26 BOTANICON SINICUM. 
earlier. It is certain that the Chinese enjoyed at least 800 years 
earlier than European nations these advantages of diffusion of : 
literature and preservation of ancient records and documents. — 
This circumstance has done much to prevent the loss of many 
ancient native writings, which render the study of Chinese litera- — 
ture so useful and interesting for European antiquaries. 
The early history of the botanical knowledge of the Chinese — 
is closely connected with the history of their Agriculture and — 
Medicine; and their acquaintance with plants dates back from — 
the period when they first began to employ plants for economical — 
and medical purposes. 
According to Chinese tradition the semi-mythical Emperor — 
ith B Shen nung, who is said to have reigned in the 28th century 
B. C., is the Father of Husbandry and Medicine. The Li hi (one. j 
of the Classics, see further on) states that Shen nung was — 
born near the f& {lj Li shan (Sui chou, Northern Hupeh). — 
He is said to have subsequently dwelt in Big Ch‘en (Western — 
Honan), and then moved to # Zw (Southern Shantung). See 
the last edition of the Shi ki (Historical Records), in the first — 
pages of which the ancient traditions regarding this Emperor — 
have been brought together. 13 i north of Luan fu (Southera — 
Shansi) there isa mountain called Fy #% {Jj Po ku shan, mountain 
of the cereals,° with a temple on its top; where, according to the 
I vung chi or Great Geography of China, Emperor Shen nung 
is still worshipped. This temple was founded in the 6th century 
of our era. At the foot of the mountain is the po hu ts‘éan, or — 
fountain of the cereals. Here tradition makes Shen nung first — 
teach his people how to till the ground and raise grain. Hence 
it was that his grateful subjects called him Shen nung or Divine 
husbandman. | 
It has also been handed down by tradition that Shen nung first 
tested the medical qualities of herbs and discovered medicines to 
4 Compare Dr. W. Williams’ interesting article on the subject in the “Chinese — 
Recorder,” 1875, p. 22, aa q 
5 The term po ku, which occurs first in the Classics (Shi king, Shu king), properly q 
means “ the hundred cereals,” but the Chinese frequently use the numeral “hundred” | 
in a general sense, Boal : eats: 
