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The Lotus and the Seasons

In the spring,

seedlings take root

and leaves float

in the warm,

unending drizzle.

Dragonflies stand

on lily pads

as sprouts

pierce the water.

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In the summer

the flowers bloom

for three or four days.

Five or six open

in the morning,

one flower and

one leaf to a root.

Farmers are busy

with the harvest.

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In the autumn,

northern winds

blow cold and

the plants wither.

The remaining flowers

fade to yellow,

while seedpods create

black outcroppings.

Underground

the roots grow.

In the winter,

the harvest season

never ends.

Every household

digs up roots

and grinds them

into a powder.

The delicious scent

permeates the air.

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A Small Taste

In the early Qin

and Han dynasties,(206 BC–220 AD)

people were already making

nutritional supplements

out of the lotus,

and it was even

recorded in the

Compendium of

Materia Medica

from the Ming Dynasty.(1368–1644)

Every part of the plant

can be used as

medicine or food:

The root can be eaten

as a vegetable

or a candied fruit.

The petals are

sweet and aromatic,

and when eaten

reduce inner body heat

and calm nerves.

The leaves are often

used to wrap other foods,

as their scent

whets the appetite.

Also, the common

"lotus seed paste"

is made from

ground lotus seeds

and can be used in cakes.

In the Nanmen Market

there are many booths

to buy foods

made from the lotus.

From the Chinese medicine

shop on Ningbo W Street

to "four spirit" soup

and shaved ice shops nearby,

you can find many places

that use stewed lotus seeds.

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