A Couplet Exchange with Mr. Zou Chunpei (II)[1]

(1903)

Swiss chard[2]; (Zou Chunpei)

Purslane[3]. (Mao Zedong)

[1] This is a couplet exchange between Mao Zedong and his private tutor.

[2] Swiss chard, scientific name "leaf beet," also known as "chard" or "thick-skinned vegetable," belongs to the Chenopodiaceae family and is a variety of Beta vulgaris, a biennial herb. The plant is short-stemmed or upright, with a small root, ovate leaves that are thick, glossy, and light or dark green, and long or short petioles. The seeds are small, kidney-shaped, and brown. It is highly adaptable and mainly cultivated in spring and autumn.

[3] Purslane belongs to the Portulacaceae family. An annual succulent herb, usually prostrate, hairless; stems often tinged with purple; leaves opposite, obovate-cuneate. Blooms in summer; flowers are small and yellow. Capsules are conical, dehiscing by a lid. Grows in the wild and is widely distributed across China. The stems and leaves can be used as a vegetable or livestock feed. In traditional Chinese medicine, the whole plant is used medicinally; it is cold in nature and sour in taste, and it clears heat, detoxifies, and reduces swelling. It is mainly used to treat dysentery, sores, and ulcers.

Nan’an Private School, where Mao Zedong first attended school as a boy.

During his student years, Mao Zedong often bathed beside this well with cold well water to strengthen his physique.