Tangli is a plant in my hometown called Tangli. It is a wild tree that grows on the mountain. Its main purpose is to graft pear trees, which is also called tangerine tree. And the straight trunks are cut down and used to make sickle handles and axe handles, which are very strong. Those small branches can be used to make firewood, and both the flowers and fruits can be eaten, but the fruits are small and astringent and cannot be eaten until they are fully ripe.

This tree grows all over the mountains and plains here, and it is not uncommon. In spring, the Tangli flowers bloomed by this tree are very delicious. In order to pick the flowers, people will cut down the plants. If there is a drought and lack of rain this year, the Tangli trees growing on the hillside will die, so people I thought it was becoming less and less, but actually, there are still quite a few by the Qinggou where there is water.

This spring, my cousin and I went to the mountain behind the village to pick Duli flowers for cooking. It was the Duli flowering season at that time, and it was difficult to grow thorns on the trees. They are not collected, so this kind of flower is relatively expensive in the market, costing eight yuan per catty. It is also one of the most popular wild vegetables we eat at that time.

In the past few years, due to severe logging, many fine timbers have been cut down. Plants like Duli have long thorns on their rhizomes. If they are not very tall, they are of little use and rarely used. If someone wants it, even if it is cut down, it can only be used as firewood, or it will be cut down because it blocks the road. Generally, no one wants it.

Even if it is cut down, it can grow leaves again in the second year. Therefore, this is a wild tree with strong vitality and strong adaptability. It's a bit much to call this tree a treasure, but besides making oak wood, this tree does have some uses. It can be used to treat diseases.

Like us Yunnan mountain people, we often go to the mountains to pick mushrooms in summer. If you get poisoned by eating mushrooms, Duli can be used as an antidote. You can use the inner bark of its stem to boil water and take it. Also, if you have dysentery or enteritis, you can also use this method to boil water and take it.

When we were young, we used to pick Duli fruits home and eat them blackened in rice bran. This kind of Duli looks like a miniature version of pineapple, and tastes astringent when not ripe. It is heavier, tastes smooth when mature, and tastes pretty good.

After its plants are moved home and planted for two or three years, they can be grafted onto pear trees. Perhaps it is for this reason that rural elderly people say that they are “full of treasures”. Nowadays, cultivating pear trees can be done without using this kind of tree. In the past, when the technology content was low, perhaps using pear trees as oak trees to graft pear trees was the only way.

This tree is no longer needed. It is everywhere in the mountains and fields. How could it be gone? The Duli in the picture was taken by me on the mountain. If you don’t believe it, come to my hometown and I will take you to the mountain to see it.