It takes up to nine years for a Lanzhou lily to grow from bulb to harvest. Grown at elevations above 2,000 meters in Lanzhou, Gansu province, it is widely regarded as China's only edible sweet lily, valued for its ability to relieve coughs and dryness.
At a recent business conference, Quan Shunji, president of the China-Asia Economic Development Association, delivered an eloquent speech without a paper script.