98 A NATURALIST IN WESTERN CHINA 



steamed and pressed into the cakes, in which form they are 

 easily transported. P'uerh tea has a bitter flavour, and is 

 famous as a medicine all over China, being esteemed as a 

 digestive and nervous stimulant. It also finds its way into 

 the wealthy lamaseries of Thibet, where its medicinal 

 properties are highly appreciated. 



Although a beverage known as tea is partaken of throughout 

 the length and breadth of the Middle Kingdom, it is by no 

 means all infused from the leaves of the genuine tea plant. 

 In the mountainous parts of central and Western China many 

 substitutes are employed by the peasants, who seldom taste the 

 real article. In western Hupeh the leaves of several kinds of 

 Wild Pear and Apple, grouped under the colloquial name of 

 "T'ang-li-tzu," are used as a source of tea and exported to 

 Shasi for the same purpose. The infusion prepared from these 

 leaves is of a rich brown colour, very palatable and thirst- 

 quenching. It is called Hung-ch'a (red tea), and is in 

 general use among the poorer classes in the west. 



The leaves of Pyracantha crenulata, the Chinese " Buisson 

 ardent," are also in common use as a source of tea. This ever- 

 green is everywhere abundant up to 4500 feet altitude, and is 

 known as the " Ch'a kuo-tzu," literally, " Tea shrub." Like 

 its European relative it produces a wealth of scarlet fruit in 

 autumn. The leaves of several species of Spiraea (S. Henryi, 

 S. Blumei, S. chinensis, and S. hirsuta) are less commonly used 

 as tea, being known as " Tsui-Ian ch'a." The leaves of the 

 Weeping Willow {Salix hahylonica) are occasionally employed 

 as tea, and in the Upper Min Valley chips of willow-wood are 

 likewise used. I have drxmk all these various " teas," but 

 that infused from these willow-chips was the worst, being de- 

 cidedly weak and nasty ! 



In the chapter on Mount Omei mention is made of the sweet 

 tea prepared from the leaves of Viburnum theiferum. The 

 leaves of the common White Mulberry, steamed, mixed with 

 cabbage-oil, and pressed into cakes, constitute " Ku-ting-ch'a" 

 (bitter tea). The infusion prepared from this is drunk in hot 

 weather and esteemed as a coohng beverage. 



The product known as tea-oil is not produced by the 

 tea plant, but is expressed from the seeds of Thea Sasanqua, 



