SC - Cow's Milk Buns

[Decker, Terry D.]

The following are from "How Many?  A Dictionary of Units of Measurement"
webbed at:

http://www.unc.edu/~rowlett/units/index.html 


sheng 
a traditional unit of liquid volume in China. Like the Indian seer (see
above), the sheng is a little more than a liter; 1.035 liter (1.094 U.S.
quart) is one quoted equivalent. 

chin 
one of several spellings in English for the jin, a traditional Chinese
weight unit. 

jin 
a traditional unit of weight in China, comparable to the English pound.
During the European colonial era the jin was identified with the catty, a
Malay unit widely used in various forms throughout East and Southeast Asia.
Like the catty, the jin was then equal to 1 1/3 pounds or 604.79 grams.
Traditionally, it was divided into 16 liang. In modern China, however, the
jin has been identified as a metric unit equal to exactly 500 grams (1.1023
pounds), and it is divided into 10 liang. The spellings chin and gin also
have been used for this unit. 

liang 
a traditional Chinese weight unit. During the European colonial period the
liang was equal to 1/16 catty, 1/12 pound, or about 37.8 grams; this made it
the same as a tael. In modern China, the liang equals 1/10 jin or 10 qian;
this is exactly 50 grams (1.7637 ounces). 



There was a discussion of the soda issue several months ago, as I was
intrigued that this or a similar recipe used what might be a chemical
leaven.  IIRC, the information provided by the translator led me to believe
that the soda was for flavoring rather than leavening and that it was
definitely not sodium bicarbonate, although it may have been sodium
carbonate as Adamantius suggests.

Now for a reach.  There is a possibility that in some recipes "soda" is not
a chemical, but the plant saltwort, Salsola kali.  Soda may enter Middle
English from the Old Italian "soda" which possibly derives from the Arabic
"suwwad" or saltwort.  In the New World, saltwort is commonly Batis maritima
or Salcornia rubra, however Old World saltwort has been imported to North
America where it is commonly known as Russian thistle or tumbleweed.

The term alkali derives from the Arabic "al-qaliy" meaning "the ashes" for
ashes of saltwort.  

This makes me wonder if there are any descriptions of how "soda" was
obtained by different cultures.

Bear


> 
> When soda is mentioned, I assume it's not Sodium Bicarbonate 
> but something
> else?  Can someone advise?
> 
> Also, does anyone know what the following measurements are: 
> chin, sheng, liang?
> 
> 
> Drake.