Legend of the Medicinal Herb Lily (Bai He)
Legend of the Medicinal Herb Lily (Bai He)
In ancient China, there is a legend about a group of pirates who raided a fishing village, looting the villagers' gold, silver, food, and clothing. They also abducted many women and children, taking them to a deserted island in the vast sea. Stranded on the island without boats, the women and children were unable to escape. After a few days, the pirates set out to sea again and perished in a typhoon. The women and children left on the island found temporary relief, but after half a month, their food supply was depleted.
Facing the boundless sea with no rescue boats and no means to send word to their village, they resorted to digging for wild vegetables, gathering wild fruits, and collecting fish and shrimp from the shore to stave off hunger. One day, they dug up a type of root, round and bulbous like garlic, with thick and fleshy tubers. They washed it, boiled it, and upon tasting it, found it slightly sweet and fragrant. They all enjoyed a hearty meal. From then on, they continuously dug up and consumed this root to sustain themselves.
One day, a medicinal herb gathering ship arrived at the deserted island. The survivors shared their story with the herbalist on board. The herbalist sympathized and was amazed, asking, "Without food on the island for such a long time, what have you been eating?" The leading woman replied, "At first we ate our supplies, but later we dug up a kind of root that tastes like garlic – it's sweet and fragrant, and can be eaten as a meal. We survived by relying on it." Upon hearing this and seeing the chubby children and healthy-looking women on the ship, the herbalist concluded that this must be a nutritious herb. They took some of the root back with them to cultivate.
After testing, it was confirmed that this herb's stem and bulb could moisten the lungs, alleviate cough, and calm the heart. Due to the collective effort of the one hundred survivors who tasted and harvested this root, the herb was given the name "百合" (bǎi hé), which literally means "hundred gatherings." Because the name "百合" (bǎi hé) sounds auspicious and carries the symbolism of "perfect union" and "harmony in all things," it has been cherished by people throughout history as a symbol of auspiciousness and goodness.
Related Lily Recipes:
Lily and Lotus Seed porridge
Ingredients: 30g lily bulb, 25g lotus seeds, 100g glutinous rice.
Effects: Nourishes the stomach, relieves pain, strengthens the heart, and calms the mind.
Lily and Pig's Trotter Soup
Ingredients: 200g lily bulb, 1 pig's trotter.
Effects: Nourishes the skin and has anti-aging properties.
