[秋语－68]

棉花的原产地是印度和阿拉伯。在棉花传入中国之前，中国只有可供充填枕褥的木棉，没有可以织布的棉花。宋以前，中国只有带丝旁的“绵”字，没有带木旁的“棉”字。“棉”字是从《宋书》起才开始出现的。可见棉花的传入，至迟在南北朝时期，但是多在边疆种植。

The country of origin of the cotton is India and Arabia.Before cotton was introduced into China, China is only available for filling pillow pad kapok, no can weaving cotton.Before the song dynasty, China's only brought silk "cotton" word, with no wood beside "cotton" word."Cotton" word from the song dynasty book up began to appear.The incoming of cotton, at the latest in the northern and southern dynasties, but grow in the frontier.