‘贝叶’ literally means ‘conch leaf’, but it refers specifically to the dried, treated leaves of the talipot palm (Corypha umbraculifera) or sometimes the palmyra palm, traditionally used in South and Southeast Asia for writing sacred Buddhist and Hindu texts. Though ‘贝’ usually means ‘shell’ or ‘conch’, here it evokes the conch-like curved shape and smooth surface of the prepared leaf—ideal for inscribing with a stylus. ‘叶’ simply means ‘leaf’. Together, 贝叶 denotes not just any palm leaf, but one specially processed for manuscript use.

Historically, scribes would cut the leaves into long rectangular strips, dry and polish them, then inscribe text with ink or incise characters using a metal stylus. After rubbing ink over the surface, the grooves would hold the pigment, making the writing durable and legible. Many ancient Buddhist sutras from India, Sri Lanka, and early Chinese translations were originally recorded on 贝叶 manuscripts, some preserved for over a thousand years.