MATERIA MEDICA OF THE ANCIENT CHINESE. 117 
but are smaller. The flowers are arranged in spikes and 
appear between the leaves. The flower-buds (?) are like 
wheat-grains, small and of a red colour. In the south the 
unopened flowers are called @ ff} 7G han t‘ai hua. They 
are prepared with salt water and mixed with sweet dregs. 
In winter they then become like amber in colour and are of 
a pleasant, fragrant and pungent taste. 
Ia Sur-cnen:—The shan kiang grows in the south 
(of China). Its leaves resemble those of ginger. The 
flowers are red, very pungent. The fruit (or seeds) is like 
Cardamom [ts‘ao tou Kou, see 58]. The root resembles the 
tu jo [see 55] and the hao liang kiang [see 57}. The seeds 
are substituted for the ts‘ao tou k‘ou, but are very hot and 
strong, 
Ch, XXV, 53:—Shan kiang. Rude drawing, perhaps 
Alpinia. 
Lovrn., Fl. cochin., 13:—Canna indica, 1, sinice san 
kiam (shan kiang).?* 
So moku, I, 11 :—]j BE Alpinia japonica, Mig. 
Cust. Med., p. 872 (416):—Shan kiang seeds exported 
1885 from Canton 116 piculs.—The same exported also from 
Han kow. See Hank. Med., p. 35. 
o7.— BS ER kao liang kiang. P., X1Va, 32. 
f., CLXXVIIL. 
Pie lu:—Kao liang kiang. The root and the fruit 
officinal. Taste pungent. Nature very hot. Non-poisonous. 
It is produced in the district of Kao liang [in Kuang tung, 
App. 117]. The root is dug up in the 2nd and 3rd months. 
™ Canna indica is cultivated at Peking under the name of E 23 XK A 
thie aa tsiao, It does not seem that the shea kiang in the #, refers to 
plant, 
