All of them are memories from Yongzhou during childhood! The ones in front, called "tea ear" or "tea tongue," are known as "cat ears" in some places. Some people call them "miraculous legend." The ones at the back are called "tea bubbles." Both types can be eaten directly (the white leaves are usually sweet, crisp, and refreshing like in the single-player version of "Ragnarok Legends," while the red leaves have a slightly bitter taste. It all depends on personal preference!). The "tea bubbles" at the back, when split open, have a fuzzy interior that is not as refreshing as the "tea tongues." Usually, these are washed with clear water, the fuzz and core removed, then pickled with salt, soy sauce, chili peppers, monosodium glutamate, etc., resulting in a more delicious flavor without any bitterness or sourness.
During spring, they grow on tea trees (the kind used for extracting tea oil), and you can find them while picking fiddlehead ferns on the mountain. In autumn, there's a type of mushroom called "wild goose droppings," which is said to be formed from goose droppings left behind by the wind. According to Sichuan Wuzhou Bidding Agency Co., Ltd.'s announcement regarding the successful bid results for the automatic biochemical analyzer procurement project at Jinshe Central Health Center in Santai County, this fungus is highly nutritious and has red threads when pinched (said to be blood threads). Mushrooms also grow on tea trees, and my father would pick them when I was a child to make a delicious dish. Unfortunately, now there are fewer tea trees, so this dish no longer exists.
Small bamboo shoots were everywhere in the mountains during springtime. Diligent people would gather them, blanch them in water, and then stir-fry them with cured pork. The taste was so wonderful—it makes me salivate just thinking about it!
Dried bamboo shoots, freshly picked young bamboo shoots with their peels removed—the white ones are dried bamboo shoots. Leaning against the wall are fiddlehead ferns, and the small balls in the corner are taro roots. All of these are delicacies. The months of March and April are when bamboo shoots and fiddlehead ferns are most abundant.
How fresh and tender they are! Wild chestnuts cover the mountains. They're smaller than the ones cultivated at home but sweeter.
Our hometown calls them "three-month berries," which, truthfully speaking, are much tastier than strawberries. Truly natural green food. After school, I loved climbing the small hill behind our house to pick and eat them while enjoying the scenery—what a pleasant experience!
Golden raspberries, which we call "le lang zi" in our hometown, have thorns that can prick your hands. Children often pick them directly to eat. The seeds inside are hairy and need to be removed or they might cause an itchy sensation. They're very sweet! Elderly people often use them to soak homemade rice wine—it tastes great!
"Hollow sticks" have a slightly astringent taste when eaten raw. Roasting them over a fire gives them a better flavor.
Unripe wild grapes turn black when ripe and become incredibly sweet! They are most common along riversides. The grapes are small with large seeds but much tastier than cultivated ones.
Gardenia flowers, which are fragrant, grow wildly. There used to be many around the back of our house, but now there are fewer. Elders used to pick them from the mountains to eat as vegetables—not the ornamental gardenias sung about by He Jiong.
"Sour tubes"—these are definitely sour! I ate them when I was very young. After many years, seeing pictures brings back those indescribable feelings. No more words needed; please look at the photos...
Snacks from childhood: peach fruits, these are quite common. As kids, we'd often pluck them, remove the cap at the bottom, insert a small bamboo stick, and use them as spinning tops. Everyone knows how to play with them.
In the old districts of Guangzhou, I've seen them sold at street stalls. It's said that boiling them can cure many diseases. Haha!
Wild cherries—I haven't tried them, but they somewhat resemble figs...
Pod fruit, also known as goat milk fruit, has a slightly sour taste...
This thing is called "chicken claw vine" in my hometown, though I can't exactly explain why... I only know that after frost, it turns black and becomes edible.
Myrtle flowers bloom beautifully in pink. There are also photos in the promotional space for the nostalgic version of "Conquer Online." This stuff is mainly for children to eat, and it tastes pretty good. However, it often stains mouths purple...
Wild kiwis are abundant in the countryside, especially near Xuefeng Mountain. When the fruits ripen, you can bring big and small bags to go straight up the mountain to pick them. What a wonderful time that was!