East Ping Lake Lotus Roots

East Ping Lake Lotus Roots

　　East Ping Lake lotus roots are primarily produced in the secondary lake area of East Ping Lake (Xinhu Township, Dongping County). Their lotus leaves are as large as umbrellas, the blossoms delicate and elegant, the seeds plump like chestnuts, and the roots white, tender, and crisp. When eaten raw, they are as crisp as sweet pears; when cooked, they are fragrant like melons. They can be served fresh in salads, or prepared by frying, stir-frying, sautéing, or deep-frying. The lotus root banquet made from East Ping Lake lotus roots offers a unique blend of salty, sweet, sour, and spicy flavors, with vibrant colors and delicious taste, renowned throughout Shandong. There’s a local saying: “Yantai apples and Laiyang pears are no match for the lotus roots and seeds of East Ping Lake.” Legend has it that during the Northern Song Dynasty, a kind-hearted lotus fairy passed by the 800-li Liangshan Marsh and scattered a few lotus seeds, instructing them to take root in the water town, multiply, and bring benefits to the fishermen. Since then, East Ping Lake has been graced with the magnificent sight of “half the lake covered in lotus blossoms, the whole lake filled with fragrance.” East Ping Lake lotus roots are highly drought-resistant and flood-tolerant, with strong vitality. Currently, the lotus root cultivation area of East Ping Lake spans 10,000 mu, forming a ten-mile-long lotus belt that not only enhances the scenic beauty of East Ping Lake but also serves as a key industry for increasing farmers’ income. In July 2002, the township government signed an agreement with Shenzhen Dezheng Investment Company to invest 22 million yuan in building a lotus root processing plant at East Ping Lake, further promoting the development of this leading industry.