China News Service, Jinhua, January 28 (Dong Yixin) "The poet Su Shi of the Song Dynasty once wrote in "Ci Yun Cheng Zhengfu's Tour of Biluo Cave" that 'Huang Gong offers purple zhi, and red pines offer green essence'. Among them, 'Huang Gong' is Huang Daxian, 'Qingjing' is an important raw material for making Jinhua black rice." As the Lunar New Year is approaching, Li Guihua, the person in charge of Zhejiang Jinhua Wong Tai Sin Food Culture Inheritance Base and the inheritor of Jinhua black rice making skills, said in an interview with China News Service.
Li Guihua, the person in charge of the Wong Tai Sin Food Culture Inheritance Base in Jinhua, Zhejiang and the inheritor of Jinhua black rice making skills, shows off the black rice. Photo by Dong Yixin
Wong Tai Sin's original name was Wong Chu Ping. According to legend, he learned Taoism from a shepherd boy who was herding sheep. Wong Tai Sin culture contains the spirit of "generalizing aid and encouraging good deeds" and has extensive influence in more than 30 countries including Singapore, Malaysia, the United States, and Russia, as well as Hong Kong, Macao, and Taiwan. Jinhua Mountain is the true source and ancestral home of Wong Tai Sin.
"Qingjing rice is also called Taoism's 'immortal food' and is recorded in the ancient pharmacopoeia." Li Guihua said that Qingjing rice is also called black rice. It is made by squeezing the juice from Nanzhu leaves (black rice leaves) and soaking glutinous rice. It is a local delicacy that is soaked for 24 hours until it turns green, steamed until it turns blue, and then left to turn black. In Jiangsu and Zhejiang areas, a bowl of black and purple rice is often served as a ritual to welcome summer.
After modern improvements, this "medicinal diet" has become a "member" of the New Year's Eve dinner - Qingjing Eight Treasures Reunion Rice, which contains golden candied dates, walnuts, red dates, lotus seeds, raisins, black rice, red beans, taro paste, etc. It is made at high temperature, sealed and shipped to all parts of the country to satisfy the taste buds of diners.
"The black leaves are the freshest in spring. Every year we store hundreds of tons in the cold storage, but it's still not enough. As the reputation of black rice has grown, more and more people are picking black leaves and making black rice. . Most of us are working at home during leisure time, so it can be considered as an extra income." Li Guihua said.
Li Guihua, the person in charge of the Wong Tai Sin Food Culture Inheritance Base in Jinhua, Zhejiang and the inheritor of Jinhua black rice making skills, makes the eight-treasure reunion rice with black rice. Photo by Dong Yixin
At present, in addition to making black rice products, the Wong Tai Sin Food Culture Heritage Base has also carried out nearly 20 research activities and cooperated with many universities to study the broader uses of black rice leaves. "For example, we have launched new products such as Wufanshu tea, which are also based on the Compendium of Materia Medica." Li Guihua said.
In conjunction with the famous overseas Jinhua ham, the base also launched Jinhua ham black rice with rice, Jinhua ham ham with black rice sausage and other products to participate in exhibitions in Hong Kong and Macau.
In 1921, Liang Ren'an, the person in charge of Guangdong Puji Temple, founded Sik Sik Yuen in Hong Kong, which is now Wong Tai Sin Temple in Hong Kong. Wong Tai Sin culture has since spread to Hong Kong. "Hong Kong has Wong Tai Sin culture as its foundation, and many people also eat black rice. Our products are highly recognized locally. Macau has more diners who are curious, but sales are also good." Li Guihua said that in the future, he plans to Develop more black rice products and promote the dissemination and promotion of China’s excellent traditional culture with delicious food. (over)