Who can tell me something about betel nut culture?

"Betel nut grows on a tall tree, whoever picks it first will taste it first ..." This well-known love song, Picking Betel Nuts, has been sung by generations of handsome men and beautiful women, and I wonder how many people have been touched.

Hainan Island is called Coconut Island. However, when you set foot on this hot land, distant tourists will also see a plant similar to a coconut tree. She is tall and straight, leafy, with perfect joints, feathered leaves and clusters of grapes hanging down as if wearing a beautiful crown ... This is the betel nut tree full of mystery. According to ancient records, Areca catechu is a tropical evergreen tree in Palmae, which has high economic and practical value. Areca catechu originated in Southeast Asia, and has been cultivated in Malaysia, the Philippines and Thailand. It has been introduced to China and Hainan for more than 1000 years. Areca catechu is a specialty of Hainan, which represents Hainan customs like coconut.

In the 1000 years of dealing with betel nut, Hainan people not only found that betel nut is a famous southern medicine, but also has the effects of treating insects, eliminating food stagnation, promoting qi circulation and benefiting water. Moreover, betel nut has a special position in the life of Hainan people because of its unique function. Betel nut is a necessary gift for marriage of Li, Miao and Han compatriots in Hainan. When a man and a woman are engaged, the man must send betel nuts to the woman. When getting married, the bride and groom should present betel nuts to their parents and relatives who come to congratulate them and express their gratitude.

Having said that, we can't help but talk about the touching legend of betel nut. According to legend, a long time ago, a girl named Liao Bai lived in a Li Zhai at the foot of Wuzhishan. She is hardworking, kind and ingenious, and her simple skirt makes the beautiful peacock afraid to open the screen; When she sings, even larks have to hold their breath to listen. Hundreds of young people from Fiona Fang at the foot of Wuzhishan rushed to propose to her. Liao Bai said to them, "I don't love anyone's property. I only love people who are loyal to love." Whoever picks betel nuts from the top of Wuzhishan for me is my favorite person. "Many suitors turned away in fear. There was a Li hunter named Coconut, who was deeply in love and bravely walked to Wuzhishan. Through the untouched virgin forest, he overcame the attacks of wild animals and grasshoppers, finally climbed to the top of the mountain, picked back bundles of betel nuts, gave them to Miss Liao Bai and married her happily. Since then, the locals have used betel nut as a pledge of engagement. Once the man takes a fancy to a girl, he will send betel nuts (commonly known as "putting betel nuts") to the woman's house to show his proposal. If the woman's parents open the betel nut box and choose a betel nut to chew, it means they agree to this marriage, otherwise they will return it in full, which means they refuse. When getting married, the bride should invite her parents and family eat areca. When Li women give birth to girls, they always plant a betel nut tree at their doorstep. When the girl grows up and gets married, the tree will also be dug up and transplanted to the man's house, and it will not be cut down until after her death to show her loyalty like a betel nut tree.

Betel nut is not only a token of love, but also a gift for guests. In Hainan, betel nut is regarded as a symbol of beauty, auspiciousness and friendship. "Friends and relatives must be betel nuts". Whether engaged, married, building a house, paying New Year greetings, or even going door to door at ordinary times, betel nuts will be given or treated with betel nuts.

Nowadays, betel nut is infiltrating into thousands of households with its unique charm, and has built a betel nut culture with local characteristics, which has become a wonderful flower in Hainan's characteristic culture.