Walking on the streets of Southern California, I often am pleasantly surprised to see Asian fruit trees. This time I saw longan trees. In fact, when I first saw it, I was not sure what it was. I was surprised to see similar fruits in two far apart yards. When I went home, I Googled the pictures and they were identified as longans or lychees. Since the longan I bought from the supermarket had pure brown skin, the ones I saw had mixed pigments of brown and green colors so I was not sure if it was longan. Until one day I saw a fruit’s skin popped open so I opened it and examined it, then by the smell of it I confirmed it was a longan.
Since the place of origin of longan is in the China area, the legend I found is related to Chinese culture. In addition to pictograms, the origin of the name of longan is also related to the homophone of Chinese. This may feel somewhat confusing for non-Chinese readers. I found that if I didn’t record the information now and come back to look at it later, I would not remember these interesting stories.
走在南加州的街道上，常常會驚喜的看到一些亞州水果的果樹。這次是看到了龍眼樹。其實當我最初看到時，並不確定是什麼，但是我很驚訝，在兩個相隔有一段距離的人家的院子裏，居然看到極其類似的果實。回家查了谷哥，顯示是龍眼或荔枝。由於在市場上買到的龍眼，外皮是純褐色而沒有摻雜其它顏色，讓我更無法確定這是不是龍眼。直到有一天，看到一粒爆裂的果實，剝開聞後才確認是龍眼。
由於龍眼原產地在中國一帶，所以我找到的傳說故事是與中國文化有關，龍眼名字的由來，除了象形外，也與華語的諧音有關，這可能對非中文讀者來說，可能會感到有些困惑。我發現我如果不把這些資料記錄下來，以後再回來翻看時，便不會記得這些有趣的故事。
Photo Date: 2020.10.19 Location: LA County
Photo Date: 2021.03.26 Location: LA County
Notes 筆記
- Longan belongs to the same family as lychee and rambutan. It is one of the better-known tropical members of the soapberry family Sapindaceae.
- Longan is also known as “Dragon’s eye” in China due to transparent flesh with black, pupil-like seed in the middle, which all together creates impression of an eyeball.
- Also known as Longan (Guìyuán), Fuyuan, Lychee Slave, Asian Lychee, Bird’s Egg, Bull’s Eye.
- Longan was named because it was a royal tribute, but later this name became a taboo. Because eating “longan” means eating “dragon’s eyes”, how can the eyes of the dragon (the emperor) be eaten? Therefore, longan later had other names.
- It is commonly known as longan (Guìyuán) because it matures in the season when the Osmanthus (Guìhuā) is fragrant. Another reason is that longan is produced in Guangxi (gui) and is round, so northerners call it longan (Guìyuán).
- In addition, some people call it as Fuyuan because it is also from Fujian.
- In Hakka, longan is called “bull’s eye”.
- The lychee and longan growing areas are very similar, but the fruit of lychee is larger than longan. Therefore, longan has the alias of sub-lychee and lychee-slave.
- Longan produces dense clusters of small, brownish-yellow to yellowish-green flowers. Each cluster contains three types of flowers: functionally male, functionally female and hermaphroditic (with both types of reproductive organs). Longan blooms during the spring. Male flowers open first, followed by female flowers and finally hermaphroditic, which function as male flowers. Strictly organized maturation and opening of flowers prevent self-pollination. Harvest takes place from the mid to late summer (140 to 190 days after pollination).
- The fruit is sweet, juicy and succulent. Apart from being eaten raw like other fruits, longan fruit is also often used in Asian soups, snacks, desserts, and sweet-and-sour foods, either fresh or dried, and sometimes preserved and canned in syrup.
- Dried longan are often used in Chinese cuisine and Chinese sweet dessert soups. In Chinese food therapy and herbal medicine, it is believed to have an effect on relaxation. In contrast with the fresh fruit, which is juicy and white, the flesh of dried longans is dark brown to almost black.
- Dried longan (Lóngyǎn) is preserved with its shell, and it can be stored for a longer time after removing the shell and core, which is good for long-term consumption or medicinal use. For the dried fruit flesh, people often call it “longan (Guìyuán).”
- “Longan honey” is one of the best quality honeys, with a golden and bright color.
- Longan is commonly found in traditional Eastern folk medicine. Longan (fruit) is used in treatment of insomnia, fatigue, depression and irritability. It also accelerates healing of the wound, improves blood circulation and absorption of iron and keeps cardiovascular system, skin, gums and teeth healthy.
- Longan trees can be used as scenic forests and protection forests. The wood is strong and durable. The dried stems are smoldered to make charcoal, which has high calorific value. It is the first choice for charcoal grill users.
- The longan is believed to originate from the mountain range between Myanmar and southern China. Its earliest record of existence draws back to the Han Dynasty in 200 BC. Later on, the longan tree was officially introduced to Australia in the mid-1800s, Thailand in the late-1800s, and Hawaii and Florida in the 1900s.
- Interesting legends:
- In ancient times there was an evil dragon destroying fields, houses, and harming people. There was a heroic boy named Longan who was determined to fight the dragon for saving the people. He fought with the dragon alone, piercing the left eye of the dragon with a steel knife, and when the dragon counterattacked, he dug out his right eye. The dragon died of bleeding and Longan died from his injuries. The villagers buried dragon’s eyes and Longan together, and two big trees grew in the next year. The trees bear fruit, with round and bright pits, very similar to dragon’s eyes. Therefore, the tree is called “dragon’s eye tree” and the fruit is called “dragon’s eye” (Lóngyǎn), also known as “longan” (Lóngyǎn).
- There was a man who met a kind/good dragon. One day a post from an emperor was posted on the street, seeking a dragon’s eye for the queen to treat her eye diseases. This man went to find the kind dragon, and dragon dug out one of its eyes to the man. This man offered the dragon’s eye to the emperor. The emperor was overjoyed and rewarded him with gold and silver, saying that if you can get another dragon eye, I will let you be a high official. So this man went to find dragon again. Dragon said no this time and said that I have given you one eye before. If I lose both my eyes, how can I move around and gather clouds making rain? This man took advantage of dragon not paying attention, took out the knife and stabbed the dragon’s eye. Dragon was so angry and furious, it opened its mouth to pick him up and fell him to the ground causing his death. The dragon eye fell to the ground and turned into a longan tree.
- Concubine Yang was ill and did not want to eat anything. A minister recommended a fruit to Concubine Yang to eat. When Concubine Yang saw this fruit, she had appetites. After eating it, her illness was gone. Emperor Xuanzong named this fruit Longan (your body recovery)
- 龍眼與荔枝和紅毛丹屬於同一科。它是無患子科中較為著名的熱帶植物之一。
- 龍眼在中國也被稱為“龍眼”，這是因為它的果肉透明，中間有黑色的瞳孔狀種子，好像個眼球。
- 又稱桂圓、福圓、荔枝奴、亞荔枝、燕卵、牛眼。
- 龍眼因是皇室的貢品而得名“龍眼”，但後來此名反而成為忌諱。因為吃“龍眼”就是吃“龍的眼睛”，龍（皇帝）的眼睛又豈能吃的呢。因此龍眼後來有別的名字。
- 因其成熟于桂樹飄香時節，俗稱桂圓。另有一說桂圓一名是由於龍眼是廣西（桂）產的比較多，又圓圓的，所以北方人稱之為桂圓。
- 另外亦有人把產自福建的稱為福圓。
- 在客家語中，龍眼皆稱「牛眼」。
- 荔枝與龍眼產區非常相近，但荔枝的果實比龍眼大，因此，龍眼有亞荔枝、荔枝奴的別名。
- 龍眼有密集簇狀棕黃色近至黃綠色的小花。每一簇包含三種類型的花：雄性，雌性和雌雄同體的花。龍眼在春天盛開。雄花首先開放，然後是雌花，最後是雌雄同體花（是雄花的功用）。花朵的成熟和盛開是很緊密的安排以防自花授粉。在夏季中至夏末可收成（授粉後140至190天）。
- 果實甜美多汁。 龍眼果實除了可被生吃外，在亞洲還經常用於湯，小吃，甜點和糖醋食品中，可新鮮食用也可做成乾果，有時也可以用糖漿保存和罐裝。
- 龍眼乾常用於中國菜和中國甜品湯。 在中國食品療法和草藥中，據信它具有放鬆作用。 與多汁和白色的新鮮水果相比，龍眼乾的肉是深棕色至幾乎黑色。
- 龍眼乾含殼保存，去殼去子核後可以保存更久，利於長年食用或藥用，而對於風乾的果實肉，人們多以「桂圓」稱之。
- 「龍眼蜜」算是蜂蜜中的上品，色澤金黃透亮。
- 龍眼常見於傳統東方民間醫學中。龍眼（果實）用於治療失眠，疲勞，抑鬱和易怒。 它還可以加速傷口的癒合，改善血液循環和鐵的吸收，並保持心血管系統，皮膚，牙齦和牙齒的健康。
- 龍眼樹可用作風景林和防護林，木材堅固耐久。根幹經悶燒製成木炭，熱值高，味道佳，是碳烤使用者的首選。
- 龍眼被認為起源於緬甸和中國南部之間的山脈。它的存在最早記錄可追溯到公元前200年的漢代。後來，龍眼樹在1800年代中期被正式引入澳大利亞，在1800年代後期被引入泰國，在1900年代被引入夏威夷和佛羅里達。
- 有趣的傳說:
- 相傳古時有一條惡龍興風作浪，摧田毀屋，為害一方。有英武少年名叫桂圓，決心為民除害。他隻身與惡龍搏鬥，用鋼刀先刺出惡龍的左眼，在惡龍反撲時，又挖出其右眼，惡龍因流血過多而死，桂圓也因傷勢過重去世。鄉親們將龍眼和桂圓埋在一起，第二年便長出兩棵大樹，樹上結果，果核圓亮，極似龍眼。於是，稱樹為“龍眼樹”，稱果為“龍眼”，又名“桂圓”。
- 有一個人，結識了一條善龍。後來街上貼出皇榜，招尋龍眼為皇后治療眼病。此人去找善龍，善龍就把自己的一隻眼睛挖下來給他。此人把龍眼獻給皇帝，皇帝大喜，賞其金銀若干，說你若能把另一隻龍眼也搞來，我讓你做大官。於是此人又去找善龍。善龍說不行，一隻眼可以給你，兩隻眼都沒了，我怎麼行雲布雨？此人便趁善龍不注意，掏出刀子就朝龍眼上猛刺。善龍疼而大怒，張口將此人叼起，摔了個一命嗚呼。那只龍眼掉到地上，變成了龍眼樹。
- 傳說以前楊貴妃生病了，什麼東西都不吃，有位大臣向唐玄宗推荐一種水果給楊貴妃吃，楊貴妃看到這個水果就有了食慾，吃下去之後，病就好了，玄宗因此給這種水果取名叫桂圓（貴體復原）
References 參考資料
Plants Posts 植物的帖子