Peninsula and Indochina, Pakistan, Ceylon and China. The seeds of the Bing Lang plant, also known as the betel-nut, are gathered in winter and spring from the ripened fruit, dried in the sun, and cut into slices. In Chinese naturopathy areca is used for indigestion. It promotes the circulation of Qi (=chi). Qi stands for life energy and has been used in China for thousands of years for health-preservation and self-healing purposes.