Yes. During a July 2023 visit to Beijing, then-U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen ate a mushroom dish called jian shou qing. She said she did not know beforehand that the mushrooms were reported to have hallucinogenic properties, and that nobody in her group felt ill effects. There was no report that Yellen hallucinated.
What happened during Yellen’s Beijing visit?
In July 2023, Yellen ate the mushroom dish at Yi Zuo Yi Wang, a Beijing restaurant whose name is also rendered in English as “In and Out.” A Treasury aide confirmed to The Guardian that she had eaten it. The episode was reported at the time, not a recent event.
Yellen later told CNN, in remarks quoted by The Guardian: “I was not aware that these mushrooms had hallucinogenic properties. I learned that later.” She also said she had read that proper cooking would remove the effect. That was her account; it does not independently establish how the dish was prepared.
What is jian shou qing?
Jian shou qing is translated as “see hand blue.” The Guardian identified the mushroom used in the dish as Lanmaoa asiatica, which can turn blue when bruised or sliced. The name and color change describe the mushroom; they do not, by themselves, establish whether a particular serving is safe.
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Did the mushrooms affect Yellen?
Yellen said that she and her companions felt no ill effects. As The Guardian quoted her: “But all of us enjoyed the mushrooms [and] the restaurant, and none of us felt any ill-effects from having eaten them.” This is her report about her group, not proof that the dish is generally safe or that it was prepared under particular conditions.
Why were the mushrooms described as hallucinogenic?
Peter Mortimer, a professor at Kunming Institute of Botany, told CNN, as quoted by The Guardian, that “Lanmaoa mushrooms are considered poisonous as they can be hallucinogenic.” He also cautioned that scientists had not yet identified the compounds responsible and that much of the evidence was anecdotal. The reporting therefore supports describing the mushrooms as potentially poisonous and hallucinogenic, but not making a precise claim about how often hallucinations occur or what compound causes them.
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- THE PERFECT GIFT: The perfect holiday gift, it comes in a beautiful packaging so that it's ready to be given to foodie, garden-loving and eco-conscious friends and family; This kit is also part of our Grow One Give One campaign, simpy share a picture on social media, tag us and use the campaign hashtag, and we'll donate a kit to a classroom of your choice
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Did the restaurant benefit from the story?
The Guardian reported that the restaurant said several branches sold out within hours and that bookings increased after the story drew attention to the dish. Those are claims attributed to the restaurant, not independently audited sales or booking figures. An April 2024 Associated Press report published by Fortune said the restaurant had dedicated part of its menu to Yellen’s visit; that later detail does not show that the dish remains on the menu today.
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- GROW YOUR PLANT ALL YEAR-ROUND: This organic mushroom indoor kit allows you to grow your own crop all-year round; Just place the box near a window with indirect light, mist twice a day, and you'll see delicious, beautiful mushrooms growing within a week; Included in this kit is an organic plant-based soil infused with mushroom spawn and a booklet with instructions
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- THE PERFECT GIFT: The perfect holiday gift, it comes in a beautiful packaging so that it's ready to be given to foodie, garden-loving and eco-conscious friends and family; This kit is also part of our Grow One Give One campaign, simpy share a picture on social media, tag us and use the campaign hashtag, and we'll donate a kit to a classroom of your choice
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