As the Lunar New Year approaches, many people seek to buy Buddha’s hand fruit to place on their altars as a gesture of respect towards their ancestors. However, not everyone knows what makes a beautiful Buddha’s hand fruit. We invite you to refer to the article below to learn the best ways to choose Buddha’s hand fruit.
Buddha’s hand is not only available during the Lunar New Year; it is sold year-round and is always in high demand. On the first day of the month, during the full moon, and on various festive occasions, the locals have become accustomed to purchasing Buddha’s hand fruit to place on their altars.
In these last days of the year, many people are on the hunt for Buddha’s hand fruit with beautiful shapes and high values to give as gifts or simply to display on the traditional five-fruit tray for the Lunar New Year.
What is Buddha’s Hand Fruit?
Buddha’s hand is a fruit tree belonging to the citrus family, scientifically known as Citrus medica L.var.sarcodactylis Swingle, and in herbal medicine, it is referred to as Fructus citri Sarcodactylis.
The name of this fruit comes from its branched shape resembling the fingers of Buddha. Buddha’s hand is also known as bergamot orange, five-finger citrange, and flowering tangerine.
Buddha’s hand is a fruit tree belonging to the citrus family.
Buddha’s hand is a small woody tree, capable of growing up to 2 – 2.5 meters tall, with stiff, sharp, and short thorns. Its leaves are large, elongated, and light green in color. The tree blooms 2 – 3 times a year, producing white flowers with a hint of reddish-purple on the outer edges, usually growing in clusters and emitting a fragrant scent. The ripe fruit is golden yellow, and the “fingers” of the Buddha’s hand fruit sometimes contain a small amount of acidic flesh; in some cases, the fruit may have no juice or seeds.
The fruit has elongated segments with a bulging tip, resembling fingers. When ripe, it turns lemon yellow, with a thick, veined peel and a fragrant smell. The flesh ranges from light yellow to white. The Buddha’s hand tree blooms in its first season from spring until the Qingming Festival, usually producing many male flowers and small fruit. The next season occurs in early summer, with ripening around September and October.
The Buddha’s hand tree thrives best in temperate climates but is sensitive to frost, intense sunlight, and drought conditions.
Buddha’s hand fruit originates from India. Countries with Buddhist traditions, such as China and India, greatly favor offering Buddha’s hand fruit. The belief is that the fruit symbolizes the arms of Buddha, bringing peace, luck, warding off evil, and prosperity to people.
Buddha’s hand has a shape resembling a Buddha’s hand. Its pulp is spongy and dense, with a green or yellow skin, yet it belongs to the citrus family. The skin of Buddha’s hand fruit, like the tree trunk, contains many vitamins and minerals.
Because of its unique shape and pleasant fragrance, it is believed that this fruit brings good luck. The “fingers” of the Buddha’s hand fruit are long and beautifully shaped, resembling the hand of Buddha, leading many people to consider this fruit sacred. It is commonly offered at altars to express respect and to fill the space with a pleasant aroma.
According to ancient beliefs, Buddha’s hand is a fruit used for worshiping Buddha and ancestors due to its alluring aroma, which helps retain the spirits of Buddha and ancestors in the home longer, providing blessings to the homeowner. Many people offer Buddha’s hand with the hope of bringing their families good fortune in the new year, prosperity in wealth, health, and more.
In addition to its spiritual significance, many people seek out Buddha’s hand fruit for its medicinal properties, such as using it soaked in honey for treating coughs or making jams…
Choosing Buddha’s Hand with Many Fingers
A beautiful Buddha’s hand fruit should have many fingers, typically each fruit has 20-30 fingers. The fingers should radiate evenly in a circular pattern, resembling a flower shape; the fingers on the outermost ring that match auspicious numbers will be more valuable. When selecting Buddha’s hand fruit, choose larger fruits with more fingers, longer and plumper fingers that are uniform. It is also advisable to select fruits with smooth skin and a slightly yellowish-green color, indicating they are mature and will last longer and smell better.
A beautiful Buddha’s hand fruit must have many fingers, typically each fruit has 20-30 fingers.
Follow the Rule of “Thịnh – Suy – Bĩ – Thái”
Those who cultivate Buddha’s hand fruit often count the fingers of the fruit, but when counting, one must adhere to the rule: Thịnh – Suy – Bĩ – Thái. This means counting the fingers of the fruit in the order of these four terms, repeating them; if the last finger lands on “Thịnh” or “Thái,” it is very precious. Such fruits are typically very expensive, costing around several million VND each, as only 1 to 2 fruits may be found in a garden of thousands.
Choose Fruits with Attractive Appearance
Avoid purchasing fruits that are scratched, have holes from pests, are bruised, or have broken fingers. Do not choose immature Buddha’s hand fruits, even if they appear yellow, as they spoil quickly. A mature Buddha’s hand fruit will have well-rounded, evenly spaced essential oil pockets, plump, with a firm and solid surface.
Examine the outer skin of the Buddha’s hand fruit. Avoid fruits with brown spots, pests, or dry fingers. Buddha’s hand fruit typically has a light fragrance reminiscent of fresh lemon. If you purchase entirely green fruits, they will lack aroma.
Immature Buddha’s hand fruits will not last long and will not smell as pleasant as ripe ones. It is best to avoid purchasing these types of fruits.
Storing Buddha’s Hand Fruit
After purchasing Buddha’s hand fruit, you can dilute dish soap and gently clean the fruit using a soft brush (or wipe with clear alcohol) to remove the common red spider mites and other dirt. Be careful to avoid scratching the fruit, as this will cause it to spoil quickly.
Place the stem of the Buddha’s hand in a glass of water as an offering; after 15 – 30 days, the stem will develop roots, and this root system will help absorb water to nourish the fruit, allowing for the best possible use and storage, which can extend up to 4 or 5 months.
Benefits of Buddha’s Hand Fruit
Aside from its spiritual significance, Buddha’s hand fruit is also used for medicinal purposes, such as soaking it in honey to treat coughs or making jams. Therefore, even though the price of this fruit can be quite high, reaching several million VND, it still sells quite well.
Some Tips When Using Buddha’s Hand
- Avoid using too much Buddha’s hand in one day.
- Only use naturally grown Buddha’s hand fruits, and do not use those with uncertain origins.
- Avoid using spoiled Buddha’s hand fruits.
- Before use, wash thoroughly and soak in saltwater.
- If you have heat or deficiency, do not use Buddha’s hand fruit.
The significance of the five-fruit tray in the culture of the three regions
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