Honghu in Hubei province is known for its large planting area of lotus root. WU QI/FOR CHINA DAILY
Honghu, Hubei province, saw sales of its lotus root surge recently as the Chinese animated blockbuster Ne Zha 2 continues to make waves across the country and beyond.
In the movie, the immortal Taiyi Zhenren reshapes Ne Zha's body with lotus root powder. In ancient Chinese culture, lotus root is like the blood vessels of the body — flexible like a spring when stretched, but when broken it remains connected, making it the best choice for recreating the body.
In addition, lotus are a symbol of purity and nobility in China. One poem describes it as "emerging from the mud unstained, washing clean without being tainted", which matches Ne Zha's innocence and rebellious spirit.
"The growth cycle of lotus root is unique. During winter, the rhizomes quietly lie buried in the mud, appearing 'dead' but actually accumulating strength. When spring arrives, they will sprout new shoots, symbolizing the cycle of life and rebirth," said Yan Shoulei, a food science professor from Huazhong Agricultural University in Wuhan.
"The 'nine holes and seven openings' of lotus root correspond to the meridians of the human body, and the pure white lotus root grown in the mud symbolizes the integrity of a gentleman who remains unstained by the mud," he said.
He suggested soft and waxy lotus roots were used instead of crispy ones to reshape Ne Zha, as they feature a higher starch content.
Farmers use bamboo baskets to carry harvested lotus root from pond to the bank. WU QI/FOR CHINA DAILY
Lotus root has been planted in China for some 3,000 years, and the country produces 80 percent of the world's supply. Hubei's production accounts for one-third of the national total.
The planting area in the province is 86,700 hectares, with an annual production of 3.2 million metric tons, with both ranking first in China, according to official statistics.
In Honghu alone, the planting area of lotus root exceeds 14,700 hectares, with an annual yield of nearly 300,000 tons.
Honghu lotus root and derivative products generated about 582 million yuan ($80.1 million) from Jan 29 to Feb 23, with year-on-year growth of 51 percent, data from Honghu Lotus Root Industry Development Center showed.
Sales of fresh lotus root reached 18,700 tons. Sales of deep-processed products such as lotus root powder, lotus sprouts and lotus root soup also achieved year-on-year growth, it said.
"Since Spring Festival, the order volume of our lotus root and deep-processed products on e-commerce platforms has increased significantly, with a year-on-year growth of over 200 percent," said Yuan Jun, deputy general manager of Natrich, a major lotus root food company in Honghu.
Yuan said that during Spring Festival, consumers had a strong desire to try out lotus root products because of the movie.
A farmer harvests lotus root in a field. WU QI/FOR CHINA DAILY
Due to the popularity of the movie, more vloggers and livestreaming platforms have contacted the company for collaboration. Its five major series of lotus root products, including lotus sprouts, lotus root soup, beverages, refrigerated products and fresh products, have all benefited, she added.
He Ganggang, the company's sales manager, said orders have surged, and the production lines are almost "smoking". Wang Meng, a worker at the Honghu branch of China Post, said they collect 5,000 packages from the company every day. To ensure the quality of products during transportation, the postal service has procured moisture-proof and damage-resistant packaging materials.
A Hubei-cuisine restaurant is also offering "Ne Zha rebirth feast", charging 149 yuan for lotus root and ribs soup, deep-fried lotus root sandwiches with pork and stir-fried tender lotus root slices.
Zhou Hao, a staff member at the center, said they are designing packaging images, co-branding and product packages related to Ne Zha 2 and expect to launch products soon.
Honghu has 135 companies related to lotus root, which process about 200,000 tons of products with an output value of 3 billion yuan. It has four national geographical indication products — lotus seeds, lotus sprout, lotus root and lotus tea.
