Hanyuan peppercorns four square ‖ Yuan Zheng

Hanyuan peppercorns are fragrant

Yuan Zheng

In late autumn, the temperature of the land of Bashu dropped, and many plants quietly changed their appearance. Chen Yinong, an old comrade-in-arms of the "Red First Division," and my old colleagues Wu Jiarong and Jia Xiansheng, together with our families, bid farewell to the Jinkou Grand Canyon of the Dadu River and drove to Hanyuan. The main purpose of our trip was to deeply inhale the strange aroma emitted by a few mouthfuls of Hanyuan peppercorns!

Hanyuan China Pepper Expo Park (Photo by Yuan Zheng)

Hanyuan is a county under the jurisdiction of Ya'an City, about 260 kilometers from Chengdu, located in the south-west of the basin. The whole territory is 71.4 kilometers long from east to west, 70.1 kilometers wide from north to south, and has an area of 2382 square kilometers.

In ancient times, it was called The Capital of Shu and belonged to the Shu Kingdom. In the fifth year of King Shenliang of Zhou (316 BC), Qin destroyed the Shu state and established Shu County, and all of them were returned to it. In the fourth year of Sui Renshou (604), hanyuan county was established in the present-day town of Jiuxiang under the name of Hanyuan. In the seventh year of Qingyongzheng (1729), it was renamed Qingxi County. In the third year of the Republic of China (1914), Qingxi County was renamed Hanyuan County because it was homophonous with Qingxi County in Guizhou Province.

Hanyuan is surrounded by undulating mountains and low valleys in the central river valley. The Dadu River crosses the east and west, and the Quicksand River runs through the north and south. The unique landscape has given birth to famous figures such as Cao Yong, Chen Zongyan, and Lü Ying.

Following the footsteps of the motherland's prosperity and strength, the people of Hanyuan decorated their homeland more and more beautifully with their industrious hands. In 2020, the GDP of Hanyuan County reached 11 billion yuan, 1.2 percentage points higher than that of the province, ranking second in Ya'an City. The per capita disposable income of urban and rural residents reached 36,360 yuan and 14,749 yuan respectively, an increase of 6.2% and 9.2% year-on-year.

In September 2019, Hanyuan County won the honorary title of National Greening Model Unit; In December 2019, it was selected as a pilot unit for promoting the quality of farmers' cooperatives in the whole county; In June 2020, it was selected into the "List of the Second Batch of Counties for the Protection and Utilization of Revolutionary Cultural Relics"; In July 2020, it was selected as a national health county; In December 2020, it was awarded the "Advanced County for the Ideological and Moral Construction of Minors in Sichuan Province"; In April 2021, it was selected into the second batch of national crop disease and pest "green prevention and control demonstration counties" to create a list of evaluations; In August 2021, it was selected into the list of pioneer counties in Sichuan Province to deepen the openness of government affairs and promote the improvement of the governance capacity of grass-roots governments.

Hanyuan cuisine mainly includes Jiuxiang yellow beef, Qingxi yellow beef, beef cold mixed fish, Gong pepper fish hot pot, Jiang Ziya hot pot, Fulin squeezed noodles, Xingjing Tart noodles, Imatoku barbecue, altar meat, teppanyaki, Kang bean flower and so on.

When we had dinner in Jiuxiang Town, Hanyuan County, because the driving task of the self-driving personnel on the day had been completed, we did not have to worry about being punished for drunk driving, so we "indulged" it. Ordered local specialties to the table, plus good wine to match, feel "Bashi Board"!

Hanyuan Cuisine (Photo by Qi Xiaoling)

The scenic spots in Hanyuan mainly include DaduHe Gorge National Geopark, Shangding Mountain, Dashu Longtang Mountain, Fojing Mountain, Qingxi Gorge, Hexi Cave and so on.

Among them, the top of the mountain is the straight crown of the Daxiangling Mountains. It is surrounded by cliffs, the summit is flat and wide, and the main peak is 3552 meters above sea level. After reaching the top, look east at the sea of clouds in Emei, and the white waves churn. Xiguan Gongga Snow Peak, dazzling. Looking around the forest, wild animals such as roe deer, rabbits, and elk are often infested, making it a great place to escape the heat.

Hanyuan Car Top Mountain

Standing far away at the foot of the Hanyuan car roof mountain, I can't help but think of the car top mountain located in the northern border of the motherland.

Fifty years ago, Chen Yinong and I served as soldiers in the 7th Company of the 3rd Battalion, 579th Regiment, 193rd Division (formerly known as the Red First Division) of the 65th Army of the Chinese People's Liberation Army. One afternoon in the summer, I camped and trained to the foot of the car roof mountain at an altitude of about 1160 meters above sea level at the junction of Qiaodong District and Xuanhua District in Zhangjiakou City. As two red flares rose in the air and the loud charge horn sounded, my comrades and I rushed to the top of the mountain. Although the height of this palanquin mountain is not as high as Mount Tai, when I climbed the top of the mountain and looked up, I still realized the artistic conception of "will be the top of the mountain, overlooking the mountains and small"!

Zhangjiakou car roof mountain

At the southern foothills of Daxiangling, where Hanyuan Shanding Mountain depends, there are large areas of economic forests, including Hanyuan peppercorns, Hanyuan golden pears, Hanyuan cherry (large cherries), Hanyuan huangguo citrus and other trees, as well as precious tree species such as ginkgo biloba, nanmu, camphor and spruce. In addition, it also grows kidney beans, apples, peaches, plums, oranges, oranges, cinnamon balls, grapes, tomatoes, onions, garlic moss, garlic, peas and other fruits and vegetables.

Among these crops, the most famous is Hanyuan peppercorns. The urban cultural and creative IP image of Hanyuan County is called "Jiaoyang" and "Jiaomei", and its creativity is taken from the beautiful legends and moving stories that occur in the Hanyuan pepper forest.

Hanyuan peppercorns

Peppercorns, small deciduous trees. There are thorns on the stems and often fall early. There are short spines on the branches, and the base of the spines is wide, flat and stiff. There are 5 to 13 leaflets, and the leaf axis often has narrow wing. The leaflets are opposite, sessile, and larger at the top of the leaf axis. The leaf margin has finely lobed teeth and oil spots between the teeth. The fruit is spherical, multi-solitary, and 4 to 5 mm in diameter. The outer surface of the fruit is purplish red or brownish red, scattered with most of the warty raised oil spots, translucent to light observation. The aroma is strong, spicy and long-lasting. The seeds are 3.5 to 4.5 mm long. The flowering period is from March to May, and the fruiting period is from July to October.

Under the Hanyuan Pepper Tree (Photo by Qi Xiaoling)

Under the Hanyuan peppercorn tree, we naturally thought of Sichuan cuisine. Ms. Luo Mei, who is a master chef, introduced to everyone that an important difference between Sichuan cuisine and other cuisines is spicy. Among them, the "hemp" produced under the action of peppercorns belongs to Sichuan cuisine. The Sichuan Basin is full of rain and the house is damp, and eating some peppercorns can help promote blood circulation and expel moisture from the body through sweating.

Qingxi Town, Hanyuan County (Photo by Zhang Ying)

Oh, yes! Sichuan people like to eat back pot meat, braised meat, tamales, mapo tofu, spicy rabbit head, pickled pepper claws, boiled meat slices, hot pot fish, cold mix chicken slices, oil poured bean sprouts, etc., which dish is separated from the peppercorns? Although the pepper does not bring special nutrition to Sichuan cuisine, people are still immersed in its fragrant hemp!

Hanyuan China Pepper Expo Park Exhibition Hall (Photo by Xu Bo)

Jia Xiansheng, an old colleague who has studied medicine, suggested that everyone eat some peppercorns often. He said that Li Shizhen recorded in the "Compendium of Materia Medica": "Peppercorns, pure yang things, disperse cold and dehumidify, replenish the right kidney life gate, and stop diarrhea." Chinese medicine says that peppercorns taste spicy heat, into the spleen, stomach, kidney meridians, has aromatic stomach, warm cold, dehumidification and pain relief, insecticidal detoxification, antipruritic and fishy effects, the main treatment of vomiting, cold and wet paralysis, toothache and other symptoms. I responded to Lao Jia, a few years ago I had a toothache, and the child's mother grabbed me a few Hanyuan peppercorns. I took the peppercorns in my mouth and brought them close to the toothache. After the smell of Masu masu grew, it distracted my toothache for a while!

The main production area of Hanyuan peppercorns belongs to the subtropical monsoon humid climate, with warm winters and cool summers, four distinct seasons, cold highlands, hot river valleys, little and uneven rainfall, and large vertical changes in climate. The unique climate and ecological environment have bred the unique flavor and excellent quality of Hanyuan peppercorns, making it known as "millennium tribute" and "sichuan flavor way".

The cultivars of Hanyuan peppercorns are mainly divided into Zhenglu pepper, Da Hong Pao, Tall Yellow and Bamboo Leaf Pepper. With the color of dan red, large grain oil weight, strong aroma, mellow and refreshing as the quality characteristics, well received by consumers.

Wu Jiarong, who has studied ancient poetry, described to everyone that during the Spring and Autumn Period, the nameless toshinan wrote in "Chen Feng, The Fang of the East Gate": "See er as a thorn, and I hold the pepper." It is said that the young man who has a quiet conversation with his sweetheart outside the east gate of the city compares the girl to the beauty of a wattle flower. In the girl's mind, the boy is her hope and ideal, and she wants to give him a bouquet of peppercorns to show her love.

Ms. Zhang Ying, who is well-informed, added that the ancients in China believed that the aroma of peppercorns could ward off evil spirits. In the pre-Qin era, peppercorns were not easy to come by, coupled with their unique aroma, they became a bridge between man and God. In the activities of sacrifice and worship, peppercorns will always appear on the scene as an important role. As the Chu Ci Yun said: "Pepper, incense, so séance."

Hanyuan China Pepper Expo Park Exhibition Hall (Photo by Yuan Zheng)

Chen Yinong, who has a special love for costume drama, told everyone that as an auspicious word, "Weiyang" contains the meaning of peace, longevity, longevity, no disaster, no disaster, etc. In the seventh year of Han Gaozu (200 BC), Xiao He, a major minister of Liu Bang, built Weiyang Palace in Longshouyuan, the southwest corner of Chang'an City. Subsequently, the craftsmen milled the peppercorns into powder and applied them together with clay powder on the walls of the palace where the queen's concubines lived, making the room gentle and warm, and the fragrance was flowing, called the "Weiyang Pepper Room". "Pepper room" has two meanings: one is that the pepper warms up, dispels dampness and cold, and is conducive to the concubine's pregnancy of "dragon species"; The second is to take the meaning of peppercorns and seeds, and pray for the prosperity of the prince. Later, the "pepper room" gradually evolved into a synonym for harem concubines and a symbol of imperial power. The two sisters Ruo Wei and Man Yin in the TV series "Daming Fenghua" have both received the "pet of the pepper room".

Pepper room in the exhibition hall of Hanyuan China Pepper Expo Park (Photo by Zhang Ying)

Ms. Qi Xiaoling, who likes to travel and photography, told everyone that the famous poets of the pre-Qin Dynasty said in "Pepper Chat": "The truth of pepper talk, the rise of the pepper." It is said that the pepper tree is fruitful, symbolizing the reproduction of offspring. In addition, peppercorns have an antiseptic and insect repellent effect. Among the excavated cultural relics from the tomb of Liu Sheng (?-113 BC), the King of Zhongshan in the Han Dynasty excavated in Mancheng County, Hebei Province, there are well-preserved peppercorns. Grain stored in a humid environment is easily invaded by insects, wrapped in gauze with dozens of peppercorns and put into them, and the insects will run away on their own.

The cultivation history of Hanyuan peppercorns dates back to the Han Dynasty. According to historical records, in the sixth year of Emperor Yuanding of the Han Dynasty (111 BC), after Emperor Wudi of the Han Dynasty pacified the southwest Yi, "the Yi people exchanged salt and cloth with the Han people with red peppers and horses", indicating that Hanyuan peppercorns have been cultivated artificially for more than 2,000 years. In the Tang Dynasty, Hanyuan peppercorns were listed as tributes, hence the name "tribute peppers". The "Chronicle of Hanyuan County" records that Hanyuan peppercorns are "listed as tributes" and "officials and scholars, in addition to paying tribute every year, are dispatched with sac marks. ”

Chen Yinong, who has been engaged in research for many years, introduced to everyone that in ancient times, the main cultivators of peppercorns were the Yellow Emperor, The Emperor, and Dayu, all of whom were born in Sichuan. Therefore, the original aliases of peppercorns were Shu pepper and Sichuan pepper. The alias of Shu pepper is also called Han pepper, which shows that Hanyuan pepper has a pivotal position in peppercorns around the world. Since ancient times, the ancestors of Hanyuan have lived a productive lifestyle of farming and fishing and hunting. The Han bricks excavated at the Taoping site and the Maiping site are carved with different ornaments, which use a variety of artistic techniques to express the form of the pepper tree and the growth and collection process of the peppercorns. The Song Dynasty "Taiping Huanyu Chronicle" says: "Lizhou, Hanyuan County, present-day Hanyuan County, native products: red pepper".

In 2004, Hanyuan peppercorns were protected by the National Geographical Indication. In 2005, the General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine of the People's Republic of China awarded Hanyuan "Hanyuan Gong pepper origin regional product protection area". In 2008, Hanyuan peppercorns were rated as "Ten Treasures of Tianfu" in Sichuan. In 2013, he won the gold medal at the 11th International Product Fair. In 2014, Hanyuan peppercorns became the "Famous Trademark of Sichuan Province" and were rated as "Consumers' Favorite 100 Sichuan Trademarks". In 2017, Hanyuan County Peppercorns Association won the Silver Award of China International Trademark Brand and China Brand Expo. In March 2020, Hanyuan County Peppercorn Modern Agricultural Park was named a three-star modern agricultural park in Sichuan Province by the Sichuan Provincial People's Government. In July 2020, Hanyuan peppercorns were selected into the second batch of protection lists of geographical indications in Europe.

Hanyuan County Peppercorn Modern Agricultural Park (Photo by Xu Bo)

In recent years, Hanyuan County is committed to promoting the sustained and healthy development of the peppercorn industry, focusing on polishing the "golden signboard" of Hanyuan peppercorns, comprehensively protecting, developing and upgrading the "Hanyuan Peppercorns" brand, and making every effort to create the "First County of Peppercorns in China".

Strive to create a five-star modern agricultural park billboard for Hanyuan peppercorns (Photo by Zhang Ying)

Up to now, the planting area of Hanyuan peppercorns has been expanded to 154,400 mu, and the production area includes 40 townships. The annual output of fresh peppercorns reached 28.9 million catties, with an annual output value of about 400 million yuan, a comprehensive output value of 2.5 billion yuan, and a brand value of 4.965 billion yuan. Hanyuan County has built a pepper planting base, a germplasm resource bank, a pepper trading center, a pepper industry processing park and other Hanyuan pepper "nine haves" system. In the next step, Hanyuan will also make Hanyuan peppercorns bigger and stronger by building bases, engaging in processing, creating brands, expanding markets, integrating tertiary production, and strong support.

Pepper painting on Hanyuan house (Photo by Yuan Zheng)

On January 29, 2021, the inspection team of the Ya'an Tourism Standards Evaluation Committee conducted on-site acceptance of the China Pepper Expo Park Scenic Area located at the junction of Jiuxiang Town and Tangjia Town in Hanyuan County. The scenic spot is 17 kilometers away from Hanyuan County, 87 kilometers away from Ya'an City, and about 220 kilometers away from Chengdu City, with convenient transportation and strong accessibility. The inspection team believes that the China Pepper Expo Park Scenic Area meets the national 3A level tourist scenic spot standards and has passed the inspection and acceptance. The expo park has 8 exhibition halls, which comprehensively and systematically introduce the history and current situation of Hanyuan peppercorns. We were lucky enough to visit the park and it was an eye-opener!

Standing under the strangely fragrant pepper tree for a deep breath, how not to make people feel relaxed. Each of our families bought a big bag of qualified Hanyuan peppercorns, enough to eat for months!

The admirer of Hanyuan peppercorns (Photo by Yuan Zheng)

I thought with a bit of anesthesia that each county has its own county conditions, and its development ideas must be different. The industrious and wise sons and daughters of Hanyuan went all out to create the first county of peppercorns in the country, which is a wise choice to promote the comprehensive revitalization of the countryside from a practical point of view. It is believed that they will continue to expand the planting area of peppercorns, while selling a large number of peppercorn primary products, actively carry out the deep processing of peppercorns, increase the added value of products, expand the nutritional, edible, health care, medicinal and other values of peppercorns, develop peppercorn wood art technology, carry out the spread of peppercorn culture, and walk out of a successful road of their own!

May Hanyuan pepper and pepper show their majesty, the fragrance drifts in all directions, rush out of the country, and go to the world!

Written on October 29, 2021