thunder bamboo.
Ancient bamboo species
Recorded in the Jin Dynasty's Dai Kaizhi's "Bamboo Classic" and the Ming Dynasty's Xu Guangqi's "Complete Book of Agricultural Administration"
1. Twelve-hour bamboo: the bamboo nodes bulge around the characters. The twelve characters Chou, Yan, Mao, Si, Wu, Wei, Shen, You, Xu, Hai, and others; the family of Zhou Junshu in Anfu, Qizhou had this bamboo. It is also a wonder of creation.
2. Xilao bamboo: from Xinzhou, one branch has a hundred leaves; its skin is sharp and can be made into armor-polishing material. After long use it becomes slightly smooth; soak it overnight in sour slurry, and it becomes sharp and effective again as before. It is often made into crossbow arrows.
3. Human-face bamboo: from Tan Mountain. The bamboo diameter is several cun; near the base up to two chi, the nodes are crowded and uneven on four sides; the bamboo skin is like fish scales, and the surface protrusions quite resemble a human face. Large bamboo is like a bowl mouth, small bamboo is like a finger; it is a treasure for craft processing.
4. Peach-silk bamboo: leaves like palm, body like bamboo, dense nodes and solid, thick outside and thin-boned, a natural walking stick. It comes from the Bayu region; the kind produced in Yu has fine veins, with one internode four chi long.
5. Gold-inlaid jade-set bamboo: produced in Chengdu, no different from ordinary bamboo, but on the culm each node alternates two green and two yellow sections.
6. Filial piety bamboo: culms slender and long, used for large threads. In summer, shoots emerge from the middle, yielding to the mother bamboo; in winter, shoots protect from the outside, while the mother bamboo wraps them inside, hence it is called compassionate teaching.
7. Qi bamboo: from Qizhou in Chu. Local people take the glossy, moist-colored ones to make mats, and those with sparse nodes to make xiao pipes (flutes).
8. Double bamboo: grows in Wulin West Mountain, Zhejiang. Its wonder lies in its slender bamboo and tender shoots, paired and growing together in disorder, with the most lovely color.
9. Dragon Lord bamboo: produced in Luofu Mountain. Its diameter is about seven chi, its internodes are one zhang two chi long, and its leaves are like banana leaves.
10. Bow bamboo: produced in the East. The plant grows a hundred xun long, and its curvature is like a vine; it must rely on a large tree to lean on and climb up. Its texture has grain.
11. Keting bamboo: produced south of Yunmeng. Its culms, after some years, are split into musical instruments, and the sound is the clearest and brightest.
12. Cinnamon bamboo: from Nankang Prefecture. The culms are four to five zhang tall, about one chi in circumference, shaped like licorice skin and red in color.
13. Simo bamboo: wonderful because the shoots come from the nodes; after the culm has formed, shoots again grow from its nodes. It comes from overseas.
14. Plum-green bamboo: its culms resemble Xiangfei bamboo but are thinner, the skin has no spiral patterns, and the color is also darker, but it is greatly inferior; it is mostly taken for fan ribs.
15. Dafu bamboo: named for being slender and long, with straight culms reaching the clouds, and three chi in circumference. It comes from Luyan.
16. Dragon-whisker bamboo: grows in the valleys of Chenzhou and Zhejiang's three mountains. It is less than one chi tall, and its branches and culms are as thin as needles. It can be used as a potted ornamental, but in winter it must not be exposed to frost or snow.
17. Linhe bamboo: its culms are so large that they reach ten arm spans, even more marvelous than Dragon Lord bamboo. It comes from Linhe.
18. Mutual-love bamboo: from Guangdong. It resembles double bamboo but is somewhat larger, and they all grow in pairs facing each other.
19. Sparse-node bamboo: its culms are the tallest, with each internode about one cun apart. It comes from the south side of Limu Mountain.
20. Danqing bamboo: from Xiong'er Mountain. Its leaves have three colors, yellow, green, and red, growing in alternation.
21. Through-node bamboo: produced in Qinzhou. Its culms grow straight upward without nodes, and the center is hollow with no partitions. It is also an exotic species.
22. Ningbo bamboo: its branches and leaves are all like ordinary bamboo, but it has red flowers that open like pomegranate. It is also a strange bamboo.
23. Pei bamboo: it was formerly said that this bamboo grows a hundred zhang long and comes from the cities of the southern wilderness. This is appended here to record the extraordinary.
24. Flat bamboo: its culms are extremely flat. It comes from Mount Kuanglu.
25. Boat bamboo: from Yuanqiu. It is as large as a bathtub.
26. Qiong bamboo: Emperor Wu of Han sent people to open a route and brought back Qiong bamboo canes.
27. Guanyin bamboo: from the walled city of Champa.
28. Ordinary bamboo: none.
Famous types
Stiff bamboo, sweet bamboo, speckled bamboo, arrow bamboo, square bamboo, moso bamboo (Mengzong bamboo, nan bamboo), green bamboo, thorn bamboo, long-branch bamboo, hemp bamboo, cinnamon bamboo, purple bamboo, fernleaf hedge bamboo.
Bamboo is the general term for Bambusoideae, a branch of the grass family Poaceae. It is distributed in subtropical regions and is also called bamboo or bamboo. Some are low like grass, and some are tall like large trees. They usually grow in patches through creeping underground rhizomes. They can also reproduce by flowering and setting seed. They are perennial plants. Some kinds of bamboo shoots can be eaten. About 150 genera and 1,225 species are known worldwide.
The classification system of bamboo is imperfect. Due to growth characteristics, bamboo does not flower often, and its appearance is very similar, so the current classification of bamboo is based on the sheath shells wrapping the bamboo shoots. However, the traits of the sheath shells are not stable, so in many cases this causes ambiguity and makes it impossible to reach a unique conclusion on the boundaries between some bamboo populations. The following incomplete statistics are provided; please forgive any omissions:
There are many kinds of bamboo, totaling more than 500 species, varieties, forms, and cultivated varieties, most of which can be used for courtyard viewing. Famous varieties include: nan bamboo, fernleaf hedge bamboo, small qin-si bamboo, Buddha-belly bamboo, large Buddha-belly bamboo, cold bamboo, Xiangfei bamboo, cold arrow bamboo, large arrow bamboo, Tang bamboo, Thai bamboo, large Thai bamboo, filial piety bamboo, ox-ear bamboo, square bamboo, Sichuan square bamboo, dragon-crutch bamboo, cart-tube bamboo, green skin bamboo, powder dan bamboo, short-spike bamboo, yellow bamboo, flower-culm yellow bamboo, giant dragon bamboo, crutch bamboo, smooth giant bamboo, broad-leaf indocalamus, mercury bamboo, human-face bamboo, moso bamboo, flower moso bamboo, flower bamboo, purple bamboo, speckled bamboo, tortoise-shell bamboo, sweet bamboo, stiff bamboo, bitter bamboo, golden bamboo, tortoise-vein bamboo, silver-chain bamboo, jade-edge bamboo, tea-culm bamboo, arrow bamboo, foam bamboo, arhat bamboo, seedling bamboo, goose-feather bamboo, thorn bamboo, fei yellow bamboo, Chinese indocalamus, ink bamboo, and others.
Bamboo is evergreen through the four seasons, upright and elegant, richly colored, and in a thousand forms. Fernleaf hedge bamboo has upright, graceful, slender branches and leaves; qin-si bamboo has emerald green lines inlaid on golden-yellow branches and stems; Xiangfei bamboo has speckles on its branches and stems, green and graceful; speckled-leaf bitter bamboo has speckled white patterns on its leaves; purple bamboo, yellow bamboo, and red bamboo have branches and stems respectively purple, yellow, and purplish red; flower-body bamboo has yellow lines inlaid on green culms; Buddha-belly bamboo has short, thick branches and stems bulging outward, like an arhat's big belly. In addition, dragon-scale bamboo, jasper bamboo, chicken-claw bamboo, and others are also rare varieties among bamboos.
Because bamboo does not flower often, the shoot period is short, and the shooting time varies, it is difficult to collect specimens of all organs at the same time, which brings difficulties to research work and makes the study of the Bambusoideae classification system one of the more disputed parts of plant systematics research. There are about 70-80 genera and more than 1,000 species of Bambusoideae plants worldwide. China is the country with the richest bamboo resources and the longest history of bamboo cultivation and utilization in the world, and it ranks among the international leaders in bamboo research, bamboo grove cultivation, and product development. It is called a "world bamboo industry power."
China is one of the world's central bamboo production areas and one of the countries with the richest bamboo resources, the largest bamboo grove area, the highest output, the longest cultivation history, and relatively high management levels in the world. Its bamboo grove area accounts for 1/5 of the world's bamboo grove area. China has about 300 species of bamboo and is not only a major origin center of Asian bamboo but also a center of modern bamboo differentiation and distribution. Bamboo grows fast; after planting, it can be cut and used in four years, and one planting can be used many times. Because the material is easy to obtain, lightweight, and strong, it has been widely used by humans since ancient times. From its culms, branches, leaves, sheaths, rhizome roots, and young shoots, there are hundreds of uses in building materials, food, papermaking, packaging, crafts, and other fields. Therefore, bamboo is an extremely important economic crop. Archaeology confirms that our ancestors used bamboo for hunting and warfare ten thousand years ago. Bamboo slips, bamboo and silk, and writing brushes, these bamboo cultural utensils, recorded history.
In China, in addition to a large number of writings about bamboo in ancient books, scholars began modern classification research on bamboos starting in the 1930s. The late Professor Geng Yili (1897-1975) edited "Illustrated Main Plants of China: Grasses" in 1959, making a preliminary systematic arrangement of the genera and species of Bambusoideae in China. At that time, 20 genera and 71 species, varieties, and forms were included, including 12 bamboo species from Yunnan. According to "Flora of China," the reported bamboo species now number 37 genera and about 500 species, with both the number of genera and the number of species accounting for 1/2 of the world, of which about 1/3 of the genera and species are endemic components.
More systematic research on Bambusoideae in Yunnan began to make great progress in the 1970s, among which the contributions made by the famous bamboo taxonomist Professor Xue Jiru were especially notable. He began this work in the 1950s, and by the 1980s had successively discovered 5 new genera, 6 newly distributed genera, and 120 new species. Systematic literature includes "Bamboo Resources in Yunnan and Their Development and Utilization" (edited by Xue Jiru, Yang Yuming, Hui Chaomao, and others), "Bamboo Cultivation and Utilization" (edited by Hui Chaomao, Du Fan, and Yang Yuming), "Industrialized Utilization of Timber Bamboo Resources" (compiled by Hui Chaomao and Yang Yuming), "Industrialized Development of High-Quality Shoot Bamboo" (edited by Yang Yuming and Hui Chaomao), and "Nujiang Bamboo" (compiled by Hui Chaomao and others), among other monographs.
According to ancient Chinese works "Detailed Record of Bamboo Manuals" and "Complete Book of Agricultural Administration": "The categories of bamboo number sixty-one, and three hundred fourteen species." According to records: there are 65 genera and 1,250 species of bamboo worldwide. China is the country with the richest bamboo resources and has long been known as the "bamboo kingdom." At present, bamboo has 39 genera and more than 500 species, with a bamboo grove area of 7.2 million hectares; bamboo grove types, area, and standing stock all rank among the world's leaders. Zhang Qisheng, an academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering and an expert in bamboo charcoal research, once said in an interview with reporters that bamboo charcoal products represent the current popular trend in consumption at home and abroad, that China's bamboo resources are very rich, and that the bamboo charcoal industry has broad market prospects. At present, bamboo in Taiwan, China can be divided into 5 genera, totaling about more than 170 species. There are six common major categories in Taiwan, China: cinnamon bamboo, Mengzong bamboo, thorn bamboo, evergreen branch bamboo, hemp bamboo, and green bamboo.
There are about more than 70 genera and more than 1,200 species of bamboo plants worldwide, mainly distributed in tropical and subtropical regions, with a few bamboo species distributed in temperate and cold zones. Bamboo has high requirements for water and heat conditions and is very sensitive to them; the distribution of water and heat on the earth's surface governs the geographical distribution of bamboo. Southeast Asia is located in the tropics and southern subtropics and is also affected by the convergence of the Pacific and Indian Ocean monsoons, with abundant rainfall and stable heat. It is an ideal ecological environment for bamboo growth and is also the center of world bamboo distribution; bamboo is mainly distributed in temperate regions around 30 degrees north latitude.
Identifying the types of bamboo is based on its growth characteristics. It is mainly identified from its propagation type, the appearance of the bamboo culm, and the shape characteristics of the bamboo sheath. According to propagation type, bamboo is divided into three major categories: clumping type, scattered type, and mixed type.
Clumping type
This means new bamboo is propagated from buds at the base of the mother bamboo. New bamboo grows from the lateral buds of the culm rhizome of the old bamboo, so they appear to gather together, clump by clump. People commonly call this "bamboo stump producing shoots." Examples include Ci bamboo, Yingtouhuang, hemp bamboo, dan bamboo, green bamboo, thorn bamboo, long-branch bamboo, and Penglai bamboo.
Scattered type
This means new bamboo is propagated from buds on the rhizome roots (commonly called horse whips). Examples include moso bamboo, speckled bamboo, water bamboo, purple bamboo, and others.
Mixed type
This means it propagates both from buds at the base of the mother bamboo and from buds on the bamboo rhizome roots. Their long underground stems creep underground! New bamboo then emerges from these underground stems, so new bamboo grows near the old bamboo and appears to grow independently, one stalk at a time. Examples include Mengzong bamboo, cinnamon bamboo, human-face bamboo, ink bamboo, Tang bamboo, square bamboo, bitter bamboo, palm bamboo, arrow bamboo, Japanese red bamboo, and others.
Distribution areas of bamboo
Bamboo belongs to the monocotyledonous grass family Poaceae. Bamboo is widely distributed and grows on all continents. There are about 65 genera and more than 1,250 species worldwide. Bamboo likes to grow in warm, humid climates, so it is mainly distributed in low-latitude tropical or subtropical monsoon climate zones. Asia is the center of bamboo growth, and bamboo is a specialty of the East. At present, about 79 species grow in Taiwan, China, of which 17 are fixed species. They are distributed from north to south, and their traces can be seen from sea level to mountains above three thousand meters.
World bamboo types and distribution
Bamboo is mainly distributed in tropical, subtropical, and warm temperate regions between 46 degrees north latitude and 47 degrees south latitude on Earth. In the world, except for the European continent, native bamboo species after the fourth glaciation can be found on all other continents. Zhejiang, Jiangxi, Fujian, Hunan, Yunnan, and Sichuan in China all have large distributions of different types of bamboo. The Asia-Pacific region and the Americas are also major bamboo distribution areas.
Bamboo originated in the tropics but still has strong adaptability and is distributed from the tropics to the temperate zone. Some species can be distributed in cold temperate zones and in the upper parts of mountains at altitudes as high as 4,500 m. In the world, except that Europe has no natural bamboo species, all other continents have natural distributions, with most species concentrated in humid and warm tropical and subtropical regions. From a global perspective, bamboo can be divided into three major regions in terms of geographical distribution.
Asia-Pacific bamboo region
This region is the largest bamboo region, reaching south to Singapore at 42 degrees S, north to central Sakhalin at 51 degrees N, east to the Pacific islands, and west to the southwestern Indian Ocean. About 40 to 50 genera and nearly 900 species of bamboo are distributed there. The Southeast Asian part of this region is the world center of bamboo origin and also one of its modern distribution centers. In particular, central and southern Yunnan, China, has extremely rich bamboo species, and the floristic geographical elements are also relatively complex, with many bamboo species of high economic value.
American bamboo
Stretching across South America, from as far south as 47°S in southern Argentina to as far north as 40°N in the eastern United States, there are about 18 genera and 270 species in total. Bamboo is far less important in the cultural development, production and daily life of the people of the Americas than it is in Asia.
African bamboo region
The distribution range of bamboos in this region is relatively small, extending south to 22° and north to 6°N in eastern Sudan. The bamboo flora of the African mainland is poor, with few native bamboo species, but it forms large areas of bamboo forest, or grows in association with other tree species to form the lower and middle layers of mixed forests, while on the island of Madagascar in East Africa there are as many as 11 genera and 40 species, far richer than the African mainland.
Distribution of bamboos in China China is one of the countries richest in bamboos in the world. In terms of distribution it shows obvious zonation and regionality, and can be divided into 5 major bamboo regions.
Northern scattered bamboo region
It includes southeastern Gansu, northern Sichuan, southern Shaanxi, Henan, Hubei, Anhui, Jiangsu, as well as southern Shandong and southwestern Hebei and other areas, where about 10 genera, 29 species, 10 varieties and forms of bamboo are distributed. The bamboos in this region are mainly scattered bamboos, such as Bashania and Phyllostachys. According to the horizontal distribution of bamboos, it can further be divided into 3 natural distribution areas: the northern subtropical Huaihe River and upper Hanshui River bamboo area; the warm temperate middle and lower reaches of the Yellow River bamboo area; and the warm temperate Shaanxi-Gansu-Ningxia bamboo area.
Jiangnan mixed bamboo region
This region includes southeastern Sichuan, Hunan, Jiangxi, Zhejiang and northwestern Fujian, roughly equivalent to 25-30°N, and has the characteristic of a mixed distribution of scattered bamboos and clumping bamboos; it has both scattered bamboos such as Phyllostachys, Indocalamus and Pleioblastus, and clumping bamboos such as Neosinocalamus and Bambusa. This region is the area with the largest area of planted bamboo forest and the highest bamboo timber output in China, especially moso bamboo, and is the central distribution area of moso bamboo in China, with a relatively developed bamboo industry.
Southwestern high mountain bamboo region
It includes southeastern Xizang, northwestern and northeastern Yunnan, and western and southern Sichuan, which lie in the Hengduan Mountain area, and is mainly dominated by sympodial scattered high-mountain bamboos such as Fargesia and Yushania, generally distributed at altitudes of 1500-3800 m or higher. In this region there are also occasional distributions of species of Indocalamus, Chimonocalamus and Chimonobambusa.
Southern clumping bamboo region
According to differences in bamboo species composition and habitat conditions, it is divided into two subregions. South China subregion: including Taiwan, China, the coastal areas of Fujian, the area south of the Nanling Mountains in Guangdong and southeastern Guangxi, located in the present subtropical monsoon evergreen broad-leaved forest zone and the tropical rainforest and rain forest zone. Representative bamboos include clumping bamboos such as Bambusa and Schizostachyum. Bambusa has the most species and is the distribution center of the genus. This subregion also has mixed sympodial types such as Sinobambusa. Southwest subregion: including western Guangxi, southern Guizhou and most of Yunnan, mainly clumping bamboos such as Dendrocalamus, Gigantochloa, Cephalostachyum and Thyrsostachys, especially Dendrocalamus, which is the geographical distribution center of the genus.
Hainan-Yunnan climbing bamboo region
It includes the central and southern parts of Hainan Island, southern and western Yunnan and the southern edge of Xizang. The main characteristic of the bamboos in this region is that it has many kinds of climbing clumping bamboos, such as some species of Melocalamus, Dinochloa, Schizostachyum and Bambusa.
The region with the richest species of Bambusoideae plants in China is undoubtedly Yunnan, where 28 genera and 220 species have been discovered and reported so far, with the number of genera accounting for 3/4 of the country and the number of species accounting for nearly 1/2 of the country. The academic community generally recognizes that Yunnan is one of the places of origin and modern distribution centers of the world's bamboos, and it has the reputation of being the "homeland of the world's bamboos."
Yunnan Province is the richest and most special region for bamboo plants in the world, and is the place of origin and modern distribution center of the world's bamboo plants, with as many as 28 genera and more than 220 species distributed, with the number of genera accounting for 40% of the world and 75% of China, and the number of species accounting for 25% of the world and 50% of China. The richness of bamboo species in Yunnan is unmatched by any other country or region in the world; it is also a world-famous natural bamboo forest distribution area, with a bamboo forest area of 331,000 hectares, and is known as the "homeland of the world's bamboos," the "home of large clumping bamboos" and the "home of ethnic bamboo culture."
The geographical distribution of bamboos in Yunnan can be divided into 7 regions: the southern Yunnan tropical large clumping bamboo region, the southwestern Yunnan tropical and warm-tropical large and medium-sized clumping bamboo region, the southeastern Yunnan tropical and warm-tropical large and medium-sized mixed bamboo region, the central Yunnan warm temperate medium-sized mixed bamboo region, the western Yunnan warm temperate small and medium-sized mixed bamboo region, the northwestern Yunnan cold temperate small mixed bamboo region, and the northeastern Yunnan cool temperate small and medium-sized scattered bamboo region.
Bamboo Garden
Bamboos originated in the rainy tropical and subtropical regions. Yunnan has complex terrain and great differences in altitude, and its climate is influenced by both the southeast monsoon and the southwest monsoon, all of which provide favorable conditions for bamboo growth. Therefore, Yunnan is the center of origin of Asian bamboos and also the center of origin of the world's bamboos. Many bamboos are distributed with Yunnan as their center or are endemic there. Among the bamboos of Yunnan, many are large and medium-sized bamboos good for both shoots and timber, and precious economic bamboos with extremely high ornamental value.
The Bamboo Garden was established in 1965 and has introduced and cultivated more than 250 kinds of bamboo. It has collected most of the species from southern Yunnan, Guangdong, Guangxi, Hainan and the tropical regions of Southeast Asia, as well as a small number of species from Yunnan. There are many precious bamboo species in the garden, such as the giant dragon bamboo with stems as thick as 25 cm, the Buddha belly bamboo whose internodes resemble a Buddha's belly, the golden bamboo with green stripes alternating with yellow, the thorny bamboo whose branches are covered with hooked thorns, the glutinous rice fragrant bamboo used by the local Dai people to make bamboo-tube rice, and even the rare climbing bamboo that climbs trees and twines around branches, as well as the phoenix-tail bamboo with strong Dai ethnic flavor.
The uses of bamboo
Bamboo is evergreen all year round and has a wide range of uses. In courtyards, it is an indispensable plant for accenting rockeries and waterside pavilions. Bamboo is evergreen all year round and absorbs a large amount of water. Planting some bamboo in front of and behind the house can not only beautify the environment, but also make it very shady in summer. Mr. Dongpo once said: "I would rather eat without meat than live without bamboo." This shows that bamboo is very closely related to people's lives. Phoenix-tail bamboo is widely planted along the Li River in Guilin, forming a unique landscape. The Anji Great Bamboo Sea, the Shunan Bamboo Sea and the Gannan Bamboo Sea are famous bamboo sea landscapes in China.
Because bamboo has elegant material, its products are sturdy and durable, comfortable to sit and lie on, and inexpensive, and have a strong rustic flavor and ethnic atmosphere, it is widely used by people in daily life. The art of bamboo craft has also been preserved, created and continued along with it. Bamboo grows quickly, and in recent years, for environmental reasons, a large amount of furniture and paper has switched to being made from bamboo. Bamboo can also be used to make handicrafts, musical instruments and so on.
Bamboo art
Bamboo handicrafts include: bamboo slips, bamboo plaques, bamboo hanging pictures, bamboo slip calligraphy and painting, bamboo-carved bamboo brush pots, bamboo-carved liuqing arm rests, bamboo root carvings and various other categories.
Bamboo furniture
In ancient China, furniture mainly included mats, beds, screens, mirror stands, tables, chairs, cabinets and so on. The mat was the oldest and most primitive furniture, first woven from leaves, and later mostly woven from reeds and thin bamboo strips.
Bamboo artworks
Painters of successive Chinese dynasties often took bamboo as their creative subject, such as Wen Tong (1017-1079), Ni Zan (1301-1374), Xia Chang (1388-1470), Zheng Banqiao (1693-1765), Zhu Xuanxian (1927-2002) and others, all of whom created many excellent works in this area.
In addition, it can be used for furniture, papermaking, handicrafts, musical instruments, and as building material to build sheds, flooring and so on, and for daily necessities such as brooms and cool mats; in recent years, bamboo fiber made from bamboo timber by engineering methods through physical and chemical action has been used as textiles, made into towels and clothing and so on.
Bamboo timber is roasted to make bamboo charcoal, which is used in many situations, including removing environmental odors and in special-flavor foods. Activated carbon made from bamboo charcoal through crushing and activation has good adsorption and purification effects, and is used in automobiles and homes, as well as in sewage treatment and so on.
It is mainly divided into four major categories: shoot use, ornamental use, traditional timber use and industrial timber use:
Shoot use
It is mainly represented by bamboo shoots and dried bamboo shoots. China's excellent main bamboo species for shoots include moso bamboo and early bamboo in the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River, and ma bamboo and green bamboo in the Pearl River basin, Fujian, Taiwan, China and other places. Bamboo shoots are rich in protein, amino acids, fat, carbohydrates, calcium, phosphorus, iron, carotene, vitamin B1, B2 and C, and are excellent health vegetables.
Bamboo green is a Chinese medicinal material that clears heat and cools the body. The juice obtained by roasting fresh bamboo slices over a fire is called bamboo sap, used to treat coughs and resolve phlegm. Bamboo shoots are a common delicacy. The seeds of bamboo are called bamboo rice, and because they are hard to obtain, they are a precious delicacy.
In Japan and South Korea, some people mix it with sea salt, yellow earth and so on and process it into green bamboo salt (or bamboo salt) in a way similar to steelmaking, using it as a seasoning or even adding it to personal hygiene products; bamboo salt toothpaste is one of the better-known products among them. It is said to have anti-inflammatory and antibacterial effects, prevent allergies and cavities, maintain gum collagen, and prevent gum degeneration and periodontal disease.
Ornamental use
It is mainly represented by ornamental garden bamboos, which are bamboo plants specially cultivated for ornamental garden use, generally with relatively unusual forms such as stems and leaf color. Common ornamental bamboos include: scattered types such as black bamboo, moso bamboo, fishscale bamboo, makino bamboo and square bamboo; clumping types such as Buddha belly bamboo and hedge bamboo; and mixed types such as indocalamus and tea pole bamboo.
Traditional timber use
1. Household items: bamboo brooms, bamboo fences, bamboo pig cages, bamboo greenhouses, bamboo waterwheels, bamboo vegetable baskets, bamboo ladders, bamboo rafts, flagpoles, bamboo stools, bamboo stacks, bamboo mats, bamboo mats, bamboo cushions, bamboo fans, toothpicks, bamboo cups, fishing rods, bamboo umbrellas and so on
2. Pure handicrafts: bamboo wind chimes, bamboo carvings, bamboo woven goods, bamboo musical instruments and so on
3. Building materials: bamboo plywood, bamboo flooring and so on
4. Other timber uses: bamboo charcoal, bamboo vinegar liquid, bamboo pulp papermaking, medicinal use of bamboo leaves and so on
Industrial timber use
Although bamboo timber has many advantages such as fast growth, high yield, strong toughness and abundant reserves, its characteristics of being hollow, having many nodes and being prone to longitudinal splitting make its performance in industrial application fields far inferior to that of wood.
In terms of industrial application, the only bright spot is perhaps bamboo pallet products. It is understood that the bamboo pallet products produced by Nanjing Hanqing Bamboo Industry Co., Ltd. have the advantages of being fumigation-free, high in strength, strong in load-bearing capacity, strong in impact resistance, recyclable, easy to repair, waterproof, mildew-proof and insect-proof, giving 100% play to the characteristics and advantages of bamboo timber, and are in line with the concept of green environmental protection.
In the near future, in addition to pallet products, bamboo boards will also be widely used in various fields such as packaging boxes, boards for vehicles and ships, boards for containers, building formwork, courtyard beautification and so on. By then, the industrial application value of bamboo will be brought into full play.
Natural and rustic: Since ancient times, bamboo has been a symbol of elegance, chastity and good fortune. In the eyes of poets, bamboo is a green line of verse; under the brush of painters, bamboo is a green scroll painting; in the hearts of farmers, bamboo is green wealth.
Characteristics of its uses
Protecting nature: Bamboo is a highly renewable resource, and its growth cycle is short (only 3-5 years). As long as it is harvested reasonably, it will not only not damage the ecological environment, but also better promote the regeneration of bamboo resources, protect the environment, and keep the green mountains forever, for sustainable use.
Revering nature: Bamboo flooring and bamboo decorative boards cater to the trend of modern people returning to simplicity and revering nature. Bamboo has clear grain, a beautiful board surface, natural color, rustic dignity, a pleasant bamboo fragrance, and an elegant and stylish texture.
Sturdy and durable: Bamboo flooring retains the excellent inherent characteristics of bamboo timber, such as high density, good toughness and high strength, and has the features of being durable, flame-retardant, bending-resistant, insect-proof and rot-proof. It is not only beautiful but also durable, and is a recognized new type of decorative material.
The dietary therapy or medicinal value of bamboo
The medical information and health dietary therapy information on Hugarden are for reference only and cannot be used as a basis for diagnosis or medical treatment. Any health problem should be consulted with professional medical personnel, and the treatment of any disease should follow a doctor's advice.
Ultimate flower-protecting task: Love yourself, start from reality, and strictly follow a doctor's advice. Toward illness, do not be careless, do not delay, do not give up hope; face it bravely, warm the silent world with love, and care for the flower field in your heart with your heart.
Food ingredients
Bamboo shoots are a common delicacy; the seeds of bamboo are called bamboo rice, and because they are hard to obtain, they are a precious delicacy. Besides being ornamental, bamboo is also an excellent building material, and bamboo shoots are a delicacy that can be made into dried bamboo shoots or canned goods and so on. It is mainly represented by bamboo shoots and dried bamboo shoots. China's excellent main bamboo species for shoots include moso bamboo and early bamboo in the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River, and ma bamboo and green bamboo in the Pearl River basin, Fujian, Taiwan, China and other places. Bamboo shoots are rich in protein, amino acids, fat, carbohydrates, calcium, phosphorus, iron, carotene, vitamin B1, B2 and C, and are excellent health vegetables.
The medical content on Hugarden is for reference only and cannot be regarded as professional advice. Any health problem should be consulted with professional medical personnel.
Medicinal use: Bamboo green is a Chinese medicinal material that clears heat and cools the body. The juice obtained by roasting fresh bamboo slices over a fire is called bamboo sap, used to treat coughs and resolve phlegm. The underground stem of bamboo is commonly called bamboo whip, and its emerging shoots are called gou or bamboo shoots. In the Compendium of Materia Medica, Lu Dian is quoted as saying: "Within ten days it is gou, after ten days it is bamboo, hence the character xun is derived from xun (ten days)." This describes its rapid growth. There are also many kinds of shoots, including winter shoots, spring shoots and whip shoots, all of which can be used as food. In Jiangsu and Zhejiang, folk people use insect-bored shoots for medicinal purposes, calling them "insect shoots." Tender bamboo leaves, bamboo shavings and bamboo astringent are all used medicinally.
Medicinal information on bamboo
[Nature and flavor] Sweet, slightly cold, non-toxic.
[Composition] Bamboo shoots contain protein, amino acids, fat, carbohydrates, calcium, phosphorus, iron, carotene, vitamin B1 and B2.
[Functions] Treats diabetes-like thirst, promotes water passage, clears the lungs and resolves phlegm. Insect shoots are an effective diuretic, suitable for edema, ascites, swollen feet due to beriberi, edema from acute nephritis, panting and coughing, diabetes, thirst with restlessness and heat, and so on.
[Edema and ascites (including ascites caused by nephritis, heart disease, liver disease and advanced schistosomiasis)]
Take 60 g each of insect shoots and aged bottle gourd, and decoct in water. It is even better to add 30 g of winter melon. [Children's measles, rubella or chickenpox in the early stage, with fever, thirst and difficult urination] Stew fresh bamboo shoots with crucian carp to make soup and give it to the child to drink; it helps promote rapid eruption and early recovery.
[Chronic diarrhea, chronic dysentery, rectal prolapse] Eating congee cooked with fresh bamboo shoots is effective.
[Deficiency restlessness and insomnia] Take 30 g of rolled cores of tender bamboo leaves and 3 g of common rush pith, decoct in water, and drink before going to sleep.
[Postpartum deficiency heat and restlessness, heat in the palms and soles] Take 30 g each of fresh bamboo shavings and bamboo leaf cores, and decoct in water.
[High blood pressure, headache, red face, thirst, restless sleep at night] Take 30-60 g of fresh bamboo leaf cores, 15 g of common selfheal and 9 g of pagoda tree flowers, and decoct in water.
[Children's head sores, pemphigus, impetigo]
Jujube and bamboo leaf soup:
From "Local Folk Prescriptions": Boil soup with red dates and washed bamboo leaves; it has a cooling effect, and is especially effective for small red dot-like blisters on the body of children under 10 years old caused by excessive internal heat.
Bamboo flowering Bamboo flowering
Both in China and India, there are legends that bamboo flowering brings disaster. In China it has often been said that "when the bamboo flowers, great disaster will surely come," and in India there is also the legend that "when the bamboo flowers, famine occurs."
Once bamboo flowers, nearby bamboos will also flower one after another, causing the death of large areas of bamboo forest, and inevitably causing devastating damage to some animals that rely mainly on bamboo for food. The first to suffer is the giant panda.
The saying often heard from some elderly people that "when the bamboo flowers, great disaster will surely come" is not merely superstition or rumor. Scientists have found that before some catastrophic droughts, bamboo will flower on a large scale and wither. It is said that this is because bamboo can sense certain changes in the soil, so it migrates to suitable new land by spreading seeds, or waits in the original place for a suitable time (such as after the drought). In addition, there is also the term "iron tree blooming."
On the other hand, bamboo rice (the seeds of bamboo) is also an excellent food for rodents. Scientists once calculated that when the once-in-50-years bamboo flowering cycle occurs in northeastern India, the number of rats increases 4-fold. The sudden increase in the rat population causes the grain stored in villages to be consumed rapidly, leading to famine. Therefore, there is also a view that the famine occurred only because of the sudden proliferation of rodents, and not because of natural disaster.
As for which view is true, there is still no definitive conclusion at present.
The flowering cycle of bamboo is quite long, usually ranging from several decades to more than a hundred years, and the flowers of most bamboos are of a withered-grass color and shaped like rice ears.
It is known that Cephalostachyum scandens in the Gaoligong Mountains has bright red flowers.
The cultural background of bamboo
Bamboo It is said that the great painter Zheng Banqiao would not live without bamboo, and he left behind a large number of bamboo paintings and poems praising bamboo. The great poet Su Dongpo left behind the famous saying, "I would rather eat without meat than live without bamboo."
Cultural significance
Confucius's student Zilu considered himself to be a bamboo from the southern mountains, which after being sharpened could pierce the thick hide of a rhinoceros, meaning that his natural endowment was very good. The Family Sayings of Confucius says: "The bamboo on the south side of the mountain, without being bent, is straight by itself; cut it and make it into an arrow, and it will reach its target when shot." Record of a Journey to Lingnan: "The people of Lingnan should feel ashamed before bamboo. Those who eat use bamboo shoots, those who shelter use bamboo tiles, those who ride use bamboo rafts, those who cook use bamboo firewood, those who wear clothes use bamboo skin, those who write use bamboo paper, those who wear shoes use bamboo shoes; truly it may be said that this gentleman cannot be dispensed with for even a single day!" Wang Huizhi, living in an empty house, had bamboo planted, saying: "How can I be without this gentleman for even one day?" [2]. Old Book of Tang, Biography of Li Mi: "Exhaust the bamboo of the southern mountains, and the writing of his crimes would still not be finished; breach the waves of the Eastern Sea, and the washing away of his evil would still be hard to complete." Wang Bo, Rhapsody on Kindly Bamboo: "Like the linked bonds of mother and child, like the fraternal friendship of the women's quarters; fearing that standing out alone will bring danger, it always keeps itself by living in groups." Su Dongpo said, "One may make one's meal without meat, but one cannot live without bamboo. Without meat one becomes thin; without bamboo one becomes vulgar." [3]. Also, in Record of the Ink Lord Hall he praised bamboo: "Through wind and snow's fierce cold, observe its conduct; on jagged cliffs and stones, bring about its integrity. When successful, it flourishes without arrogance; when unsuccessful, it is worn thin without disgrace. Living in groups it does not lean on others; standing alone it is without fear." Wang Dangui's Qin Lou Yue - Ode to Bamboo: "Its nature is chaste and pure; its soft branches and tender leaves are worthy of being painted. Worthy of being painted, accompanying the thatched hall's wind and moon through all four seasons. Lone and lofty with strong integrity, naturally distinct; empty-hearted, forever without withering. Without withering, its green shade sways, its auspicious sound pure and unmatched."
In Chinese flower-and-bird painting, the four gentlemen of plum, orchid, bamboo and chrysanthemum are important subjects, each representing certain virtues. The bamboo painted by the Northern Song painter Wen Tong was famous far and wide.
Many Chinese idioms mention bamboo: green plums and bamboo horse, sweeping through like splitting bamboo, having a fully formed plan in mind. Bamboo, pine and plum together are called the "Three Friends of Winter." The hollowness of bamboo was extended by Chinese literati to mean "humility." Bai Juyi's Record of Cultivating Bamboo says: "The heart of bamboo is empty, and through emptiness it embodies the Way; when a gentleman sees its heart, he thinks of applying himself with receptive emptiness"; the nodes of bamboo were extended to mean "moral integrity"; the cold resistance and evergreen nature of bamboo are regarded as "unyielding" [4]; the tall uprightness of bamboo is regarded as "lofty"; the clear elegance and refined grace of bamboo are extended to mean "gentleman."
Legend says that before the invention of firecrackers, people used the crackling sound made by burning bamboo to drive away evil spirits. Hence there is the idiom "bamboo reports peace" (bamboo bursts for peace), meaning seeking good fortune and avoiding disaster.
Humanistic value
Bamboo: It manifests moral integrity; though not thick and strong, it is upright, tough and tall; it fears neither severe cold nor summer heat, and remains evergreen through all ages. Bamboo is the embodiment of the gentleman, the gentleman among the "Four Gentlemen." The seven virtues of bamboo: The bamboo body is upright and straight, preferring to break rather than bend; this is called uprightness. Although bamboo has nodes, it does not stop advancing; this is called striving forward. Bamboo is straight outside and hollow within, with a mind broad as a valley; this is called humble openness. Bamboo has flowers but does not open them, facing the sky with a plain face; this is called simplicity. Bamboo stands aloof and independent, holding up heaven and standing on earth; this is called eminence. Although bamboo is called eminent, it is not like the pine; this is called being good in a group. Bamboo carries writing and transmits it through the generations, bearing hardship and complaint; this is called responsibility.
Bamboo reports peace. Bamboo: bamboo slips. Bamboo report: an old alternative name for a family letter. It refers to a letter reporting peace at home. Tang dynasty, Duan Chengshi, Supplement to the Youyang Zazu - Zhi Zhi Xia: "In the north only Tongzi Temple has a clump of bamboo, only a few chi tall. It is said that the temple's supervisor reported the bamboo's peace every day."
Bamboo clumps and luxuriant pines. The roots are as firm as bamboo, and the branches and leaves as luxuriant as a pine tree. Used as a congratulatory phrase for wishing longevity or for the completion of a palace or house, and also as a metaphor for family prosperity. Book of Songs, Minor Odes, Si Gan: "Like bamboo clumps, like luxuriant pines." Ming dynasty, Fan Shiyan, Record of Polishing Loyalty: "Wishing long life and enjoyment, may it be like bamboo clumps and luxuriant pines, with sun and moon enduring long."
Green plums and bamboo horse. Green plums: green mume fruit. Bamboo horse: a bamboo pole that children ride as a horse. A metaphor for the innocent and unspoiled feelings of boys and girls playing together. Tang dynasty, Li Bai, Ballad of Changgan: "My lord came riding a bamboo horse, circling the bed playing with green plums. Living together in Changgan Lane, two small ones without suspicion."
Dense woods and tall bamboo. Xiu: tall. Dense and tall woods and bamboo groves. Jin dynasty, Wang Xizhi, Preface to the Orchid Pavilion Gathering: "This place has high mountains and steep ridges, dense woods and tall bamboo."
Sweeping through like splitting bamboo. The situation is like splitting bamboo: after the upper end is split open, the lower part separates along with the blade. It describes winning victory after victory without obstruction. It also describes an unstoppable momentum. Book of Jin, Biography of Du Yu: "The military prestige has already been roused; it is like splitting bamboo: after several nodes, it splits apart as it meets the blade." Ming dynasty, Shi Naian, Water Margin: Chapter 99: Guan Sheng and the others, taking advantage of the momentum, drove straight on, sweeping through like splitting bamboo, and again captured Dagu County.
Seven Sages of the Bamboo Grove. The collective name for seven literati and famous scholars during the Wei and Jin periods. Wei Clan Spring and Autumn Annals: "Xi Kang was friendly with Ruan Ji of Chenliu, Shan Tao of Henei, Xiang Xiu of Henan, Xian of Langya, the nephew of Ji, Wang Rong of Langya, and Liu Ling of Pei; they wandered in the bamboo grove and were known as the Seven Sages."
Pine, bamboo and plum - the Three Friends of Winter. Pine and bamboo pass through winter without withering, and plum endures cold and blooms, so they are called the Three Friends of Winter. Ming dynasty, Cheng Minzheng wrote Rhapsody on the Painting of the Three Friends of Winter.
Zhushan Ci. A title of a collection of ci poetry. Written by Jiang Jie (style name Zhushan) at the end of the Song dynasty.
Zhupo Ci. A title of a collection of ci poetry. Written by Zhou Zizhi of the Song dynasty. Zizhi's courtesy name was Shaoyin, and his style name was Zhupo Jushi. He once flattered Qin Hui, and contemporary opinion held him in low regard.
Bamboo and white silk, referring to books and history. Zhang Xie, Miscellaneous Poems, No. 9: "Wandering thoughts in the ~~ garden, sending words in the forest of brush and ink." Baopuzi, On Immortals: "How much more so the people among the ranked immortals, filling ~~."
Bamboo Branch Song. The name of a piece in the Yuefu collection Recent Songs. Also called Bamboo Branch. A tune title in the Tang court music repertoire. Later used as a ci pattern title. Sometimes the ci and the song are together called Bamboo Branch. Originally a folk song of the Bayu area (present-day eastern Sichuan). The Tang poet Liu Yuxi adapted it into new lyrics based on the folk songs, singing of the scenery of the Three Gorges and of love between men and women. After this, poets of successive dynasties wrote many Bamboo Branch Songs, mostly also singing of local customs and love between men and women.
Listening to the Qin in the Bamboo Dock. Full title Qin Youran Listening to the Qin in the Bamboo Dock. A zaju play script. Written by Shi Zizhang of the Yuan dynasty. It tells the story of the Daoist nun Zheng Cailuan playing the qin in a bamboo dock and meeting the scholar Qin Xiuran; the two admire each other and unite.
Cultural symbolism
When culture is mentioned, people naturally think of writing, art, science and so on, but the emergence and development of culture cannot be separated from a definite natural ecological environment, and it is inevitably affected by many factors such as geography, climate and animal and plant resources. Among the plant resources that have had the deepest influence on Chinese culture, none is more so than bamboo. The British scholar Joseph Needham put it well when he said that East Asian civilization is a "bamboo civilization." Chinese literati and poets endowed the growth characteristics of bamboo, such as hollowness, uprightness and evergreen through the four seasons, with personified spiritual and cultural symbols such as elegance, purity, humility, integrity and uprightness: "In severe cold and summer heat it is always fresh, unmoved by rain and wind. In one night it draws itself up a thousand chi, soaring to the clouds with proud bones and even more humility. (Zuo Heshui)" And painting bamboo became an important painting category in Chinese flower-and-bird painting. In the Qing dynasty of our country, Zheng Banqiao was world-famous for painting bamboo.
In Chinese gardens past and present, there is almost no garden without bamboo. If one lives with bamboo, then the secluded bamboo grove brushes the window, and clear air fills the courtyard; bamboo shadows dance gracefully, their posture fit for painting, and green leaves do not wither through winter, being both elegant and unrestrained. Through the ages, "it is valuable in life to have bamboo in one's heart" has become the preference of many literati and refined scholars, who often use plum, orchid, bamboo and chrysanthemum to express their own lofty and unconventional tastes, or as a mirror for their own moral character, such as the contemporary poet Zhou Tianhou's Ode to Bamboo: "Bitter integrity is cherished by itself, after rain it is even more dustless. In the cold of the year we discuss the gentleman, green weaving new spring."
China is the homeland of bamboo. There are about 100 to 1000 or more kinds of bamboo in the world, while China has 37 genera and about 500 species, mainly in the Sichuan region. Not only are bamboo resources abundant, but the history of cultivating and using bamboo is also long. An ancient folk song, the Tan Ge, sings: "Cut bamboo, join bamboo, fling earth, chase meat." This shows that as early as 7000 years ago, our ancestors used bamboo to make arrowheads, crossbows and other weapons for entertainment, hunting or war. Bamboo has formed an inseparable bond with human cultural life, and in the daily clothing, food, housing and transportation of the Chinese nation, the lovely figure of bamboo is everywhere. The great literary giant of the Song dynasty, Su Dongpo, once exclaimed: "Those who eat use bamboo shoots, those who shelter use bamboo tiles, those who ride use bamboo rafts, those who cook use bamboo firewood, those who wear clothes use bamboo skin, those who write use bamboo paper, those who wear shoes use bamboo shoes; truly it may be said that this gentleman cannot be dispensed with for even a single day."
Bamboo: It manifests moral integrity; though not thick and strong, it is upright, tough and tall; it fears neither severe cold nor summer heat, and remains evergreen through all ages.
Bamboo is the embodiment of the gentleman, and is one member of the "Four Gentlemen."
Bamboo, plum blossom and pine are the "Three Friends of Winter": pine symbolizes enduring evergreen youth, bamboo symbolizes the way of the gentleman, and plum symbolizes icy purity and jade-like cleanness.
The ten virtues of bamboo
The bamboo body is upright and straight, preferring to break rather than bend; this is called uprightness. Although bamboo has nodes, it does not stop advancing; this is called striving forward. Bamboo is straight outside and open within, with a mind broad as a valley; this is called humble openness. Bamboo has flowers deeply buried, facing the sky with a plain face; this is called simplicity. Bamboo blooms once in its life, and even in death has no regret; this is called dedication. Jade bamboo stands in the wind, holding up heaven and standing on earth; this is called eminence. Although bamboo is called eminent, it is not like the pine; this is called being good in a group. Bamboo's texture is like stone, and only then can it become a vessel; this is called firmness of nature. Bamboo is transformed into a tally token, which Su Wu held fast to; this is called moral conduct. Bamboo carries writing and transmits it through the generations, bearing hardship and complaint; this is called responsibility.
When we stroll along a park path, or pass by a riverbank ferry crossing, or tour the deep secluded places of famous mountains and great rivers, we may be happily intoxicated by the beautiful scenery, or we may be exhausted from the trek. Suddenly, several plants with strong, upright nodes come into view: they stand straight and dignified, yet seem somewhat shyly to lower their heads, nodding and bowing to us; when the breeze blows gently, that natural swaying up and down seems again like bowing to us in salute. [6]
We suddenly feel: nature is also so gracious. We share one blue sky above our heads and flourish together on the earth, yet they know how to set aside arrogance and live in harmony, and toward passing strangers they are also so humble and polite...
Related verses
Ode to Bamboo (Qi dynasty, Xie Tiao)
Before the window a clump of bamboo, clear and green, uniquely called marvelous. Southern branches cross northern leaves, new shoots mingle with old branches. Moonlight thins then thickens, wind sound rises then falls. Blue birds fly without hindrance, yellow-beaked young ones peer alone. I only regret the sheaths that follow the wind, the root and stem forever separated.
Bamboo (Liu Xiaoxian)
Bamboo grows in the empty wilderness, its tip towering a hundred xun into the clouds. No one appreciates its high integrity; it vainly holds its chaste heart. It is ashamed to be stained with the tears of the Xiang concubines, and ashamed to enter the palace qin. If someone makes a long flute from it, it should pour forth a dragon's chant.
Rhapsody on the Tender Bamboo Before the Steps (Chen dynasty, Zhang Zhengjian)
Emerald clouds, tip clouds, forming clumps by themselves; light flowers and tender shoots about to rise into the air. Along the winding steps horizontal branches repeatedly shed their sheaths; to the steps sparse leaves force their way in the wind. If you want to know where it holds its integrity and becomes a dragon, it should be in the Gebei of the mountain road.
Ode to Bamboo (Tang dynasty, Li Qiao)
Tall bamboo on the banks of the Chu River, graceful and fair, holding the breath of dawn. White flowers sway in the wind's shadow, green nodes stir with dragon patterns. Leaves sweep the southeastern sun, branches brush the northwestern clouds. Who knows that on the Xiang River, tears fall alone in longing for you.
Planting Over a Hundred Bamboo by the Left Side of the Prefectural Study (Tang, Linghu Chu)
In my study I planted bamboo by the north window, where the plain white wall newly opens to reflect its fresh green. The blue mist lies near where I walk with my medicine, the green shade reaches deep before my sleeping curtain. When the wind startles the dawn leaves, it sounds like rain; when the moon crosses the spring branches, they seem wrapped in mist. The old man recalls the mountains and his heart finds brief ease; retired from office, he sits at leisure facing her grace.
Facing Bamboo at White Sand Lodge on an Autumn Day (Tang, Xu Hun)
Rustling, it braves snow and frost, its deep green unlike the Three Xiang.
Sparse shadows shift on the wall as the moon moves, cold sounds fill the hall with wind. Rolling up the curtain, autumn comes even earlier; resting high on the pillow, the night grows especially long. Suddenly I recall the road by the Qin Stream, where ten thousand stalks are now so cool.
Tasting Bamboo Shoots for the First Time, Presented to Those Seated (Tang, Li Shangyin)
Tender sheaths and fragrant buds first emerge from the grove; in Yuling their price is weighed as gold. The imperial capital's land and sea should hold countless such things, yet who can bear to cut one inch of cloud-piercing gold.
Ode to Bamboo (Tang, Zheng Gu)
It suits mist, suits rain, and suits wind too, brushing the water, hiding the village, and mingling with pines. Transplanted, it rustles from the distant temple; washed clean, its sparse clarity reveals the front peak. Moss on the steps splits as spring shoots burst forth; along the path the sedge is fine, the summer shade is thick. Blaming the apricot blossoms for their many moods, several branches thread through the green, delighting in mutual accord.
Mountain Bamboo on a Spring Day (Tang, Pei Shuo)
Several stalks of dark green resemble dragons in form, steep and towering, made to grow in this place. Countless wildflowers cannot bloom here, while half the mountain's cold hue contends with spring.
Ode to Bamboo (Tang, Zhang Bi)
Tree colors reach the clouds as ten thousand leaves unfold; the prince never tires of planting them throughout the courtyard. Braving frost and keeping its integrity, unseen by any; all day empty-hearted, waiting for the phoenix to come. Who would permit its elegance to add to song and verse; it pities itself for being so free and unconstrained, rising above the dust. Before every vermilion gate there is much idle ground, just right for transplanting clouds and tending the green moss.
Frost Bamboo Pavilion (Song, Su Shi)
New bamboo sheds its sheaths, unable to restrain itself; already it has the grace to face the cold of the year. To see its stern spirit before the frost, one must wait for the autumn wind when the powder falls.
On Everything in the Garden (Song, Su Zhe)
In cold lands bamboo does not grow, and even if it grows it often seems sickly. I dig up roots and plant them by the secluded steps, and how fiercely they put forth leaves. With the grace of ice and snow, scattering shadows in wind and sun. Amid the flourishing blooms it appears lonely and deep, one stalk matching a thousand acres. It makes one recall the riverside, where it stands dense and tall, strong along the cliffs. Without wind the sheaths drift down on their own, rustling and ringing along the wild path.
New Bamboo (Song, Yang Wanli)
The east wind plays its tricks to patch the broken mountain, adding several jade stalks in a single night's blowing. Half shed of its brocade robe, still half wearing it; the sheath dragon does not yet believe in fearing the spring cold.
Ode to the New Bamboo of East Lake (Song, Lu You)
I plant thorns and weave a fence to carefully guard it, cultivating cold green that reflects the rippling water. A clear breeze sweeps the ground and autumn arrives first; the red sun crosses the sky and noon is unnoticed. When it sheds its sheaths, I sometimes hear a rustling sound; as the tips unfurl, I first see leaves growing thick. With official duties at leisure, I want to come here often, and still have my pillow and mat follow me everywhere.
Wild Bamboo (Yuan, Wu Zhen)
Wild bamboo, wild bamboo, utterly lovely, branches and leaves spread out in true form. All its life it has kept itself far from brambles, running along walls and cliffs, piercing stone dikes. Empty-hearted, embracing integrity by the mountain's river, it dances at leisure with clear wind and white moon. What will become of its cold tips a thousand feet high? The Wei River and the Qi'ao have much wind and mist.
Song of New Bamboo Shoots (Ming, Yue Dai)
The yellow birds fill the grove with ceaseless crying, and below the grove the new shoots stand level with a person. The spring wind closes the door as mountain hares run; by daylight the dew drips and startles the bamboo partridge. Three days of rain and spring has already passed, and near the stone bed a few more have been added. They vie to raise their heads and horns toward the blue clouds, heedless of breaking the green moss before the steps.
Bamboo and Stone (Qing, Zheng Xie)
Biting firmly into the green mountain, never letting go, its roots are set deep in broken rock. Through a thousand grindings and ten thousand blows it stays strong and firm, let the winds blow from east, west, south, or north.
Bamboo (Qing, Zheng Xie)
One node after another, a thousand branches gathering ten thousand leaves. I simply do not bloom, to avoid provoking bees and butterflies.
The Flower Language of Bamboo
Through the ages, in the hearts of Chinese people, bamboo has been a symbol of resilient uprightness, an empty-hearted yet principled character, and a human ideal. In Chinese tradition, bamboo symbolizesthe resilience of life, longevity, happiness, and spiritual truth。
Bamboo, elegant and full of spirit, slender and graceful, evergreen and unfailing, symbolizes eternal youth and vitality; in spring (the spring mountain) bamboo is free and upright, clear and refined, with the bearing of a noble gentleman; bamboo is hollow, symbolizing humility. With a modest character it can hold itself; bamboo's nature is to bend without breaking, to break without snapping, symbolizing the principle of firmness within gentleness, with the will to pierce the clouds, to stand strong against wind and snow, to lie down and yet rise again, its nodes always exposed and its tips rising high, a metaphor for lofty integrity; noble and uncommon in virtue, born with nodes, regarded as a symbol of moral integrity. Tang poet Zhang Jiuling praised bamboo, saying, "People respect its high integrity; the world knows its humble heart" ("Harmonizing with Huangmen Lu Shilang's Ode to Bamboo"). Detached, lofty, and upright, this is the pursuit of character of Chinese literati. Yuan poet Yang Zai's "Inscribed on Ink Bamboo": "Its flavor is already detached, its color does not flatter. Growing alone among cliffs and valleys, it has this cloud-piercing spirit."
Bamboo, towering and upright, graceful and varied, stirs the imagination and deep thought. She is strong and upright, plain and unadorned, neither haughty nor humble. She "roots in the great earth, drinks thirstily of sweet springs, and has nodes before emerging from the soil. Her branches cross the clouds of Meng, her leaves beat against the blue sky, and even where she pierces the clouds she remains humble." She is regarded as the embodiment of the traditional virtues of the Chinese nation, symbolizing lofty integrity.
In Japan, bamboo is a symbol of truth and dedication. Throughout the regions of the East, bamboo has been used as a writing tool; for Buddhist and Daoist writers and artists, bamboo's straight lines and hollow structure carry deeply profound symbolic meaning. Native tribes of South America use bamboo as knives and axes to cut other objects, and also use bamboo to make blowguns and instruments for playing sacred music. Some tall bamboos are greatly worshiped and revered as the tree of life. In Africa, bamboo also holds a very sacred symbolic status, because people use bamboo to perform male circumcision.
Other Information on Bamboo
Bamboo Clappers
Also called "kuaiban shu." One form of storytelling and folk vocal art; during performance the hands strike bamboo clappers, accompanying in lively rhythm.
Bamboo Weaving
Baskets and basket products woven from bamboo strips; the handle portion is a bamboo whip.
Bamboo Flute
A flute made of bamboo
Qingzhu, a place name, in Linyi City
Bamboo Raft
A raft tied together from thick bamboo. Also called "bamboo raft."
Bamboo Shop
A shop that sells bamboo
Galloping to the bamboo shop and calling out. - Qing, Shao Changheng, "Remaining Drafts of Qingmen"
Bamboo Slips
Bamboo strips used for writing in ancient times
Bamboo Basket
Drawing water with a bamboo basket, a metaphor for exerting effort with no result
1. Tang Erguguai and Tang Chunzao, father and son, year after year drew water with a bamboo basket, both hands empty. - Liu Shaotang, "Moth-Eyebrows"
2. Also phrased as "drawing water with a bamboo basket, all in vain"
Drawing water with a bamboo basket, all in vain. "Drawing water with a bamboo basket" is also phrased as "drawing water with a bamboo basket, all in vain"
Alas, this venture is drawing water with a bamboo basket, all in vain! - Liang Bin, "Chronicle of Red Flags"
Bamboo Curtain
A curtain made of bamboo, especially one used at a doorway
Bamboo Grove
Avoiding the sentries in the bamboo grove. - Song, Wen Tianxiang, "Postscript"
Bamboo House
A small building constructed mainly with bamboo as the building material.
Bamboo Horse
A children's toy, typically a stick with a horse-head model at one end and sometimes a wheel at the other, which a child straddles and pretends to ride. A prop tied from bamboo strips, used in the folk dance Bamboo Horse Lantern.
Bamboo Strips
Flat bamboo strips used for weaving bamboo articles.
Bamboo Tiles
Bamboo tiles refer to mahjong; bamboo articles are implements made from bamboo.
Bamboo Zither
A Malay musical instrument made from suspended bamboo tubes.
Bamboo Shoots
Young tender shoots sent up from the rhizome of bamboo, cut as a vegetable once they emerge above ground, eaten especially by Chinese and Japanese people.
Bamboo Vine
A kind of smilax with a four-angled stem and a star-shaped chaff-like base
Bamboo Tube
A vessel made from bamboo material for holding liquids. Carrying a bamboo tube and a copper-wire cage. - "Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio: The Cricket"
Zhuxi
A pavilion name. Outside the north gate of Yangzhou City
The fine spot of Zhuxi, the famous capital of Huaizuo. - Song, Jiang Kui, "Slow Song of Yangzhou"
Zhuyeqing (Green Bamboo Snake)
A venomous snake with a green body, yellow-white stripes running from below the eyes along both sides of the belly to the tail tip, and a red-brown tail tip. It lives in trees in temperate and tropical regions.
A slightly yellow-green liquor made by soaking Fenjiu as the base liquor with various medicinal herbs.
Arrowroot
A perennial herb of the Maranta genus native to tropical America, with a fleshy rhizome rich in starch, which can be boiled and eaten or used to extract starch; cultivated in southern China. A general term for plants of the Maranta genus.
Bamboo Paper: a kind of paper made from tender bamboo as material
Bamboo shoot soup (bamboo clappers); bamboo lady (a hollow, perforated bamboo-woven bed item); bamboo hamper (a bamboo-woven carrying box); bamboo sheath (the skin of bamboo shoots; shoot husk); bamboo chest (a bamboo box); bamboo scourge (a bamboo stick; a split strip used as a tool of punishment); bamboo fence (a bamboo hedge); bamboo skin (shoot shell); bamboo mother (a bamboo rhizome bearing shoot buds); bamboo craftsman (an artisan who makes bamboo articles); bamboo artisan (a handicraft worker who weaves implements from bamboo); bamboo mat (a bedding item woven from bamboo strips); bamboo mat (a coarse bamboo mat); bamboo hat (a hat woven from bamboo silk or bamboo strips).
Bamboo Penal Code
Criminal law provisions recorded on bamboo slips.
Bamboo and Silk
Bamboo slips and white silk used by the ancients to record writing.
Bamboo Books
In ancient times, when there was no paper, events were recorded and written on bamboo slips.
Bamboo Musician
A musician who plays bamboo-made instruments.
Bamboo and Flesh
Silk broadly refers to instrumental and vocal music.
Bamboo Pipe
Bamboo-made wind instruments such as the xiao and the flute.
Bamboo Pictures