VEGETABLE KINGDOM. 233 



six feet, and as having been introduced from a foreign country, 

 probably Syria or Persia, during the Liang dynasty. Its 

 flowers are as white as snow and very fragrant. 



Henna. — The practice of dyeing the finger nails, and 

 of using similar pigment upon other parts of the body, prevails 

 to some extent in China, especially among women and children. 

 In the south Lawsonia alba^ and possibly AiicJmsa iinctoria^ 

 are used, and in the north Impatiens balsamina in combination 

 with alum. The flowers of a ternstroemiaceous plant, called 

 5!^ /K ® (Shui-mu-hsi), are also used to some extent for the 

 same purpose. A red or yellow dye is imparted to the nails, 

 which needs daily renewal. Practice varies as to the number 

 of fingers treated in this way. A circular spot of rouge or 

 henna is often to be seen between the eyes, or upon the cheeks 

 or forehead, of Chinese children, especially girls. There is a 

 tradition that this mark was originally a sign of the separation 

 of women during the " uncleanness " of menstruation. In 

 Egypt the Laivsonia is collected and used ^s a dye, and is 

 exported to Turkey, where it has similar uses, and is farther 

 employed to stain the manes and hoofs of horses. 



LEAVEN.—^ (Ch'ii), commonly written %%. Distiller's 

 leaven is largely used in China in domestic operations. This 

 is called }@ g| (Chiu-chiao), and is the residum left after the 

 fermentation process preparatory to distilling spirits. Several 

 kinds of leaven appearing under the name given at the head 

 of this article, and that of 'Jg ^ (Chiu-mu) are described in 

 the Pentsao as being made of barley, wheat, or rice. The 

 process ot manufacture is about the same in each case. The 

 crushed grain or flour is mixed with water, kneaded into dough, 

 wrapped in the leaves of the paper-mulberry and hung in the 

 open air for from five to ten days. In one kind the wheat- 

 flour is mixed with kidney-beans, the juice of Polygonum (^, 

 Liao, "smartweed,")and apricot kernels. It is made during the 

 dog-days (£ {/c 0, San-fu-jih). This is called % |i (Mien- 

 ch'ii). Besides this there are >]> ^ ^ (Hsiao-mai-ch'ii), ;f,; ^ 

 ^ (Ta-mai-ch'ii), and % || (Mi-ch'ii). 



The peptic and nutritive properties of these are well 

 recognised in the Pentsao^ as well as an abortifacieut power. 



