CHINA. 425 



lated for me an account of the Dragons' bones and teeth given 

 in a well known Chinese work, " The Botanical and Medical 

 Works of Li She Chan," sometimes called " Li Poon Woo," 

 Vol. XLIII. I give the account here because it is amusing in 

 many ways as a sample of a Chinese medical work, and seems 

 to bear out the above conjecture as to the origin of the Dragon, 

 or origin of part of the animal's structure at least. 



Translation. " Dragon's bones come from the southern part 

 of Shansi, and are found on the mountains. Dr. To Wang 

 King, says that if they are genuine they will adhere to the 

 tongue. He informs us that the bones are cast off by the 

 Dragon. Dr. So Tsung says, that in the autumn a certain fish 

 changes itself into a Dragon, and leaves its original bones, which 

 are of five different colours, and are used by men as medicine. 

 In Shanshi is the Dragon-gate, through which when the fish leaps 

 it becomes a Dragon. 



" Dr. Kai Tsung Shik says, that it is well known that the 

 Dragon is invisible to man. If this were the case, how could 

 we see his bones ? I myself have seen a whole skeleton, head, 

 horns and all, in a dilapidated mountain, and have no doubt 

 they come from a dead animal, and have not been cast off by 

 the Dragon. 



" Li She Chan, remarks : I believe the above remarks to be 

 inaccurate. In the Tso Chiine (a history written in the time of 

 Confucius) an official named Wan Lung Shee used to eat spiced 

 Dragons' flesh. A book named Shut Yu Kee (The Eecord of 

 Curiosities) says that King Wo of Hon Kwok (the old name of 

 China) made soup of a Dragon, which fell into the palace during 

 a heavy rain. He invited all the high officials to partake of the 

 soup. The author of the Pok Mut Chee, says that Cheung Wo 

 got Dragon's flesh, which he steeped in vinegar, and thereby gave 

 to the latter five different colours. As the animal is seen and 

 used in this way, I have no doubt that the bones are those of a 

 dead Dragon, and have not been cast off. 



" This medicine is sweet and is not poison. Dr. A. Koon 

 certainly says that it is a little poisonous. Care must be taken 

 not to let it come in contact with fish or iron. It cures heart- 

 ache, stomach-ache, drives away ghosts, cures colds and dysen- 



