芝麻原称胡麻,据说可能源于非洲或印度,相传是西汉张骞出使西域时引进的。但在浙江湖州市钱山漾新石器时代遗址和杭州水田畈史前遗址中,就发现有芝麻的种子,证实中国也是芝麻的故乡。 Sesame was originally called flax, which is said to have originated in Africa or India. According to legend, it was introduced by Zhang Qian in the Western Han Dynasty when he was envoying the Western Regions. However, in the Neolithic sites of Qian Shan Yang in Huzhou City, Zhejiang Province and the prehistoric sites of paddy fields in Hangzhou, Sesame seeds were found, confirming that China is also the hometown of sesame seeds.