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Carthamus is the dried flower of the Compositae plant Carthamus tinctorius L. Carthamus is mainly cultivated, and the commercial medicinal materials are divided by origin: Huai Carthamus, mainly produced in Yanjin, Fengqiu, Jixian, Yuanyang, Wuzhi, and Wenxian in Henan; safflower, mainly produced in Jianyang, Ziyang, Nanchong, and Suining in Sichuan; Du Carthamus, mainly produced in Cixi, Yuyao, and Fuyang in Zhejiang; Jin Carthamus, mainly produced in Haimen, Qidong, Nantong, and Huaiyin in Jiangsu, sometimes also mixed with Du Carthamus; Yun Carthamus, produced in Weishan, Yunnan. Among them, the Huai Carthamus from Qinyang County in Henan, the safflower from Jianyang City in Sichuan, and the Du Carthamus from Ningbo in Zhejiang are the most famous. In addition, Shaanxi, Gansu, Xinjiang, Shandong, as well as North China and Northeast China also produce it, commonly known as Cao Carthamus, which has poorer oil content.

Materia medica research suggests that Carthamus is an exotic plant, introduced to China around the Han Dynasty, with no change in variety from ancient to modern times. The commercial medicinal materials of Huai Carthamus, safflower, Du Carthamus, and Jin Carthamus all have their historical origins and can be developed and researched for GAP according to the suitability of their origins.

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Carthamus is the abbreviation of "Red Blue Flower," also known as Yellow Blue and Yan Zhi. Legend has it that it was brought back by Zhang Qian when he traveled to the Western Regions. Kaibao Bencao quotes "Bowu Zhi" as saying: "Yellow Blue was obtained by Zhang Qian, and it is also planted in Cang and Wei areas today." Zhao Yanwei's "Yunlu Manchao" quotes similarly. Cui Bao's "Gujin Zhu" volume 2 states: "Yan Zhi leaves resemble thistles, and the flowers resemble dandelions, originating from the West, where locals use it for dyeing, called Yan Zhi. Chinese people call it Red Blue, using it to dye powder for women's makeup, called Yan Zhi powder." Carthamus has been an important economic crop since ancient times. "Qimin Yaoshu" volume 5 records the method of planting Red Blue Flower, where the flowers are picked to extract red and yellow pigments for making rouge, and the seeds are collected to press oil for use as axle grease or candles.

The use of Carthamus in medicine, according to Bencao Tujing, began with Zhang Zhongjing: "Zhongjing treated sixty-two types of wind, along with abdominal blood stasis and stabbing pain, using a large amount of Carthamus, divided into four parts, boiled with a large amount of wine until half reduced, administered at a draught, and if not relieved, taken again." However, its formal entry into materia medica was relatively late. According to "Zhenglei" quoting "Tang Ben Zhu": "(Red Blue Flower) treats lockjaw and muteness, blood stasis, and postpartum diseases, and can be used to dye red." But strangely, Xinxiu Bencao does not record Red Blue Flower, so how can it be mentioned in "Tang Ben Zhu"? According to Mr. Shang Zhijun's research, the "Tang Ben Zhu" in "Zhenglei" like this entry likely refers to the Shu Bencao by Han Baosheng of the Five Dynasties. If this is correct, then Red Blue Flower should be recorded earliest in Shu Bencao, not Kaibao Bencao as generally stated in literature.

"Tujing" provides a detailed description of the plant morphology of Carthamus: "Now it is found everywhere, planted in people's fields and gardens, sown in winter on Prepared Rehmannia Root, sprouting in spring, flowering in summer, with flowers emerging from spiny heads, picked by gardeners in the dew, regrowing after picking, until exhausted, with white seeds like small beans inside the heads, the flowers dried in the sun for dyeing true red and making rouge." The medicinal illustration in "Zhenglei" does not specify the origin, (Figure 1) with erect stems, branched upper parts, ovate-lanceolate or long elliptical leaves, and terminal capitulum, which is the Compositae plant Carthamus tinctorius.

In the Southern Song Dynasty, the "Lyuchanyan Bencao" mentions "Carthamus grass," and the Ming Dynasty's "Jiuhuang Bencao" refers to it as "Carthamus vegetable," with a more accurate botanical description: "Known in materia medica as red-blue flower, also called yellow-blue. It originates from Lianghan and the Western Regions, and was also cultivated in Cangwei; now it is found everywhere. The plant grows about two feet tall, with stems and leaves that have thorns, resembling the leaves of the thistle but more glossy and with a sunken surface, slightly forming a cluster of burrs, also very thorny, blooming with Carthamus, the stamens emerge from the burrs, which gardeners collect, and after collection, they reappear, continuing until exhausted. The burrs bear fruit, white grains as large as small beans. The flowers are dried in the sun, used to dye true red and to make rouge." These are undoubtedly the Carthamus of the Asteraceae family.

Gangmu Carthamus is accurate in both text and illustrations. However, in the entry for saffron crocus style and stigma, Li states: "Saffron crocus style and stigma comes from the Western regions and the Tianfang country, which is the red and blue flower of that region. It was used in food during the Yuan dynasty. According to Zhang Hua's 'Natural History,' Zhang Qian obtained the seeds of the red and blue flower from the Western regions, so this is the same species, though there may be slight differences due to regional climate." The illustration of saffron crocus style and stigma also resembles that of the Asteraceae Carthamus, which is incorrect. Medicinally, saffron crocus style and stigma refers to the dried stigma of the Iridaceae plant Crocus sativus L., originally from Spain, Greece, and other countries. Ancient medicinal use relied on imports, hence, apart from the 'Compendium of Materia Medica,' which roughly describes its original plant: "Saffron crocus style and stigma is planted in shaded areas in March, its roots resemble garlic, hard and fibrous, producing a stem six to seven inches tall with five or six leaves, also like garlic leaves, slender and green. In May, five or six flowers bloom at the stem's end, resembling red and blue flowers, initially yellow then turning red, and in June, seeds form, as large as millet." Most literature, including 'Bencao Gangmu Zhiwu Mingshi Tukao,' influenced by 'Yinshan Zhengyao,' mistakenly states that saffron crocus style and stigma "is the Carthamus from the Western regions," and the illustrations also depict it as the Asteraceae Carthamus.

bubble_chart Historical Evolution of Authentic Sources

It is uncertain whether Carthamus was indeed brought back from the Western regions by Zhang Qian as stated in 'Natural History,' but it is undoubtedly not native to China. It is primarily cultivated in various regions. According to 'Natural History,' "Now it is also planted in Cang and Wei regions," both located in the north. 'Qi Min Yao Shu,' written by Jia Sixie of the Northern Wei during the Southern and Northern Dynasties, suggests that the initial cultivation areas of Carthamus might be in today's Hebei, Shandong, and Henan provinces. According to the 'New Book of Tang: Geography,' regions offering red and blue flowers as tribute include Lingzhou Lingwu County (now Lingwu, Ningxia), Qingzhou Beihai County (now Qingzhou, Shandong), Xingyuanfu Hanzhong County (now Nanzheng, Shaanxi), Shuzhou Tang'an County (now Chongqing, Sichuan), and Hanzhou Deyang County (now Deyang, Sichuan). Additionally, 'Taiping Huanyu Ji' mentions a Red and Blue River in Linhuai County (now Sihong, Jiangsu), reportedly named because "Duo Yang-di's palace women planted red and blue flowers here." However, Carthamus from these regions was likely used more for dyeing, and medicinal sources should be based on materia medica.

As mentioned in the variety section, the earliest materia medica recording Carthamus might be 'Shu Bencao,' indicating that Sichuan was already a major production area by the late Tang and Five Dynasties period, aligning with 'Kaibao's' statement that it "grows in Liang, Han, and the Western regions," both located in Sichuan. Whether the Western regions mentioned in 'Kaibao' refer to the Asteraceae Carthamus tinctorius or the Iridaceae Crocus sativus is unknown. 'Lyuchanyan Bencao' is a local materia medica from Hangzhou, 'Jiuhuang Bencao' specifically records products from Henan's Zhongzhou, and 'Compendium of Materia Medica' considers those from Zhenjiang, Jiangsu as authentic.

By the late Qing and Republic periods, Carthamus production areas had changed again. 'Drug Production Identification' lists Henan, Anhui, and Sichuan as the top producers. Cao Bingzhang's 'Revised Weiyao Tiaobian' states: "Those from Guidezhou, Henan, are called San Carthamus, still good; those from Bozhou are also called San Carthamus, slightly inferior. Those from Ningbo, Zhejiang, are called Du Carthamus, also good, all red-yellow. Those from Shandong are called Da Sanhua, inferior. Those from Menghe are even more inferior. Those from Huaiqing, Henan, are called Huai Carthamus, slightly inferior. Those from Hunan are also good. Those from Shaanxi are called Saffron, more inferior. Those from Japan are pale yellow, with a weak flavor, called Yang Carthamus." Zhao Yuhuang's 'Qizhou Medicinal Records' states: "Originally from Egypt, spread to central and southern China, such as Henan, Hunan, and Zhejiang provinces. Also, in Yuzhou and Huaiqing, Henan, it is widely cultivated. In Qizhou, attempts were made to cultivate it in recent years, but due to unsuitable climate, the yield was not high."

Based on the above circumstances, it is evident that the four major Carthamus production areas in recent times—Chuan, Du, Huai, and Jin—each have their own historical origins, and each can conduct GAP research according to the suitability of their respective locations.