Dongting Xianglian (Lotus Seeds)

Dongting Xianglian

　　Dongting Xianglian

　　Xianglian, a specialty of the Dongting Lake area in Yueyang, is a premium food that is both nutritious and delightfully fragrant.

　　There are many varieties of Xianglian, broadly categorized into edible and ornamental types. Among the edible types, those harvested for their fruits are called seed lotus, while those cultivated for their underground stems are called rhizome lotus. Seed lotus can be further classified by morphological characteristics into three types: White Lotus, Winter Melon Lotus, and Red Lotus.

　　White Lotus, also known as Cun San Lotus, is characterized by its small and short lotus roots, which are white in color. The lotus flowers come in pure white, red-tipped with white body, or light pink hues. Its lotus roots are large, produce densely packed seeds, and yield high outputs. The lotus seeds are spherical, with clean, white, delicate, plump, and firm flesh — high in quality and flavor, making them the finest among lotus seeds.

　　Winter Melon Lotus gets its name from its seeds, which resemble winter melons in shape. It has thick and long lotus roots, with thick tubes and crisp textures, along with diverse flower colors and large but sparsely seeded lotuses. The quality of its lotus seeds is slightly inferior to that of White Lotus.

　　Red Lotus has large and long lotus roots, bright red flowers resembling flames, and slender fruits with dark red skins — hence the name Red Lotus. Its lotus seeds have a slightly astringent taste and are mostly used for medicinal purposes. The quality of its lotus flesh is not as good as that of White Lotus. However, it is highly disease-resistant, thrives in poor soils, and is adaptable.

　　Xianglian is rich in nutrients and delicious in taste. Its protein content is even higher than that of eggs. In addition, it contains abundant calcium, iron, phosphorus, vitamins B1, B2, and carotene. "Rock Sugar White Lotus" is sweet, refreshing, and delicious; "Lotus Fruit Eight Treasures Rice" is a delicacy fit for banquets. Xianglian is also an excellent traditional Chinese medicine — its roots, leaves, flowers, and fruits can all be used medicinally. Lotus seeds help lower blood pressure, strengthen the spleen and stomach, calm the nerves, consolidate essence, and clear the heart while moistening the lungs. Lotus roots nourish yin, promote tissue regeneration, clear heat, stimulate saliva production, and disperse blood stasis. Lotus stamens can nourish kidney essence, calm the nerves, and benefit the heart. Lotus flowers and leaves make great cooling beverages that relieve summer heat and quench thirst, and can treat chest tightness and diarrhea. Lotus stems soothe the chest, regulate qi, promote lactation, and stimulate milk flow. Lotus receptacles harmonize the stomach, calm the fetus, stop bleeding, and relieve diarrhea.