MATERIA MEDICA OF THE ANCIENT CHINESE. 481 
321.— fifi lien. P., XXXVa, 28. 7., OCLXL 
Pen king:—Lien. In the Index of the Pen king:— 
| # lien shi (fruit). The fruit, root, bark, flowers and 
leaves are officinal. The taste of the fruit, root and bark 
is bitter. Nature cold. Slightly poisonous. 
Pie lu:—The lien shi grows in King shan [in Hu pei, 
App. 149] in mountain-valleys. 
The character lien is explained in the Shuo wen by “name 
of a wood.” 
Tao Hune-Kinc :—The lien is a common tree. On the 
Sth day of the 5th month the people gather the leaves and 
wear them in their girdles. These leaves are said to avert 
evil. 
Su Kuye [7th cent.]—There are two sorts—the female 
and the male Jien; the male does not bear fruit. The root 
is of a red colour, poisonous, and when taken internally it 
provokes intensive vomiting and even causes death. The 
female, fruit-bearing lien has a white root which has only 
slightly poisonous properties. Only the female root is used 
in medicine. 
Su Sune [11th cent.]:—The best lien shi (frait) comes 
from Shu ch‘uan [Sz ch‘uan, App. 292]. The tree is more 
than 10 feet high. ‘The leaves (leaflets) are close together 
like those of the huai (Sophora) but longer. It flowers 
in the 8rd and 4th months. The flowers are reddish purple 
and very fragrant, The fruit is a small ball, green at first and 
yellow when ripe. It is gathered in the 12th month. 
There is no fixed time for taking out the root. 
The Rh ya i [12th cent.] gives a similar account 
of the Wen, and adds :—The fruit is like a little bell. tas 1s 
yellow when ripe. Its popular name is 7 Be Ku cesounla 
lien tsz* and also & BF kin ling tsz‘ (golden bell). It is 
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