This story from Strange Tales from Make-Do Studio tells of "Drunken Tao," a unique variety of chrysanthemum.
The Ma family were scholars and passionate chrysanthemum lovers. The current head of the family, Ma Zicai, was even more fanatical than his ancestors. Hearing of a rare species available in Jinling City, he rushed there and purchased two plants.
On his return journey, he encountered a handsome young man riding behind a canopied cart. The man's surname was Tao, and the girl inside the cart was his sister, Huangying. They were leaving Jinling in search of a new home. At Ma's invitation, the two settled in the south courtyard of the Ma residence. Huangying often collected the withered plants Ma discarded and replanted them in front of her room. Miraculously, the next day these plants would bloom splendidly and fragrantly. Soon, Huangying's flowers became famous, attracting many buyers.
Not long after, Ma's wife passed away from illness, and he married the flower-loving Huangying. Ma spent his days drinking and playing chess with her brother, Tao, amidst the chrysanthemums. One day, after becoming drunk, the young man stumbled and fell. To Ma's astonishment, upon falling, Tao transformed into a huge, man-sized chrysanthemum plant. Ma hurried to tell his wife, who rushed out and plucked a flower from the plant, tucking it into her dress. By dawn, Ma saw the young man again, lying on the ground fast asleep. He then realized that the brother and sister were chrysanthemum spirits.
However, the second time Tao transformed into a plant after drinking, he could not change back to human form. His sister preserved a section of the plant's root. Soon, a unique new sprout emerged, grew, and bloomed with a distinct wine-like aroma. Later generations named this variety "Drunken Tao."