Orchids of Lanxi

Orchids of Lanxi

　　　　Product Name: Orchids of Lanxi

　　　　Place of Origin: Lanxi, Zhejiang

　　　　Product Features: Blooms all four seasons, exquisite in color and fragrance, captivating in appearance; long and narrow leaves, flower spikes with sheath-like bracts, some upright, some drooping, flowers elegant and fragrant

　　　　Product History: The orchid is the city flower of Lanxi. Historical records indicate that Emperor Wuzong of Ming, during his tour of the south, made a special trip to admire the orchids on Lan Yin Mountain.

　　　　Product Introduction: Dongyang has a tea-growing history of over 1,100 years. The famous “Dongyang Spring Sprout” tea was renowned as early as the Tang Dynasty and served as a tribute to the imperial court. The Tian Tan brand premium pearl tea won a gold medal at the 23rd International Food Fair held in Madrid, Spain in 1984.

　　　　Product Benefits: Treats neurasthenia and yin deficiency

　　　　Product Blooming Season: Blooms all four seasons

　　Lanxi City in Zhejiang Province has designated the orchid as its city flower. The area boasts exceptional natural conditions—situated in central Zhejiang, it enjoys a warm and humid northern subtropical climate, providing ideal conditions for orchid growth and propagation. Historically rich in orchid production, the city is even named after the orchid and the stream (“Lanxi” literally means “Orchid Stream”). Orchids thrive across Lanxi’s majestic mountains and valleys, filling the air with their delicate fragrance and creating an environment both spiritually uplifting and rich in talent. For over a thousand years since the establishment of the county in the Tang Dynasty, the people of Lanxi have maintained the tradition of cultivating orchids, as evidenced by ancient poems such as “Orchids shine for miles over spring waters, while mountain birds sing in silent serenity.” The region possesses abundant orchid resources and a long-standing tradition of amateur orchid cultivation.

　　　　Since the Ming and Qing dynasties, interest in orchids (“lan shi”) has grown steadily, along with the orchid industry. Emperor Zhengde of the Ming Dynasty, Zhu Houcong, traveled through the south and heard of the rare orchids on Lan Yin Mountain in Lanxi. He came with his entourage in search of them. The monks of Lan Yin Temple, not wanting the rare orchids to be taken, hid them in an ancient well. Emperor Zhengde searched every hill and valley but found none, and inscribed “Deep in the Orchid Shade” on the cliff face before leaving in frustration. Ming-Qing transitional period literatus Mao Xiang wrote in *Four Discourses on Orchids • Record of Orchid Discourses*: “I recall in the spring of the year Xin Si, passing through Lanxi, seeing the county government office and the city gate both hanging four bold characters written by Mr. Wang Zhongshan: ‘View the River and Gather Orchids.’” These accounts confirm that by the 14th year of the Chongzhen era in the Ming Dynasty, the characters “View the River and Gather Orchids” were already displayed on the county government and city gate. Among Qing Dynasty orchid growers, Li Yu was the most renowned. Born in Xia Li Village, Menghu Township, Lanxi, he achieved great success in legendary fiction and drama writing, and his political theories had a global impact, earning him the title “The Eastern Shakespeare.” In his later years, while residing in Nanjing, he built the “Mustard Seed Garden.” Within the garden, he constructed the exquisitely dainty “Fragrant Orchid Pavilion,” where he often leaned on the railing to admire orchids, indulging in aesthetic musings. He also authored two essays, “On Orchids” and “On Dendrobium,” included in his renowned work *One Family’s Words*, which were widely circulated.

　　　　The new landscape of reform and opening-up brought rapid development to Lanxi’s orchid industry. In 1987, at the fifth session of the ninth Standing Committee of Lanxi Municipal People's Congress, the orchid was officially designated as the city flower of Lanxi. In 1994, the Lanxi Orchid Association was established, with membership continually growing to over 300 today, making it one of the largest specialized associations in the city. Members leverage their strengths to develop orchid gardens and nurseries. On average, members cultivate over a thousand orchid pots, with many maintaining three thousand or more. Orchid enthusiasts in Lanxi are not satisfied with common varieties but actively seek and breed rare and premium types. To date, the city has cultivated unique local varieties such as “Snow Cave Lotus,” “Swallow Nest Thread,” “Tang Tri-Color,” and “Colorful Cloud Orchid.” They have also repatriated the “Yuan Ji Plum” orchid from elsewhere at a high price, bringing this “orchid traveler” back to its hometown after more than half a century, where it once again spreads its distinctive fragrance. Orchid lovers from Lanxi venture beyond the city to exchange experiences and resources with fellow cultivators across the country. They also participate in orchid exhibitions of various levels. Many have won over a hundred awards—including more than ten gold medals—at events such as the China Orchid Expo, Cross-Strait Chinese Orchid Exhibition, East China Six Provinces and One City Spring Orchid Exhibition, and Zhejiang Provincial Orchid Association Exhibitions. In May 1999, the China Specialties Hometown Promotion and Publicity Committee awarded Lanxi the title certificate of “Hometown of Chinese Orchids.” This not only enhanced the reputation of Lanxi’s orchids but also spurred the development of new industries in the city, serving as a catalyst for profitable agriculture.