One manuscript in this collection celebrates a plant native to the Mao mountains, the herb atractylodes, cangzhu 蒼朮. It describes not only the medical properties of the plant but an entire array of health-related and salvific practices. It is revealed by the Goddess, the Lady of Purple Tenuity, Ziwei Wang furen 紫微王夫人, whose title refers to the canopy of heaven surrounding the pole star.
Excerpt from reconstructed Mawangdui Daoyin tu, excavated from tomb dated to 168 BCE. Photo by Wellcome Images. Image sourced from Hypotheses. Available at: https://f.hypotheses.org/wp-content/blogs.dir/866/files/2014/11/Yansheng.Crop_-300x133.jpg