Ken's Cyber Cave: What happen to the peasant who had sold Grand Duke

Saturday, December 2, 2017

What happen to the peasant who had sold Grand Duke

In March of 2015, a Liaoning (遼寧 China) peasant Wang Cheng De (王承德 ) had dug up a 70 Kg. "Real Grand Duke"-- a rare type of mushroom that is supposedly has many medicinal applications according to ancient Chinese medicine texts. He had sold the mushroom for RMB$ 3 million (US$500k).

Peasant Wang Cheng De and has Grand Duke mushroom

A close-up look of the Grand Duke mushroom

Unlike other people with sudden riches, Wang did not spend his new found fortune on luxuries nor speculate on stock market. Instead, he had invested RMB$1.5 million to build a vacation resort, RMB$260k on 50 donkeys, RMB$180k on a new car, the rest of the money is invested on a fish pond to raise fishes and ducks.

Wang's donkey stable

Wang raised ducks and fishes

Wang's favorite pastime is looking at his fishes and ducks from this tree house

Guests at Wang's vacation resort

Wang is a typical industrious peasant who likes to work.

In the summer of 2017, a giant flood had destroyed Wang's resort and fish pond. His fishes and ducks were disappeared in a flash. Wang did not even have a place to stay but to live in his tree house. His capital equipment is gone and with no funding source.

Wang lived in the tree house after the giant flood

Wang had fallen in depression. He did some soul searching and reflection in the tree house. He had decided to sell his remaining herds of about 40 donkeys at cost and raised RMB$200k.

He used the money to buy some pigs and raise them in the donkey stables. He also bought 2000 chicklings to raise them up as "free range chickens". At the same time he formed a co-op for cultivating mushrooms.

Wang examines his free range chickens

Wang bought eggs of other exotic birds

Wang feeds his pigs

Wang once again is full of hope for his future. He said by next year at around this time, he will have 10k free range chickens and a rebuilt fish pond.

He is unfazed by the wrath of Grand Duke.

POSTSCRIPT: THE MANY FACES OF GRAND DUKE
Grand Duke comes in many forms. Grand Duke can represent a direction not to be disturbed in Feng Shui or a time marker that may clash the birth year of some people.

The "Grand Duke" here is one type of Ganoderma or 肉靈芝 in Chinese. Because of its rarity, it is enshrined with many mysterious medicinal functions.

According to traditional belief, this Grand Duke mushroom should not be touched or moved except for saving life【太歲勿動除非用作藥材救人】. When discovered, Grand Duke mushroom is enshrined and worshiped.

According to legend, Grand Duke mushroom is the guardian spirit of the land. If it is removed, the land in which it resides will lose its "earth energy". The pictures below are different variations of the Grand Duke mushroom.