Guangchang White Lotus Production Techniques and Customs (Second Batch Provincial Level) Lotus, belonging to the Nymphaeaceae family, is also known as lotus. In ancient times, it was also called hibiscus, lotus, and lotus. Guangchang white lotus has a long history of planting. Written records began in the Yifeng period of the Tang Dynasty (676-679 AD), which has been more than 1,300 years. The "Jianchang Prefecture Records" of the Ming Dynasty Zhengde recorded: "The White Lotus Pond is 50 miles southwest of Guangchang County. Residents of Yifeng in the Tang Dynasty once planted red lotus. After several years, it turned white. A golden statue of Guanyin was found in the white lotus. The next year, the white lotus turned green again." The "Guangchang County Records" of the Qing Dynasty Tongzhi also contained a description of "flowers blooming all over the county to show auspiciousness." The poetic scene of "the lotus leaves connecting the sky are endless and green, and the lotus flowers reflecting the sun are particularly red" can be seen everywhere in Guangchang every summer and autumn. The traditional production techniques of Guangchang white lotus originated in the Sui and Tang Dynasties. After generations of inheritance and development, it has gradually formed a traditional folk art with strong local characteristics. The production and processing of Guangchang white lotus include the selection of white lotus varieties, the selection of lotus field sites, transplanting and meticulous field management. After harvesting, it has to go through more than ten processes such as deseeding, shelling, peeling, soaking, rinsing, core removal, baking, cooling, packaging and storage. Each process has strict requirements and needs to be taught by experienced lotus farmers. In the more than one thousand years of white lotus production history, Guangchang people have formed an unremitting relationship with lotus. Lotus farmers have gradually formed a set of folk customs related to lotus out of their worship and care for lotus. For example, on the 26th day of the sixth lunar month every year, lotus farmers call it the birthday of lotus and hold a temple fair for the lotus god Prince. The temple fair is based on the three steps of parading, worshiping and entertaining gods, attracting people from the border provinces of Jiangxi and Fujian to participate, and it is very lively. Ma Yuanhao, a senior bachelor of the Royal Photographic Society of the United Kingdom, saw this scene and said with deep emotion: "There are lotus flowers everywhere in the country, but only Guangchang has the lotus god." Another example is the ancient lotus town, Yiqian, which is famous for its abundant white lotus production and the formation of a white lotus distribution and sales market for thousands of years. Among the more than 50 ancient buildings from the Ming and Qing dynasties that have been preserved to this day, there are exquisitely carved lotus decorative patterns everywhere, which makes it famous. In recent years, the relevant provincial and municipal departments have promoted Yiqian as the "birthplace of Chinese lotus culture" to the society, attracting a large number of tourists. The Jiangxi Provincial People's Government also announced Yiqian as the first batch of historical and cultural towns in the province in 2003. There are also Guangchang folk lotus lanterns, such as hand-held lotus lanterns, shoulder-carrying lotus baskets, lotus pod lanterns, lotus bowl lanterns, lotus root lanterns, etc., which are quite local.