( 39 ) 
6. <0 ||$j So-rnu-mien. 
P. XXXI. 23. Ch. W. XXXY. 
This is another tree, resembling the Knang- 
lang, which the Chinese authors describe as 
yielding flour. It is more than 100 feet in 
height, the leaves proceed from the summit of 
the tree and spread in two directions like a 
flying bird. Another author compares the 
arrangement of the leaves to the 
So-e, or rain cloaks (the character so denotes 
the material, from which raincloaks are made? 
v. s.) Hence the name So-mu-mien (Mu=tree, 
mien=flour.) The latter character relates to 
the white or yellowish white flour, obtained 
from the bark (or the pith) of the tree. This 
flour is smooth and better than that derived 
from the Kuang-lang ; cakes can be made 
from it. One tree furnishes about 100 pounds 
of flour. An author of the 8th century states, 
that the So-mu-mien grows in Ling-nan 
(Southern China;) According to the Shu-ki 
(Annals of Ssu-clruan, 15th cent.) it is found 
also in Southern Ssu-ch‘uan. 
The "YVu-lu-ti-li-chi (Hang dynastjQ describes 
a tree ti* Slang -mu. which resembles the 
Kuang-lang and which yields a white flour 
like bruised rice. This tree is said to grow in 
Kiao-chi (Cochin China, v. s.). Li-shi-chen is of 
opinion, that this tree and the So-mu-mien are 
identical. He identifies it also with the tree 
mer) fi°ned in the Kiao-chou- 
ki, as resembling the Kuang-lang and yielding 
flour. 
It is difficult to say, what tree here is meant 
by the Chinese authors. In Southern Asia 
there are many trees, the trunk of which yields 
a granulated form of Starch, known under the 
name of Sago. The true Sago, sent to Europe 
is obtained from Sag us loads and S. Pumphu, 
native of the Molucca islands. In Ceylon and 
Malabar it is obtained from Corypha -umbra- 
culifera , in Malabar also from Caryota wens. 
All these palms cannot be considered as the 
Sago-palms, described by Chinese authors, for 
they occur only in countries distant from 
China. According to Dr. Williams’ Commer- 
cial Guide, nowadays the true Sago, brought 
to China from Singapore is known by the 
Chinese as g ^ ^ Si-hu-mi (Western 
corn rice.) As Dr. Hance states (Notes and 
Queries III. p. 95:) “no true Sago-palm has 
hitherto been detected in China, though one 
of them, Arenga saccharifera, occurs in Cochin- 
China. But there are in China or in the 
adjacent countries some representatives of the 
genus Cyoas. separated by the modern botanist 
from the true Palms, which furnish Sago. 
Loureiro, writing of his C. inermis (which only 
attains a height of about 5 feet) states, that it 
is not used for food in Cochin China, but he 
adds: Tunkini incolae mihi retulerunt in sna 
©atria fieri panem Sagu sat bon urn ex trunco 
hujus palmae. Thunberg again says (Flora 
japon p. 230) of Cyoas revoluta (much cultivat- 
ed also in China) but which also rarely exceeds 
the height of a man: medulla autum caudicis 
supra modiim nutriens, imprimis magni aesti- 
matur ; asseverant enim, quod tempore belli 
frustnlo parvo vitam diu protrabere possint 
milites, ideoque ne commodo eodem fruatur 
hostis extraneus, sub capites poena vetitum 
est palmam e regno japonico eclucer&. 
In India Sago is obtained also from 
Phoenix farinifera , a dwarf palm, which oc- 
curs also in Southern China, as has been 
above stated. But the Chinese assert, that 
the Sago-palms, known by them and used for 
food are of high growth. All the Cycas 
species, with the exception of C. eircinalis, 
which attains a height of 40 feet, are also of a 
dwarfish nature. In addition to this, several 
species of Cycas are known by the Chinese 
and described in their books under other 
names, as I will point out subsequently. It 
is therefore unlikely, that by the name of 
So-mu-mien, or Siang-mu the Chinese un- 
derstand a Cycas or Phoenix farinifera. But 
perhaps the Siang mu, which is said to thrive 
in Cochin China, means the Arenga (Sagugrvs) 
Saccliarifera. This Sago-palm is mentioned 
by Loureiro under the name of Pormsus 
gnmotiis as growing in the forests of Cochin 
China. (Cf. Lamarck, Botanique). 
7. 
M ^ Pei ~ to - 
JBorassus flabelli for mis, Palmyra palm. 
(The first character is sometimes written J=| , ^ 
This name is applied by some ancient 
Chinese authors to the Sacred Ftp (Ficus 
religiosa) but more generally it relates to 
a Palm tree, namely the Palmyra palm , 
Borassus flabellifonnis, and Coryphee- umbra- 
califera. 
The Pei-to tree is mentioned repeatedly 
in the ^ jg|j Fc-kuo-hi , the well 
known work of the Chinese Buddhist priest 
fpji Fasten, who visited during the years 
399-414 A. D. the countries, where Buddha 
was worshipped. Fa-sien seems to refer 
this name always to the Ficus religiosa. He 
saw (1. c. p. 23-24) the Pei-to-shu, beneath 
which past and future Buddhas attain per- 
fection near 'jjjl J Kia-ye. This is the 
ancient Gaya in Magliada, where Sakyamuni 
lived 7 years until he attained to Buddhaship. 
— Another Buddhist priest FF Biian- 
tsang , well known among our savants, who 
travelled over India in the first half of the 
7th century, mentions this sacred tree in the 
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