Osmanthus Fresh Chestnut Soup

Osmanthus Fresh Chestnut Soup

　　During the reign of Emperor Tang Minghuang, on a Mid-Autumn night, the bright moonlight illuminated the earth. The lonely Chang'e, gazing down from the Moon Palace, saw that the scenery around West Lake in Hangzhou rivaled paradise. Tourists were enjoying themselves to the fullest, and unable to resist, she stretched her wide sleeves and began to dance gracefully. Wu Gang played the laurel tree with his hands to accompany her, shaking down showers of fragrant osmanthus seeds. At that moment, Master Deming from Lingyin Temple in Hangzhou was cooking chestnut porridge in the kitchen when countless fragrant little grains drifted into the pot. The monks who tasted this porridge all said it was especially delicious. Master Deming was very pleased and gathered the scattered osmanthus seeds from the ground to plant on the mountain. Soon, these osmanthus seeds grew into blooming trees by the next Mid-Autumn Festival, and ever since, the area around West Lake has been filled with various fragrant osmanthus blossoms. "Osmanthus in three autumns, lotuses spanning ten miles" became an elegant nickname for the ancient capital of Hangzhou. Osmanthus chestnut porridge, through continuous refinement, eventually evolved into Osmanthus Fresh Chestnut Soup, which has been passed down through the ages.