Panxi Poria Cocos

Panxi Poria Cocos

　　“Amidst a hundred miles of green pines and poplars, ancient trunks twist like dragons bold; The hill tribes venture deep in search, And find the Poria Cocos, huge and round and cold.” This is an ancient poem praising the Poria Cocos from Panzhihua.

　　The local chronicles of Panzhihua once recorded a tribute list presented to the emperor by a local chieftain: “One silver-mounted copper Buddha, five hadas; five Poria Cocos, five boxes of grassleaf sweetflag...” In the 38th year of the Republic of China (1949), Zhuge Shihuai, a notorious local tyrant from Yanbian County (now part of Panzhihua City), sought the position of garrison commander along the upper reaches of the Jinsha River. Among the gifts he prepared for Hu Zongnan, who was in charge of the region at the time, were Poria Cocos, bear gallbladder, and snake gallbladder. Poria Cocos is sweet and mild in nature, affecting the heart, lungs, spleen, and kidneys, with benefits such as promoting diuresis, removing dampness, and calming the mind. Poria Cocos can be found across the country, so why did both chieftains and bribe-givers prefer those from the Panzhihua region?

　　It turns out that Poria Cocos from Yunnan, known as “Yunling,” has long been considered one of the finest varieties, and the Poria Cocos from the Panzhihua region are the best of the “Yunling.” It grows under the tall, resin-rich roots of Yunnan pine trees, yielding thick, fine-grained, white Poria. Moreover, locals often harvest it from century-old pine roots, sometimes unearthing astonishingly large pieces weighing up to 20–30 kilograms. These are rich in nutrients, highly medicinal, and in peak production years, yields can reach tens of thousands of kilograms.

　　In ancient times, Poria Cocos was often regarded as the food of immortals. In classical novels, Taoist immortals were frequently depicted sipping celestial dew and feasting on Poria. Ancient people believed that Poria could prolong life—Su Dongpo wrote: “Now a hundred days a guest I stay, Tending this thousand-year-old tree so gray; No news of Poria yet I see, While my temples daily whiten with anxiety.” Cao Xueqin also described Poria cream in *Dream of the Red Chamber*. In medicinal cuisine, there are Poria ointments and Poria porridge, and child-nourishing health foods often contain Poria. In traditional Chinese medicine, Poria is truly ubiquitous.

　　So remember: the finest Poria of all is still found in Panzhihua.