Yunhe Long-Skirt Bamboo Fungus

Yunhe Long-Skirt Bamboo Fungus

　　A Zhejiang specialty—Yunhe Long-Skirt Bamboo Fungus, also known as the 'Snow Skirt Fairy,' 'Flower of Mountain Delicacies,' 'Queen of Fungi,' or 'Vegetable Chicken,' ranks first among the 'Four Treasures'—Bamboo Fungus, Monkey Head Mushroom, Shiitake Mushroom, and White Fungus. Originally a wild plant, the Long-Skirt Bamboo Fungus is extremely difficult to grow and even harder to obtain. It has long been considered a rare and precious item, served as a tribute from the southern regions, and was once a delicacy reserved only for the emperor.

　　 Specialty Culture: Legend has it that during the Guangxu reign of the Qing Dynasty, Empress Dowager Cixi, in her quest for an elixir of immortality, dispatched trusted aides across the land. After much difficulty, they managed to find some 'Sengzhu Mushrooms.' These so-called 'Sengzhu Mushrooms' were in fact the Long-Skirt Bamboo Fungus. Empress Dowager Cixi mobilized three thousand soldiers, who spent nine months collecting just 1.5 kilograms of the fungus—an average of just 0.55 grams per person—illustrating just how precious it was.

　　 In April 1983, a wild Long-Skirt Bamboo Fungus was discovered in the bamboo forest of Shanhou Bay, Shaxi Township, Yunhe County. The fungus consists of three parts: the egg, the stalk, and the cap. The cap is surrounded by a net-like skirt in purple, white, and black, resembling a fairy descended from heaven wearing a white dress, a purple hat, and black boots. This 'Long-Skirt Fairy' measured 40.5 centimeters in height, had a skirt length of 25 centimeters, a skirt width of 62 centimeters, and weighed 450 grams—truly an unprecedented and unheard-of 'Bamboo Fungus Queen'!

　　 The Yunhe Medicinal Fungi Experimental Station began experimenting with artificial cultivation techniques for the Long-Skirt Bamboo Fungus in early spring 1983. After many sleepless nights, they gradually mastered the natural habits and growth patterns of the fungus. Using the original strain to produce mother cultures and spawn, after three years of effort, they finally saw the 'Snow Skirt Fairy'—the Long-Skirt Bamboo Fungus—emerge from the soil. The rare Long-Skirt Bamboo Fungus was finally cultivated on the land of southern Zhejiang according to human will.

　　 Specialty Efficacy: Bamboo fungus is a physiologically alkaline food. Regular consumption can help regulate blood acid and fatty acid levels in middle-aged and elderly individuals, and it has the effect of lowering high blood pressure. Additionally, it helps reduce cholesterol and minimize fat accumulation in the abdominal wall. The Miao people of Yunnan Province also soak bamboo fungus and glutinous rice together to make a drink, used to treat injuries, weakness, and coughs, with pain-relieving and qi-invigorating effects. In Guizhou folk medicine, bamboo fungus is also used to treat dysentery, bacterial enteritis, and leukemia.

　　 The polysaccharides contained in bamboo fungus are highly active macromolecular substances that have certain therapeutic effects against tumors, blood coagulation, inflammation, immune stimulation, and blood sugar reduction, and also exhibit inhibitory effects on HIV. The polysaccharides of the short-skirt bamboo fungus have a certain ability to scavenge superoxide anion free radicals and can inhibit lipid peroxidation of artificial cell membranes, which may be one of the main mechanisms behind their anti-tumor and immune-boosting properties. Furthermore, under neutral to alkaline conditions, bamboo fungus can exert antibacterial effects, and its antibacterial components are stable under high temperature and pressure. Bamboo fungus is remarkably effective in food preservation and has a wide range of applications. Therefore, adding bamboo fungus to cooked dishes can help preserve them for a longer time without spoilage.