This is a beautiful book that lets the fragrance of "Three Hundred Poems" blossom through painted flowers.
——Yu Dan, Renowned Cultural Scholar & TV Producer

★ Where Literature Meets Art: Features 21 classical plants, blending ancient poetry with watercolor techniques to create a culturally rich painting guide.
★ Easy "Five-Step Method": The author's signature approach breaks down classical botanical painting into clear, learnable stages. Even beginners can quickly grasp the essence of this classical style of watercolor painting.
★ Practical Craft Extensions: Beyond painting, includes tutorials for bookmarks, stationery, and painted fans, bringing art into daily life for lovers of classical aesthetics.

This series includes 3 titles:
"Illustrating Flora from the Classic"
"Illustrating Birds from the Classic"
"Illustrating Blossoms from the Classic"

More than a technique book, this is a poetic journey through millennia, ideal for lovers of literature, art, and slow living. Inspired by plants from China's earliest poetry collection, it's organized into four chapters:

Tools: Comprehensive guide to watercolor materials and their uses.
Methods: Explains the author's "Five-Step Method" for classical botanical painting.
Painting: Demonstrates 21 plants across seven categories (herbs, medicinals, trees, grains, vegetables, flowers, fruits), each accompanied by original verses from the Book of Songs.
Applications: Transforms artwork into practical items like bookmarks and decorative paper.

Jie Ji
Pseudonym of Liu Xin, acclaimed illustrator and former university art instructor (2010-2016). Since 2015, he has specialized in botanical documentation, blending Western scientific illustration precision with Eastern ink-wash literati aesthetics. His signature "Five-Step Method" reflects classical Chinese poetry sensibilities, often applied to everyday objects.
Notable achievements:
"Flower Map" (2016) – Finalist, Frankfurt Global Illustration Exhibition
"Border Town illustrations" – Finalist, China's First Watercolor Illustration Exhibition
Published works include: "Illustrating Flora from the Book of Songs", "Illustrating Birds from the Verses of Chu", "Illustrating Blossoms from Tang Poetry", "Watercolor Notes" – multiple bestsellers with international rights sold.

Tools

Paper 2
Pigments 4
Brushes 5
Other Tools 5

Methods

Five-Step Method 7

Painting

Herbs
"White flowers of reeds wave, / Bundled white cogon grass, / You've gone far away, / Leaving me alone to pass" - Cogon Grass 14
"Green, green the reeds, / Frost-white the dew, / My beloved one, / Beyond the stream in view" - Reed 22
"Since you went east, / My hair flies wild like weed, / Not that I lack ointment, / But for whom should I take heed?" - Fleabane 30

Trees
"By River Qi's curves, / Green bamboos sway with grace, / Like our refined prince, / With virtues that embrace" - Bamboo 40
"As South Mountain's longevity, / Unshaken and evergreen, / Like pine and cypress's vitality, / Eternal your reign shall be seen" - Cypress 48
"The garden bears jujubes, / Their fruits we eat, / With sorrow in heart, / I roam the street" - Jujube 56

Medicinals
"We gather plantain seeds, / Here we pick, there we glean, / We gather plantain seeds, / Now our hands are full and clean" - Plantain 66
"In the valley grows motherwort, / Parched and dry it lies, / A woman left alone, / Sighs to cloudless skies" - Motherwort 74
"Kudzu vines grow long, / Spreading through the vale, / Their leaves so lush and strong" - Kudzu 82

Grains
"In eighth month we beat dates, / In tenth reap rice with cheer, / To make spring wine that awaits, / For long life this new year" - Rice 92
"Wild geese in solemn rows, / Perch on mulberry trees, / King's affairs never close, / No time to plant grains with ease" - Millet 100
"In fields grow soybeans, / Gathered by common folk, / The mantis bears its teens, / By wasp as host they're woke" - Soybean 108

Vegetables
"Water mallow floats there, / Left and right we wade, / That gentle maiden fair, / For her my dream is made" - Water Mallow 118
"Who says sowthistle's bitter? / Sweet as shepherd's purse, / Your new marriage makes glitter, / Like brothers' love diverse" - Shepherd's Purse 126
"Gathering turnip and mustard, / Don't discard their roots, / Don't break your trust's cluster, / Till death our love suits" - Turnip 134

Flowers
"Beyond the Wei River's shore, / Truly vast and gay, / Maidens and youths explore, / Teasing along the way, / Peonies given in May" - Peony 144
"A maiden rides with me, / Bright as hibiscus flower, / About to soar carefree, / With jade pendant of power" - Hibiscus 152
"Glossy ganoderma grows, / Its yellow blooms so bright, / My heart with sorrow flows, / Wounded by this sight" - Glossy Ganoderma 160

Fruits
"Before mulberries fall, / Their leaves shine with grace, / O dove, I recall, / Don't eat berries in case" - Mulberry 170
"Ripe plums fall from the bough, / Seven tenths remain, / Seekers who court me now, / Choose your lucky day plain" - Plum 178
"The cuckoo in mulberry, / Its nest in hazel tree, / That virtuous gentleman, / Sets people's standard free" - Hazel 186

Applications
Bookmarks 195
Decorative Stationery 196
Fans 198
Handkerchiefs 200

Afterword 202