Black Lotus

Black Lotus

　　A local specialty product of Hengyang. It is mainly produced in areas such as Taiyuan and Shanqiao in Hengyang County. It gets its name from its grayish-brown or grayish-black surface. The cultivation of lotus in Hunan has a history of over 3,000 years, reaching its peak during the Ming and Qing dynasties. Hengyang is one of the main production areas in Hunan. Outside the West Small Gate of Hengyang, lotus plants were found everywhere, earning the area the reputation of “ten miles of white lotus blossoms on West Lake.” The lotus seeds of Hengyang are plump, starchy, sweet, and fragrant, and they cook easily when heated—these are their distinctive features. The black lotus from places like Taiyuan and Shanqiao is considered the finest among the local varieties. The *Commercial Officials' Gazette* published in the 32nd year of the Guangxu reign of the Qing Dynasty described Hengyang lotus as “the finest produced in all regions of China.” In 1984, Hengyang City produced over 2 million kilograms of shelled lotus seeds, which were sold both domestically and abroad.