MATERIA MEDICA OF THE ANCIENT CHINESE. 227 
Li Sat-cuen :—This plant is green, but it can be used 
for dyeing a yellow colour. The ancient dictionary Shuo 
wen notices a plant J li (le’) which dyes a sort of yellow. 
This is the plant under review. In the History of the 
Farlier Han it is stated that the feudal princes had a golden 
seal with a green ribbon (#& #%). A commentator of the 
4th century says that the plant which yielded this colour is 
called #b GE Ui ts‘ao and grows in Lang ye and P‘ing ch‘ang 
[both in Shan tung, App. 178]. It resembles the ai 
[Artemisia. See 72] and is used for dyeing. This is also 
the tsin ts‘ao. 
For the identification of this plant see Bot. sin., 11, 461 
(Phalaris). The Phon zo [XX, 15] figures sub # BS a. 
Graminea. But two other figures with the same Chinese 
name, on the same plate, seem to be intended for Polygonum. 
129.—ye Hi tsili. P., XVI, 86. T., CXL 
Comp. Rh ya, 90, Classics, 427. 
Pen king:—Tsi li, 33 3% pang tung, fi A ka jen, 
Jk fF chi hing, He AA hiu yi. The fruit (seed) is officinal. 
Taste bitter. Nature warm. Non-poisonous. 
Pie lu:—The tsi li grows in Feng i [in Shen si, App. 
40] in marshes and by roadsides. The fruit is gathered in 
the 7th and 8th months and dried in the sun. 
T‘ao Huna-xina:—The plant grows abundantly on 
roads and walls. The leaves cover the ground. The fruit 
resembles the ling [Trapa. See 296], but is smaller. It is 
provided with spines. The plant is very common in Ch‘ang 
an [the ancient capital of China in Shen si]. When the 
: people walk it sticks to their wooden shoes. In war tsi li 
made of iron are used to defend a passage. [It seems a 
King: of chevaua de frise is meant]. The tsi li is mentioned 
