Bamboo Grove

Appearance

From the academy window a nearby bamboo grove shows Qing Mao Mountain’s spear bamboo: each stick straight as a line, the ends sharp like spear tips. ^{ch. 7} Around Gu Yue Village the same growth is a bamboo forest where grass is luxuriant, white flowers endless, and green spear bamboo stands straight like pencils, the forest resembling a clump of jade rods. Under thick cloud the grove is deadly silent, each green spear bamboo a straight up-and-down line. When moonlight returns, the forest is like a conscious pond: green jade colors of spear bamboo flash, snowy frost flowers fill the ground, and Dragonpill crickets flash crimson on green grass and wild flowers under the bamboo. ^{ch. 13} Deeper in, the ground is a green carpet of grass with blossoming wild flowers, mossy stones, and yellow bamboo shoots; green spear bamboo stalks flash past under gentle moonlight. ^{ch. 14}

Spear bamboo around the village

From the academy window on Qing Mao Mountain, a bamboo grove sits nearby. The stalks are Qing Mao Mountain’s spear bamboo: straight as a line, with ends sharp like spear tips. ^{ch. 7}

Around Gu Yue Village, the same growth is called a bamboo forest. Grass and white flowers fill the ground between green spear bamboo that stands like a clump of jade rods. ^{ch. 13}

Night search for the Liquor worm

Fang Yuan walks that forest at night while hunting clues to the Flower Wine Monk treasure, pouring green bamboo wine onto stone and grass to draw a Liquor worm. When moonlight breaks through cloud, Dragonpill crickets flash red among the grass and wild flowers under the bamboo. ^{ch. 13} A Liquor worm later glues itself to a spear bamboo pole there, drinks the wine, and flies deeper into the forest before leading him out toward a mountain crevice. ^{ch. 14}