Encyclopedia of India–China Cultural Contacts v1.c5.s2.t6.3

v1.c5.s2.t6.3

The *History of the Later Han Dynasty (juan 78)* first recorded that pepper originated in India. The *Record of the Western Regions of the Great Tang* by the famous monk Xuanzang recorded that *schinus molle* originated in A Zha Li kingdom and that *schinus molle* looked very much like the pepper of Shu. The *You Yang Essays* by Duan Chengshi recorded that pepper originated in Magadha and was called marica. It said that it looked like the Han pepper and tasted pungent and was usually used as seasoning.