Thunder-struck wood refers to trees that have been struck by lightning during a storm. In the eyes of the common people, these trees, once struck down by lightning, possess the power to expel evil spirits, as the thunderbolt is believed to have driven away all ghosts and evil presences from the tree, making it the most potent exorcism “divine wood.”
Thunder-struck jujube wood is known for its hardness and fine texture. Prominent trees, especially those with hard wood, are more likely to be struck by lightning, leaving marks that over time, with the influence of rain and snow, create cavities, cracks, and textures, forming thunder patterns. These patterns are one of the criteria for identifying thunder-struck wood.
In folklore, people craft small accessories from thunder-struck wood to wear, believing they can ward off evil, prevent diseases, overcome difficulties, and bring good fortune and luck. Among thunder-struck woods, thunder-struck red jujube wood is considered the finest, followed by thunder-struck peach wood and thunder-struck cliff cypress. This is due to the jujube wood’s hardness and fine texture, and the homophonic association of “jujube” with “early,” implying the early revelation of divine light and the early display of divine power.
Thunder-struck jujube wood, having withstood the winds and rains of all seasons and the baptism of the stars and nights, forms a fine texture and hard quality. As the old saying goes, “The jujube wood stick has its natural color,” and with the wood always exuding a light and enduring ancient wood fragrance, especially after being cleansed by lightning, all evil spirits fear it. It has become the supreme divine wood in Taoist magic and the first sacred wood for making talismans.
The value of a living natural thunder-struck jujube wood is ten thousand. Compared to tall trees, jujube wood is less likely to be struck by lightning. Seeing the internet filled with images of mountains covered with thunder-struck jujube wood, where every dealer seems to make a fortune, do not be deceived by appearances. To identify whether it is thunder-struck jujube wood, first determine if it is jujube wood, and then see if it has been struck by lightning. Generally, trees struck by lightning have branches broken by the strike and charred marks left by the lightning. Some dealers also sell heavy “sinking thunder beads” made of jujube wood, which sink instantly in water, leading people to believe they are genuine thunder-struck jujube wood. However, jujube wood has a high density, and as it ages, its density increases, and its texture becomes firmer. The ability to sink in water can only be used to identify whether it is old jujube wood, and old jujube wood struck by lightning is less likely to sink in water.
Jujube wood is harder than peach wood and is a treasure among exorcism woods, but peach wood has a pleasant fragrance. Practice has proven that the power of thunder-struck peach wood is greater than that of thunder-struck jujube wood. However, old jujube trees are tall and more easily struck by lightning, while peach trees are short and rarely struck by lightning, making thunder-struck peach wood very precious, and those who possess it should cherish it even more!
Cliff cypress, known as the king of cypresses, has a spiraling upward growth pattern and clear, smooth textures. Due to its special growth habits, it only survives on high cliffs, and its patterns, formed under harsh conditions, are unique with features like sparrow eyes, tumor scars, and cloud patterns. Cliff cypress, protruding high on perilous cliffs, is naturally more likely to be struck by lightning, making the probability of finding thunder-struck wood relatively high.
Thunder-struck cliff cypress has charred marks. Breaking through rocks with roots is a sign of wood overcoming metal, a defiance of nature, and thus, it is inevitably punished by heaven. Struck by lightning, the high oil content of the cliff cypress causes it to ignite, leaving behind the carbonized traces we see after burning.
Cliff cypress itself is already rare, as everyone knows, and thunder-struck cliff cypress is even rarer. Many online merchants often sell large quantities of thunder-struck cliff cypress, making it difficult for cypress enthusiasts to distinguish between real and fake. It is well known that thunder-struck wood is a rare treasure in Taoism, and it is the best material for making talismans. However, some cypress enthusiasts, not having have come into contact with thunder-struck wood, are taken advantage of by unscrupulous merchants. Do not easily believe the “storytelling” of unscrupulous merchants and turn your love for thunder-struck wood into helplessness.
Cypress enthusiasts should also note that not all wood struck by lightning is thunder-struck wood. Thunder-struck wood refers to the part of a tree that is still alive after being struck by lightning. If the tree dies after being struck, that part cannot be classified as thunder-struck wood.
Although we have popularized some knowledge about thunder-struck wood, those who understand scientific knowledge and natural common sense know that being struck by lightning is just an accidental phenomenon in nature, not something intentionally done by any deity. Trees being struck by lightning is just a natural phenomenon, no different from other objects being struck by lightning. Here, we advise enthusiasts not to overly superstition the legends of thunder-struck wood!