(M) 
As regards the growth of the Betel-nut. in 
China I will quote the following from the 
Pen-ts‘ao and other Chinese works. The 
most ancient description of this palm, in the 
Nan-fang- ts‘ao &c., (4th century) does not 
say, that it thrives in China proper. The 
writers of the T‘ang and Sung (7-12 centu- 
ry) state that it grows in all departments of 
(beyond the Mei-ling 
Ling-wai , 
the modern 
Kuang-tung 
and 
mountains, 
Kuang-si.) The geography of the Sung 
dynasty notices the Pin-lang as a tribute of 
Kiunpchou (Hai-nan.) The island of Hai- 
nan produces Betel-nuts extensively up to 
the present time. Mr. Sampson (1. c. p. 133) 
states that Ling-shui , on the South coast, pro- 
duces the best. According to Mr. Taintor 
The name 
Lin-yi ( Land of forests ), 
known to the Chinese since the 3rd century A. D„ is 
described in the History of the Liang (6th century) 
Chap. .14. It is said there that Lin-yi lies on the bor- 
ders of Ji-nan (v. s.), and was called Yue-ohang (v. s.) 
in ancient times. The capital is distant 1-20 li (3 li=i 
English mile) from the Sea and 401) li from the bound- 
ary of Ji-nan. To the South Lin-yi is bordered by 
water (Sea?) Klaproth identifies on his maps Lin-yi 
with Siam. Ritter (Asien III. !)77) with Cochin China. 
The Weu-sien-tong-kao ( 14th century ) states that 
Hh‘ j §£j Euang-wang-Teuo and 
Chm-cKmg are other names for Lin-yi. 
# m Fu-nan lies, according to the same work 
(Liang-shu) 7000 li to the South of Ji-nan (Tonking) 
on a hay pjrf ^ which stretches to the West of 
the sea. From Lin-yi it lies to the South-west, 3000 li 
distant. The capital is situated 600 li from the sea. 
There is a large river to the N. W. of it, 10 li broad, 
which flows to the East in the sea.— Abel Remusat 
(Nouy. Mdl. asiat. I 77) states, that by Fu-nan Ton- 
kiug is meant. The Hai-kuo-tu-chi identifies Fu-nan 
FT? 
with 
Sien-lo, or Siam. Although it is 
impossible to determine with certainty the position of 
Fu-nan from the vague Chinese description, there can 
however he no doubt, that it was a place in India 
b 'yond the C-anges. I venture moreover to observe 
that perhaps Fu-nan lay on the banks of the Mekong. 
Crawfurd states ( Cf Ritter 1. c. III. p. 914 ) that the 
province Sadek in Cambogia is called Fo-nan in the 
Cochin Chinese language. — Since the time of the Sui 
dynasty 589-618, Cambodia was known to the Chinese 
? OMn-la. In the History of 
by the name 
r \ > — ^ * 
the Sui it is said, that Clien-la was formerly depend- 
ent upon Fu-nan. Its position is given as to the 
South East from Lin-yi. The sea forms its Southern 
boundary. 
U.J frJLJ 
13 K‘un-Wn is the ancient name of a range 
of mountains in Central Asia, but the Chinese use these 
characters also to designate the island Pidu Condore 
near Cambodia. 
mj S™ oor i5T m 
fu-sha lies according to the T‘ang history (Chap. 25Sct) 
to the S. East of P‘an P‘an, hut about this 
0X0. ill). 
country it is there said, that it lies on the sea, to the 
S. West of Lin-yi, from which it is separated by a 
little sea. From Kiao-chou it can he reached by ship 
in 40 days. Therefore it can bo assumed, that by K‘o- 
lo an island near Malacca or in the Malayan Archi- 
pelago is meant, 
W 5S? 
H U jj,' K-o-lc 
(1. c. p. 14) tbe Areca palm flourishes in the 
Eastern and Southern parts of the island. 
The land on which it is grown is subject to 
the payment of a land tax. — The great Geog- 
raphy of the Chinese Empire, Yi-tung-chi, 
states further, that the Betel-nut thrives in 
Tai-wan (Formosa,) in the department of 
King -yuan- fu in the province of Kuang-si, 
(according to the Kuang-si-t'ung-chi also in 
Chen-nang-fu in the same province.) in 
Yuan-kiang-chou in Yiin-nan. The special 
Geography of Yiin-nan notices also Lin-an* 
fu, Kuang-nan-Ju , as Betel-nut countries.— 
The French explorers of the Mekong (Re- 
vue des deuxmondes 1870 p. 340) have seen 
the Areca Catechu near Yiian-kiang, in Yiin- 
nan (23i° latitude): “La ville de Yuen-kiang, 
assise au bord du fleuve (Sonkoi) etait 
entouree de champs de riz a demi coupes, 
de bois d’arequires, de champs de canne a 
sucre &c.” 
In the tropical countries, where the Areca 
| palm thrives, there is to be met everywhere 
another plant closely connected with the 
Betel-nut, however not by botanical alliance, 
but only by the combined use made of both 
plants by the people of these regions. The 
Betel chewing nations can hardly imagine 
the Areca-nut without the leaf of Betel- 
pepper , which has given its name even to the 
nut. The Betel or Areca-nut is prepared 
foh chewing by cutting it into narrow pieces, 
which are rolled up with a little lime, ob- 
tained from oyster-shells, in leaves of the 
Betel-pepper. This pellet is chewed and 
has formed for a long time an indispensable 
dietetic requisite and healthy regulator of 
all classes of men in Southern Asia. It is 
known, that by Betel chewing the' saliva is 
tinged red. It stains also the teeth and .s 
said to produce intoxication in the beginnin g. 
The Betel-pepper, Chavica Betel (anok er 
species Chavica Siriboa is used for the same 
purpose,) is a twining plant with large oval 
acuminate shining leaves, and flowers in long 
spikes. It belongs to the order of Piper- 
aceae and is widely cultivated in trop cal and 
intertropical Asia, so that its native country 
now can not be fixed. 
The common Chinese name for the Betel- 
leaf is Lou or fb Ku. According to 
Bridgman’s Chrestomathy the second char- 
acter is pronounced Lau in the Canton dia- 
lect. In the Pen-ts‘ao the Betel-pepper is 
described ( XIV® 46 ) under the name of 
z||| Ku-tsiang. Li-shi-chen explains, 
that it regulates the digestion. Therefore 
the first character includes the character ■ 5*7 
meaning “strong,” the second means “Soya.” 
