While we cannot attribute the invention of lychee to a single person, the cultivation of lychee originated in southern China.
It's more accurate to say that the cultivation and appreciation of lychee evolved over centuries in the region. Historical records indicate lychee cultivation in southern China dates back to at least 1059 AD, with unofficial records suggesting its presence as far back as 2000 BC. Malaysia and northern Vietnam are also considered early regions of lychee cultivation. So, rather than an individual inventor, lychee is the result of the combined efforts of ancient agricultural practices in these regions.
In summary, lychee wasn't "invented" by one person, but rather cultivated and developed over a long period in southern China, with additional early cultivation in Malaysia and northern Vietnam.
