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Lychee
Litchi chinensis, LIZHI, LI ZHI
The lizhi or lychee is also
called dan (red) lizhi and hong (red) lizhi. The tree grows from 5-10 metres
high, with luxuriant foliage. The fruit is round, heart-shaped or
egg-shaped. It ripens in the summer. The skin of the fruit is comparatively
hard, dark red in color and covered with a network of small bumps.
Inside the skin is a flimsy membrane surrounding the flesh. The flesh is
semi-transparent and contains a lot of juice. The flavor is sweet or
acid-sweet. Inside the flesh, in the centre, is a single brown-black seed.
The nature of the flesh is warm and it can help improve the blood. The
flavor of the kernel is bitter-sweet and its nature is warm. It can help
regulate the flow of vital energy, "disperse the accumulation of evils" and
ease pain.
The flesh contains abundant sucrose, glucose and also protein, fat, vitamin
C, citric acid, fruit gum, phosphorous, iron, etc. The kernel contains
glycine, centaurein, etc.
APPLICATIONS
1. WEAKNESS AFTER ILLNESS. Every day take 60-150 grams of fresh fruit,
discard the skin and stone and eat. Do this for a fortnight.
2. DIARROHEA CAUSED BY WEAK SPLEEN. Take 30-60 grams of dried fruits, remove
the skins and add 5 Chinese dates. Cover with water and simmer till cooked.
Serve twice a day, both in the morning and in the evening.
3. ASTHMA. Take 120 grams of dry
fruit, discard skin and stones and steam in a sealed container then mash and
serve.
4. STOMACH, COLD FEELING WITH PAIN. Take 30 grams of lizhi stones, break
them up and add 6 grams of fresh ginger or 6 grams of dried orange peel.
Simmer with water and serve.
5. HERNIA, PAIN; ELEPHANTIASIS; THECAL DROPSY; TESTICLES SWOLLEN AND
PAINFUL. Take 30 grams of lizhi stones, 30 grams of the stones of the
Chinese wampee (Clausena lansium) and 15 grams of fennel seeds (Foeniculum
vulgare). Grind together, cover with water, simmer and serve. Do this once a
day.
6. WOMEN, LACK OF VIGOUR, PAIN IN LOWER LIMBS AND MENSTRUAL PAINS. Take 6
grams of lizhi stones and 3 grams of rhizomes of flat sedge or nut grass (Cyperus
rotundus L.) grind to a powder, add some warm boiled water and serve.
PREPARATIONS
1. Fresh fruit may be dried in the sun or dried by the fire.
2. Collect the fruit stones, wash clean and dry in the sun. In this form
they are ready for use in traditional medicine.
WARNING
Do not eat this fruit if tending to suffer from sores, boils, or a bitter
taste in the mouth.
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