Symbols of Cicadas in Chinese Traditional Culture

The cicada is often used as a metaphor by literati in ancient times to express their own purity because it is a metaphor for high and pure character. At the same time, it is the meaning of having immortal nature.

In addition, because the cicada's life trajectory is not easy to be tracked, people do not know how he was born and died, in fact, the cicada in the soil of the dormant period of a long time, and people can not figure out what he eats in the end, the legend is that the wind and drink dew, the ancients believe that only the immortal can rely on the survival of this, and cut the speculation will be derived as a symbol of high moral character.

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Economic Value

Cicadas are said to be rich in chitin and isoxanthin. Chitin, isoxanthopterin, erythromycin, adenosine triphosphatase, commonly used in the treatment of external wind-heat, coughing and hoarseness. Sore throat. Wind rash itching, red eye cataract, tetanus, pediatric eclampsia, crying at night, etc. According to the "Chinese Herbal Medicine" records, there are also beneficial to the sperm and Yang, cough and Tsu, protect the lungs and kidneys, antibacterial and antihypertensive, baldness and inhibition of the disease to be and so on.

Grasshopper old mature若虫变化为成虫时，羽化蜕除的外壳称蝉蜕，又称 "蝉蜕 "或 "蝉皮"，其主要成分含甲壳素及蛋白质，味甘、咸、寒，入肺、肝经，是重要的辛凉解表中药。

The cicada is cold in nature, fragrant in flavor, and has the function of dispersing wind and promoting lungs, relieving fever and settling down fright. Rich in nutrients and good flavor, Zhiqi has become a fashionable delicacy, which can be fried and consumed before the larvae turn into cicadas, or it can be salted with edible salt first and then fried and consumed.

The body of cicada is rich in nutrients, with a dry basis protein content of more than 70%, fat of about 7%, vitamins and a variety of beneficial trace elements are higher than the general meat food, which can be called the king of protein in today's food.

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