The social and cultural history of the lychee in China
Lychees tend to be associated with Chinese restaurants, tinned and sweet and served at the end of a meal. But in fact this fruit has a history and a culture all of its own, there are lychees called the Imperial Concubine’s Laugh, love stories and poems written in praise of its smooth translucent skin and its scented flavour. As a refreshing fruit lychees are hard to beat as Clare Jenkins has been discovering.
