MATERIA MEDIGA OF THE ANCIENT CHINESE. 203 
Li Sxi-cHEn :—There are two sorts of hie ming. One 
is the ma t% kie ming. It grows from three to four feet 
high. The leaves (leaflets) are larger than those of the 
mu su [v. supra], narrow at the base, broader at the top. 
They stand in pairs opposite (pinnate leaves). In daytime 
they are open, at night (the leaflets) all fold together. It 
blossoms in autumn. Flowers of a pale yellow colour with 
five petals. The fruit looks like a young pod of the kiang 
tou (Dolichos sinensis), is from five to six inches long, and 
contains a number of irregularly shaped, dark green seeds 
resembling a horse’s hoof. They are very useful in diseases 
of the eye.—The other sort is called ¥#¢ TE PR WA kang 
mang kite ming. In the Kiu huang Pen ts‘ao [LVII, 3] 
it is called [lj ij GF shan pien tou. It resembles the ma t% 
kiie ming, only the leaves (leaflets) are pointed at the top. 
These leaves resemble very much the leaves of the huai 
_ [Sophora japonica. See 322]. They do not fold together 
at night. It blossoms in autumn. Dark yellow flowers 
with five petals. The pod is of the size of a little finger, two 
inches or more in length. The seeds within are in rows, 
and resemble the seeds of the huang k‘ui [ Hibiscus. See sub 
105], but flattened, of a gray colour, sweet taste and 
mucilaginous. From the leaves of both kinds yeast can be 
prepared. The leaves of the kiang mang as well as its 
flowers and seeds can be eaten boiled, but the ma t%i kie ming 
is bitter and not edible. There is also one sort which is 
called # | | shi (stone) hie ming. 
_ P., XVI, 43 :—The kiang mang is again spoken of in a 
special article, where a short account of the plant by CH‘EN 
Ts‘ang-x‘r [8th cent.] is given. A fragrant beverage is 
prepared from the leaves. 
Ch., XI, 80 :—Kie ming, also 3 J FA wang kiang nan. 
— The drawing represents a Cassia, as also the figure sub 
wang kiang nan in the Kiu huang (LILI, 22]. The above 
