‘Hallucinogenic’ mushrooms may be responsible for US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen, 76, repeatedly bowing to China’s Deputy PM after ordering four servings at dinner (but the chef insists they weren’t psychedelic)
- The normally portly Yellen has come under fire from Republicans for breaking diplomatic protocol by bowing to her Chinese counterpart
- It has now been suggested that her behavior may have stemmed from consuming potentially hallucinogenic mushrooms at a restaurant in Beijing
Sources say hallucinogenic mushrooms may be responsible for US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen’s heinous bows to China’s vice premier after ordering four servings for dinner three nights before the meeting.
Jian shou qing mushrooms, which have psychedelic properties if not thoroughly cooked, were part of a traditional dish Yellen prepared at Beijing’s Yi Zuo Yi Wang restaurant on July 6.
The normally portly politician, 76, then came under fire from Republican opponents three days later, on July 9, for bowing to her Chinese counterpart, He Lifeng.
It has now been suggested that her behavior could have been down to the mushrooms, which Yellen seemed to be so fond of – although the restaurant claims the mushrooms were properly prepared.
“Our staff said they love mushrooms very much.” She ordered four servings of jian shou qing. “It was an extremely magical day,” the restaurant posted on Weibo, a popular Chinese social media site.
Yellen, 76, is said to have ordered four servings of the potentially hallucinogenic mushrooms during her trip to Beijing last week
Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen (pictured right) dines at a restaurant during her trip to Beijing in early July 2023, as seen in this post on Weibo captioned: US Treasury Secretary Yellen Is Here
Yellen’s meal was soon popular on the website, sparking discussion about the mushroom’s purported properties.
“I have a friend who accidentally ate them and hallucinated for three days,” Peter Mortimer, a professor at the Kunming Institute of Botany in Yunnan, told CNN.
When prepared properly, as the restaurant states, the jian shou qing dish should have no psychedelic properties
Mortimer explained that the mushroom was considered poisonous because it could have hallucinogenic effects.
“Scientists have not yet identified the compounds responsible for the hallucinations.” “It remains a bit of a mystery and most of the evidence is anecdotal,” he added.
However, it is well known that the mushroom loses its psychedelic effects when properly cooked.
Jian shou qing – which look a lot like porcini mushrooms – literally means “see hand blue” – named for the way the inner surface of the mushroom turns blue when pressure is applied to it.
During the two-day trip, Yellen met with senior Chinese officials, including Premier Li Qiang, Deputy Finance Minister Liao Min and Pan Gongsheng, the new head of the Chinese Communist Party.
After her repeated and effusive bows to He Lifeng, Yellen was criticized for showing weakness on America’s behalf and for not having “effective influence”.
“An American official doesn’t bow.” It looks like she’s been called into the director’s office, and that’s exactly the look the Chinese love,” said Bradley Blakeman, a senior White House aide under George W. Bush, then the New York Post.
Author Max Murray said, “She didn’t know it was a breach of protocol to bow as an American official.”
“They don’t take revenge. He even steps back to give her more room to kowtow.’
US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen spoke to female economists during an official state visit to Beijing on July 8
Yellen with Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng during a meeting at Diaoyutai State Guesthouse in Beijing
The otherwise handsome politician was criticized for violating diplomatic protocol after consuming the potentially hallucinogenic mushrooms
The photo shows the launch of a Chinese “spy balloon” on February 4 off the coast of South Carolina
Tensions between Washington and Beijing have increased in recent months.
A Chinese spy balloon that crossed the US mainland before being shot down in January brought tensions to the fore.
The ongoing hostilities also simmer over the war in Ukraine and increased Chinese intelligence operations in Cuba.