body and mind
The “Guanglun Zen Garden” in Taoyuan Xinwu is mainly composed of lotus and roselle, and even in the fallow period cosmos…
Introduction
The “Guanglun Zen Garden” in Taoyuan Xinwu is mainly composed of lotus and roselle, and even in the fallow period cosmos, sunflower and green fleshy plants such as zinnias can be observed at the farm at all times.
The owner of the farm, Li Jiaying, is a flower enthusiast. The flowers grown in Guanglun Zen Garden are mainly lotus which are planted without chemicals or pesticides. Li Jiaying says that when the summer is hot, planting lotus reduces the heat, and lotus symbolizes purity of land in Buddhism, giving it double significance.
The environment of the farm is designed by Li Jiaying and her students. The rich ecology aims to relieve the stress of visitors. Heal the soul through embracing nature, and enjoy a leisurely life away from the hustle and bustle of the city. She is also willing to read fortunes and answer any questions visitors may have for free.
Lotus and other flowers planted in Guanglun Zen Garden are mainly sold through direct picking, and tourists can experience the DIY agricultural tours, including all kinds of flower-themed courses such as flower pressing, flower printing, drying fragrant vases, etc. Tourists can go into the fields to pick flowers for themselves, an activity which is very popular among parents and children. Natural beauty enhances children’s creativity and artistic beauty.
Features of Agricultural Tourism
Flora
Li Jiaying leads tourists in starting from picking flowers, pressing flowers, sampling the essential oils, and choosing their favorite fragrance to make scented candles. Flower sketching and flower arranging courses combine floral art and Zen to help people temporarily put aside one’s troubles through engaging in slow-paced activities, soothing the tension brought on by life. In addition, there are agricultural experience projects related to lotus fields, such as digging lotus roots and peeling lotus seeds, which enables children to experience the hardship of farmers.
Kimchi pot made from home-made kimchi and self-planted pumpkin as a base, with lotus root as an added ingredient for a nutritious twist. All ingredients are grown in the farm itself, such as roselle, passion fruit, lotus seeds or coffee. The most labor-intensive dish is the Tremella lotus seed soup, first the lotus seeds are peeled off individually, the outer skin is peeled by hand, and a bamboo stick is used to remove the bitter lotus core and then mixed with white fungus and wolfberry. A seemingly simple dish that is actually rather complicated.
