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Birth of yellow sperm
The Last Dance of the Old Pharmacist
My generation may be the last to pick Polygonatum sibiricum by hand. My son said it’s too dangerous and will give up digging wild medicinal herbs next year
——The handwritten footnotes in Zaxi’s 2023 mining log indicate that every wild yellow spirit in your hand may carry:
→ 3 terrifying moments when the rope lock broke
Patience in waiting for 16 years to reach excavation standards
The skill of “distinguishing age by smelling the soil” developed over 30 years of experience
And, an era of disappearing medicinal herbs

Natural sculptures between cliffs and rock crevices
The rhizomes of wild Polygonatum sibiricum are irregularly nodular and curved, with a surface ranging from grayish yellow to yellow brown, densely covered with earthworm like longitudinal lines and circular protrusions,
A natural carving resembling an ancient totem. Circular stem scars with a diameter of about 5-8 millimeters can be seen at the top, surrounded by radial fibrous root scars scattered like stars
The cross-section is semi transparent keratin like, light yellow to amber in color, densely covered with golden oil chambers, resembling frozen rock amber

Hidden Growth in the Cloud and Mist Belt
Wild Polygonatum sibiricum often roots in cliff crevices or humus soil at elevations of 800-3600 meters, drinking from mineral springs seeping from limestone crevices,
The root system is deeply embedded in the crevices of the stone, forming a spectacular sight of “pearls hidden in the stone”. Its leaves are 4-6 whorled, linear lanceolate, 4-16 millimeters wide, and the leaf tips naturally curl like hooks,
The surface is covered with a wax layer to lock in mist and moisture. Between May and June, milky white tubular flowers hang from the leaf axils, resembling miniature hanging bells,
The floral tube is 9-12 millimeters long and emits a refreshing scent of grass and trees

The texture condensed by ten years of time
The growth of wild Polygonatum sibiricum rhizomes is extremely slow, and it takes 5-10 years to reach the harvesting standard. The epidermis is gray brown with purple spots due to long-term weathering, and the chrysanthemum heart texture is finely interwoven in the transverse section,
Thick golden resin seeps out of the oil chamber, touching it like aged beeswax. After drying, the texture is hard and tough, and when struck against each other, it produces a crisp jade sound,
Those who are not completely dehydrated are flexible and bendable, with a long drawn cross-section

The survival imprint honed by wind and rain
Compared with artificially cultivated products, wild Polygonatum sibiricum has a rougher morphology: the roots and stems have fewer and shorter branches, often accompanied by rock fragments embedded in the epidermis; The fibrous roots are sparse but strong, with a reddish brown end,
The “anchoring structure” evolved for climbing rock walls. The hardness of naturally shaded individuals is the reason for the formation of temperature differences between day and night at high altitudes

Life Atlas in Seasonal Changes
During the transition period (November to spring of the following year), the aboveground parts of wild Polygonatum sibiricum wither, and the underground rhizomes enter the stage of component transformation: starch gradually transforms into polysaccharides,
The cross-section has changed from milky white to amber, and the texture has shifted from brittle and hard to gelatinous and tough. Individuals stored in cellars for more than three years have oxidized to a dark brown color on their surface,
The oil chamber blends into a mesh like gold pattern, with pine wood incense permeating the texture

The ‘gambling philosophy’ of herb gatherers: searching for one plant a day, climbing ten times and returning nine times empty
Nowadays, young people find it risky to collect yellow spirits and go digging for artificial goods, but my master says that real yellow spirits only grow in places where eagles cannot stand
——57 year old medicinal farmer Zaxi’s oral account
Real Record of Life and Death Mining
Time: limited to 15 days before and after the Dragon Boat Festival (peak period of Huangjing saponin content)
Tools: cowhide rope+eagle beak pickaxe+snake medicine pack (anti rock crevice poison insect)
Cost:
→ It takes 2 hours to lay ropes for every 100 meters of cliff descent
Single day maximum excavation radius of 300 meters, encountered 6 rockfall warnings
Over the course of 10 years, 146 pairs of gloves have been worn out and replaced with less than 50 kilograms of high-quality goods
The obsession of old medicinal farmers
① Not for minors: those with a diameter less than 3cm and a ring pattern less than 15 circles should be kept on the mountain for further growth
② Not damaging the mother plant: take the main root and leave the fibrous root, cover it with soil and bury it to help it regenerate
③ Do not touch the cluster: the same rock wall is only harvested once every 10 years, respecting the cycle of nature

The ‘genetic code’ of wild Polygonatum sibiricum
✅ Scarcity of varieties: Non artificially domesticated chicken head Polygonatum sibiricum is a unique Polygonatum sibiricum variety found in Hengduan Mountains
✅ Year certification:
→ Cross section chrysanthemum pattern: 1 round of silk is generated in 1 year, and for those over 20 years, the pattern is as dense as hair
→ Skin color: 10-year-old gray brown, 20-year-old red gold with scale spots (resembling dragon scales)
→ Sectional gum: After chewing, it becomes sticky and brushed, and the planted goods are sparse like wood residue

Cliff Economics: Why is it difficult to find good goods in a hundred years
⛰ Survival rate:
Ten thousand seeds scattered along the cliff with the wind, only 3-5 of which can survive until the 10th year
⏳ Time cost:
One medicinal farmer’s annual excavation volume is approximately 6.8 kilograms (less than the 1-hour yield of the plantation)
🎲 Luck game:
High record for 2023 mining season -7 members of the Zaxi team spent 14 days in the mountains and only obtained 2 strains of Huangjing, which are over 25 years old and are made from Huangjing

[Natural Traces: The ‘Medal of Shame’ of Wild Yellow Spirit]
◆ Insect bites: Natural evidence proving that no pesticides have been used for deworming
Eagle Claw Scars: Scratches left by rock eagles competing for roots and stems, artificial goods are always smooth like assembly line products
◆ Wind erosion patterns: Irregular patterns scraped by strong winds on the plateau, each of which is a medal of time at an altitude of 1800 meters

📦 The cruel truth about scarcity
Expected availability of wild Polygonatum sibiricum in 2024: ≤ 37 kilograms (stored in cellar for more than 5 years)
Over 25 years old premium products: only 8 pieces
▷ Yellow semen is of good height, but there are not many in stock. It may run out of stock at any time