It is impossible to prove when Xianglian began to be cultivated and when it reached the top. More than 3,000 years ago, when Qu Yuan, a doctor of Chu in the Warring States Period, was exiled between Yuan and Xiang in Hunan Province, he wrote many poems about lotus flowers, such as "Evoking the Soul": "Lotus flowers are mixed." Xiang Jun: "Build a room in the water, repair it and cover it." It can be seen that Xianglian has attracted attention at that time, and its influence has penetrated into Hunan folk customs. The costume of "less thinking" described by Dr. Qu is: "He wears clothes and wears them again, and suddenly comes and dies." He himself wants to "take lotus as his clothes and hibiscus as his clothes." Imitate Shao Siming's dress.
It was recorded in Yuejueshu more than 2,000 years ago that Shen Shen was born in Hunan as a hibiscus. Archaeological departments found lotus roots and other artifacts in the Chu tomb of Warring States Period No.1 excavated in Jiuli, Lixian County. Lotus root slices were found in the fruits and vegetables buried in Mawangdui 1972 Han Tomb in Changsha, and lotus root was also found in the unearthed bamboo slips "Recipe". These physical objects provide physical evidence for the abundance of lotus roots in Hunan more than 2000 years ago.
trace (back) to the source of sth
The "Xianglian" seen in the book was first seen in Jiang Yan's Fu on Furong Flowers in the Southern Dynasties: "With a pale green ling, I will make waves and embrace Xianglian to reflect Zhu. Welcome the beauty of Beiyan and send it to the palace of Nanchu. " Not only the word "Xianglian" is used in the Fu, but also the southern foothills are mentioned. This is the ancient name for Hunan. It can be seen that "Xianglian" has enjoyed a long reputation in the Northern and Southern Dynasties, but at this time there are no other lotus species named by place names, which shows that "Xianglian" was named earlier than other lotus species.
The book mentions
About the hibiscus in TanYongzhi's poems, do you mean water hibiscus or wood hibiscus? Some people think it refers to hibiscus mutabilis. For example, in the poem "Answer a Friend" in Selected Poems of Mao Zedong published by 1986, the "land of hibiscus" notes: "land of hibiscus." This statement is also adopted in the article "Furong Country" in the new edition of Cihai. However, after quoting the above words of Tan Shi, he added: "At that time, there were many hibiscus trees in Xiangjiang River, Hunan Province, so it was called this.
Some people think it refers to water hibiscus. In 300 Newly Selected Tang Poems published by 1980, Tan's poem "Furong Country" notes: "It refers to Hunan Province today, so it is named" Furong Country "because there are many lakes and marshes in central Hunan." There are also compromises. For example, Hunan Province in the Handbook of China Provinces compiled by the China Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries explains the "Furong Country", and then two theories coexist: "It is said that there were many hibiscus plants in the Xiangjiang River basin in the past (one said hibiscus, the other said water hibiscus, which is what flower), so Hunan is also called" Furong Country ".
More people think it refers to water hibiscus for three reasons: 1. TanYongzhi's two poems are obviously born out of Qu Yuan's Xiang Jun: "Pick lotus in the water and hibiscus in the forest." Qu Yuan's two words mean to pick Ficus pumila with water on the mountain and lotus flowers on the top of the tree, which is a metaphor for wanting to see Xiang Jun but not getting it. The hibiscus here refers to the lotus born in water. TanYongzhi's two poems, like Qu Yuan's, refer to Ficus pumila on land and lotus flowers in water. 2. Hibiscus doesn't have to be planted by the water, lotus can only be planted in water. Tan was in Xiangjiang River, and what he saw was the waterscape. It is possible to have a large area of lotus in the water, but it is unreasonable to say that there is a large area of hibiscus in the water or near the water. 3. There are records of abundant lotus flowers in Hunan since ancient times. It is well-deserved to call it "country" in general, but there is no record of abundant hibiscus flowers. Mufurong is of little use. How can we plant it on a large scale to the extent that it can be called "country"? Obviously, this statement is not in line with historical reality. "Furong Country" should refer to a place full of lotus flowers. diversification
Xianglian varieties mainly include Xiangtan Village Sanlian, Hybrid Lotus, Huarong Yinbaihua, Hanshou Shuiyu Egg, Leiyang Daye, Taoyuan Jiuxijiang, Hengyang Wulian and so on. Xiangtan lotus seed is the best of Xianglian. Xiangtan lotus seed not only has a long history of cultivation, but also enjoys a high yield and excellent quality, and has always enjoyed a high reputation at home and abroad. In particular, "inch three lotus" is the most famous. According to legend, lotus seeds and lotus root starch produced by Baishipu in Xiangtan during the Warring States Period were presented to the imperial court. Han, Tang, Song, Ming and Qing dynasties accepted it as a tribute. "Records of Hunan Products" contains: "Lotus root starch is produced in Xiangtan and Xiangxiang, and it is rich elsewhere, and it is a tribute from Chu." Qing Guangxu's "Xiangtan County Records" said: "There are two kinds of lotus dividends, and officials buy tributes." "Land public hibiscus, producing county like sheep hall. There are countless people who ask for help, and it is rare to be born and raised for personal use. Tributes buy Hengyang qingquan, called' Xianglian'. " Until the reign of Xuanzong (Daoguang) in the Qing Dynasty, "Virtue and frugality, the four sides paid tribute, and Xianglian paid tribute." Xiyangtang is today's Baishipu, and the lotus produced is the famous "three-inch golden lotus". After shelling, the three grains are connected into an inch long, hence the name "inch three lotus". Because of the excellent quality of lotus seeds, Xiangtan has the reputation of "Xianglian is the best in the world and the highest in the south of Tanlian Lake", Xiangtan County is known as "the hometown of Xianglian in China" and Xiangtan City is known as "Liancheng".
By the Sui and Tang Dynasties, planting lotus in Hunan was very common and famous, which can be seen from the poems left at that time. For example, in the Tang Dynasty and the Song Dynasty, the preface to Qiulian Fu said: "If Xiang was born in Xiaoxiang Dongting, Qin Youqi 'ao. "Cui Lu's Yueyang Yunmeng Pavilion Looking at Hualien": "Like a drunk, like a careless Shui Xin, the sunset wants to see colorful clouds. ..... At that time, I wrote poems for you, and this place is based in Gu Ni. "As can be seen from the poems, many poets are chanting for' Xianglian'. In the late Tang Dynasty, I wrote a poem "Xiangjiang River in Autumn Rain", in which there was the phrase "Autumn winds are all over the world, and there are thousands of banyan villages in dusk rain", indicating the popularity of Hunan Furong at that time, so Hunan was also called "Furong Country".