in the further translations set in order the 
various accounts and quote the names of the 
authors and the time they wrote only, when 
they have a particular interest. 
2> W Pin - lan S' 
m 
Betel-nut. Areca Catechu. 
P. XXXI. 15, Ch. W. XXXI. 
Shi-ming (Explanation of names.) The 
Nan fang ts‘ao mu chuang (4th century) ex- 
plains the name Piu-lavg by the e us tom ex- 
isting among the a people of Kiao and 
jfjE Kuang (modern Kuang-tung,) of pre- 
senting the Betel-nut to a guest. The char- 
acter is formed by the characters 
tree and Pin guest; the character 
laug includes the character Hl3 lung mean- 
ing “master,” a complimentary term. The 
Chinese author remarks, that the omission of 
presenting Betel-nut to a guest would be a 
mark of enmity. But it seems more likely 
that the name Pin-lang is a corruption of the 
Malayan name of the Areca-nut “pinang.” 
As the Chinese language is very poor in 
sounds and almost every sound relates to 
numerous hieroglyphs of various significa- 
tions, it is not difficult in transcribing foreign 
names by Chinese sounds, to find out char- 
acters of a suitable meaning.— - Another name 
for the Areca-nut is Pin-men 
(guest's door.) The poet Ssu-ma-siang-ju 
(second century I>. C.) calls the Areca-nut 
Jen-pin (Jen-kernel.) Another 
name jOjf /]' Si-chang-tan (the red, 
washing away distemper,) refers to the sani- 
tary virtues attributed to the Areca-nut. 
The Betel-nut has different names in al- 
most every part of Asia. The Malayan name 
is Pinang. According to Sir. V . Jones 
(Asiatic Researches IV p. 312) the Sanscrit 
name is guvaca. Synonyms (given also in 
the Amarakoeha I p. 116.) are ghfrnPA , puga, 
hapura , cramuca. The vulgar name in Hin- 
dustan i is supi/ari 
rj , 
In Javanese its name is 
204.) The name Betel relates properly only 
to the leaf of Betel-pepper (see below,) 
which is chewed together with the Areca- 
nut, but it is falsely used also to designate 
the latter. 
jambi, in Telinga Areca. This latter name 
was brought by the Portuguese to Europe 
in the 16th century. The scientific species- 
name of the tree (Catechu) derives from 
Cafh, the inspissated juice of a Mimosa, 
which is chewed with thin slices of the udvcga 
or Areca-nut. Sir. W. Jones observes, that 
the Areca Catechu should be called A. 
Guvafa. — The Arabians know the nut by 
the name faufel. Cf. Voyages d’fbn Batuta 
(14th century,) trad uit par Saugumotti-, II grand child) 
Botanical description of the Pin-lang. By 
joining logically the numerous statements of 
different Chinese authors at different times 
about the Pin-lang, as quoted confusedly in 
the Pen-ts‘ao, we have the following very 
correct description. 
The Pin-lang resembles the Ye-tsu (co- 
coanut tree) and the Kuang-lang (Caryota.) 
The trunk is straight, branchless, articulated 
like the Bamboo, 50-70 feet in height. From 
the top proceed large leaves similar to the 
leaves of the ra ^ H Pa-tsiao (Banana), 
which agitated by the breeze sweep the 
heaven like great fans. In the second or 
third month a Fang (literally a house but 
here meaning the spathe) arises by a swell- 
ing between the leaves, from which, after 
bursting proceeds a panicle like the 
panicle of millet, bearing about 100 white 
fruits, of the size of a peach or a pear. Be- 
low are spines, one over another. The fruits 
in' are ripe in the fifth month. They are 
then as large as a hen’s egg, and surrounded 
by a coriaceous rind Within the 
rind is a white edible flesh (pulp), which 
however cannot be preserved in a good state 
for more than several days, as it quickly 
spoils. But if treated with lime, roasted or 
dried m smoke it can be preserved for a king 
time. The nut within the flesh is veined 
if broken. It is of a bitter and harsh 
flavour. The Fu-liu-fhig (Betel-leaf, sec 
below) and lime must be added, then the 
flavour becomes soft, sweet and agreeable. 
The Chinese distinguish from the form of 
the nut numerous species or varieties. In 
the Peu-ts‘ao the following are enumerated. 
A large sort, of a flattened form and harsh 
flavour is called Alt T Ta-fu-tsu 
(great stomach) (P. XXXI 19) or |||| 
j jp’p Ki- sin- pin-lang (fowl’s heart Pin- 
lang) or I'jffJJ Chu-pin-lavg (pork 
Pin-lang). This is used as medicine. A 
small sort bears the name E 1 1 
,1 hit 
Shan-pin-lang (hill Pin-lang).- 
No-tsu or 
is 
The 
Pin-lang-sun (sun- 
similar to the last but the 
