MATERIA MEDICA OF THE ANCIENT CHINESE. 383 
T‘ao Hune-x1nc :—Chen ting hien belongs to the pre- 
fecture of Ch‘ang shan [in Chi li, App. 8]. The plant is also 
common in Mid China, where it is much cultivated. The 
seeds produced in Kiao chi [ Cochinchina. App. 183] are 
very large and are known there under the name 2 #f han chu 
(bead). Ma Ytan® when he was in Kiao chi tasted these 
seeds and introduced the plant to China, where the fruit was 
then called chen chu (pearl). The kernels ({2 jen) are used 
in medicine. 
Ma Car [10th cent.]:—Now the drug from Liang 
Han [Sz ch‘uan, App. 188] is generally used. It is less 
efficacious than that from Chen ting. That of a greenish 
white colour is good. To obtain the kernels the fruit is 
steamed in a boiler, then dried and [the hard shell] broken 
off. 
Su Sune [11th cent.]:—The 77 plant grows from 3 to 4 
feet high. Leaves like those of the shu [ Panicum. See 224]. 
Reddish white flowers in spikes. In the 5th or 6th month it 
produces fruit of a greenish white colour, resembling beads, 
but slightly oblong. It is therefore also called # HK F 
2 chu tsz* (chu tsz‘==bead). Children perforate [the hard 
shell of] these globular fruits and string them together to 
Play with, This fruit is gathered in the 9th and 10th 
months, 
Ler Hirao [5th cent. ]:—That with a larger fruit, the 
flour of which is not used, is called RE HE kengkan. It is 
tasteless, 
The ¢ ¢ jen has a smaller fruit of a green colour. The 
taste [of the kernel] is sweet. When chewed it sticks to 
the teeth. 
Li Sur-cuen :—The i i is much cultivated. The plant 
has a perennial root. The young leaves resemble those of the 
“A renowned commander, + A.D. 49. See Mayers, Chin. Read, Man., 
