MATERIA MEDICA OF THE ANCIENT CHINESE. 225 
The skin of the root is black, but the root is yellow within, 
like the root of the willow. The plant is more than ten 
feet high. 
According to Li Sai-cuen the plant is also called 7% # 
suan chang. 
Ch., XI, 91:—Hu chang. Rude drawing. Perhaps a 
Polygonum is intended. 
So moku, VII, 78:—y BE Polygonum cuspidatum, 
S. & Z. 
127.— Fi B pien chu. P., XVI, 85. T., CXLIV. 
Comp. Rh ya, 54. 
Pen king:—Pien ch‘u. It seems the whole plant is 
used in medicine. Taste bitter. Nature uniform. Non- 
poisonous. . 
Pie lu:—The pien ch‘u grows in Tung lai [in Shan 
tung, App. 373] in mountain-valleys. It is gathered in 
the 5th month and dried in the shade. 
Wu Pu [3rd cent.] calls it Jif HR pien pien and fig & 
pien man. 
T‘ao Hung-K1ne :—It is a common plant which covers 
the ground. White flowers between (around) the joints. 
Small green leaves. Its vulgar name is fag f pien chu. 
Su Sune [11th cent.]:—It grows by roadsides, cover- 
ing the ground. The young plant resembles the ki mai 
(Dianthus. See 112]. Leaves small, green, like bamboo- 
leaves. Red stem. Very small greenish yellow flowers. 
The root looks like Artemisia root. The leaves and the 
stems are gathered in the 4th or 5th month, according to 
others in the 2nd month. Mentioned in the Rh ya. 
Li Sui-cuen :—The plant has small leaves like those of 
the lo chou [Kochia. See 111], but they are not pointed. 
Slender stem which lies on the ground with the joints near 
oo ; 
