Fragrant-Flower Lotus Root

Fragrant-Flower Lotus Root

　　As a unique aquatic vegetable from Nanjing’s lowland paddy fields, Fragrant-Flower Lotus Root is renowned for its tender, sweet, fragrant, and crisp qualities. During the Ming Dynasty, it was even crafted into the tribute dish “Pounded Lotus Root” and sent to Beijing, securing its significant place in the history of Nanjing’s locally grown agricultural products.

　　Dashitea Pavilion even earned its name

　　“Fragrant-Flower Lotus Root is only found in Nanjing, and it’s very famous nationwide.” Zhu Hongjian, a researcher at the Vegetable Division of the Municipal Agriculture and Forestry Bureau who has studied aquatic vegetables like Fragrant-Flower Lotus Root for many years, explains that the beloved “Eight Aquatic Delicacies” of old Nanjing owe their “roots” to the region’s distinctive geography. Zhu Hongjian believes that areas in the suburbs of Nanjing such as Jiangdong, Shazhou, and Yuhuatai have numerous rivers, ponds, and lakes, with bodies of water like Xuanwu Lake and Mochou Lake spanning thousands of acres. The fertile land, mild climate, abundant sunlight, and ample rainfall, coupled with the dense river networks of Shazhou Weir—the ancient site of Bailuzhou—and the crystal-clear water quality, all contribute to making the Eight Aquatic Delicacies exceptionally tender and delicious.

　　Represented by Fragrant-Flower Lotus Root, the “Eight Aquatic Delicacies” have had a profound impact on Nanjing. Even Dashitea Pavilion on the street outside Shuixi Gate earned its name because of them.

　　Why the Name “Fragrant Flower”?

　　As one of Nanjing’s local “Eight Aquatic Delicacies,” Fragrant-Flower Lotus Root has a long cultivation history in the city. Many residents may not know that it had already “taken root” in Nanjing as early as the Eastern Jin Dynasty. Guo Pu’s “Ode to the River” from that period mentions “scales covering water chestnuts, lotus roots, and lotus flowers,” and by the Liang Dynasty, the imperial family was already bestowing it as a treasured delicacy upon favored courtiers. But why exactly is it called “Fragrant-Flower” Lotus Root?

　　Experts explain that according to the “Jiangning County Annals” from the Ming Dynasty, “There are red and white varieties of the flower, with the white-flowered one being superior. When the white flowers bloom, the lotus root is extremely tender and is called ‘flower-under lotus root.’” Additionally, this particular variety of lotus root naturally emits a delicate fragrance, leaving a lingering scent on the palate. Later generations, misinterpreting this passage from the annals, led to this type of lotus root being dubbed “Fragrant-Flower Lotus Root.”

　　By the Ming Dynasty, Fragrant-Flower Lotus Root was made into “Pounded Lotus Root” as a tribute dish, and since then, Nanjing’s Fragrant-Flower Lotus Root has been mentioned in the writings of many scholars and poets. The “Baimen Cookbook” praises it: “When made into a soup, it tastes even sweeter and more tender; whether eaten raw or cooked, it can be said to have a truly unique flavor.”