Ming herbal (painting): Owl

Painting of an owl in the meticulous (gongbi) style, in colour on silk, from Bencao tupu (Illustrated Herbal). The painted illustrations in Bencao tupu were jointly executed by Zhou Hu and Zhou Xi in 1644 (the final year of the Ming period). The explanatory texts were provided by Zhou Rongqi. The book was not completed: each volume was to have contained 14-15 paintings, but only 29 are extant. Zhou Rongqi writes: The owl (chixiu) is also called jiaoxiu, guluying, and maotouying (lit. cat-head hawk). It has a face like a cat's, a yellow and black body, and tufty ear feathers. It roosts by day and comes out at night. Its call is like the voice of an old person. The flesh has the effects of relieving ague (nüe), dispelling wind and calming fright. It was used by the ancients to treat ague, dizziness, epilepsy (dianxian), etc.

Owl (chixiu)