92 BOTANICON SINICUM. 
There are also noticed several other descriptions of Yiin nan. The 
Yiin nan t‘ung chi of the present dynasty appeared first in 1691, 
in 17 books. Another improved edition was issued in 30 books, 
in 1729. 
Another descriptive account of the province of Yiin nan was 
published in 1808, with the title { #2 Tien hi (Tien being an 
old name of that province). 40 books. Natural productions in 
book 5. 
The $f FR BY Fk Ws Liu hiu huo chi lo, in 16 books, published 
in 1757. This is a topographical account, ete. of the Liu kiu 
(Lew chew) islands. Natural productions in book 14, Very in- 
teresting is the chapter on the plants of the islands. 
I may finally mention here the TH i SE FE Van yiie pi ki, by 
= BW It 4 Tiao yiian, a native of Mien chou (Sz’ ch‘uan), of 
the present dynasty. It is a descriptive account of remarkable 
objects in the province of Kuang tung, in 16 books, containing 
interesting notes on Southern Chinese plants. 
This record is found reproduced in the be) i Zan hai collection 
of reprints, 1788. 
* 
4. Earty AcquaInTANce oF THE CHINESE witH INDIAN 
AND WESTERN AsraTIC Pranrs. 
After Buddhism was introduced into China, A. D. 68, a frequent 
intercourse between this country and India commenced and did 
not cease for many centuries. Chinese Buddhist priests visited 
the land of Buddha, and Hindoo priests were invited by the 
Chinese Emperors to translate the Sacred writings from Sanscrit. 
Sanscrit names of Indian natural objects are frequently met in 
Buddhist works. These names appear in the Chinese translations 
rendered by Chinese characters, imitating the foreign sounds. 
Early attempts have also been made by the Chinese to explain the 
Sanscrit names of plants, animals, minerals and other objects, and 
to identify them with the corresponding Chinese terms. Although 
