CHINA AND TOBACCO.

Auckland Star, Volume LX, Issue 278, 23 November 1929, Page 11

CHINA AND TOBACCO.

SALE ONCE CAPITAL CRIME.

EDICT SOON RESCINDED.

"SMOKE-FLOWER" TOO POPULAR,

Shortly after tobacco was first introduced into China in the beginning of the seventeenth century, its use was prohibited by an Imperial edict, and decapitation was prescribed'as a penalty for anyone who clandestinely hawked it, writes Dr. Berthold La.ufer, curator of anthropology at Field Museum of Natural Hisi tory Tin a leaflet, "Tobacco and Its Use in Asia," published by the museum. The edict proved unenforceable and was soon rescinded, because of the general disregard accorded it by nobles and commoners alike, and because tobacco had been adopted as a remedy for colds in the army, unexcelled by any other remedy with which the Chinese were then acquainted, writes Dr. Laufer.

The first known reference to tobacco in the Far Fast occurred in 1015, when it was obtained in Japan from Portuguese traders, Dr. Laufer states. A few years later mariners from Fu-kicn Province, China, brought it back to their country from the Philippines, where it had been introduced by the Spaniards, Contemporary writers, including both Orientals and European travellers, tell of men, women and children all becoming inveterate smokers in the early years of tobacco's entrance into Asia, the "leaflet states. Tobacco became known variously in China as "smoke-herb, smokeflower, smoke-leaf and smoke-vine" —the last because, like wine, it could intoxicate. Snuff was called "nose-smoke." In the idioms of their languages the Chiiicnu "eat, sip or inhale" smoke, while- llio Japanese and Tibetans "drink" It. The history of the spread of the- u*a of tobacco in Korea, India, Siberia ami Persia, as well as Japan and Cliiuu, is traced in the leaflet. On exhibition at Field Museum are notable collections of both dry and water pipes,.many ot them very elaborate and artistic, and of ornate snuff boxes, local tobacco preparations and other smokers' equipment used in these countries, both in early and modern I times.