Pinghu Ginger

Pinghu Ginger

　　　　Product Name: Pinghu Ginger

　　Origin: Jiaxing, Zhejiang

　　Features: Tender and juicy texture, minimal fibers, strong spiciness, and rich aroma

　　Ingredients: Protein, vitamins, minerals, and dietary fiber

　　Season: First harvest from early June to early July, second harvest from early September to early October

　　Functions: Deodorizing, relieving surface symptoms and colds, strengthening the spleen and warming the stomach, stimulating appetite, warming the middle to stop vomiting, detoxifying and promoting water flow

　　History: Ginger has a long history of cultivation, dating back as early as the Spring and Autumn Period. By the Northern Song Dynasty, Tongling had become a nationally renowned ginger-producing region and was included among the tribute goods for the imperial court. According to the Jiājìng-era “Tongling County Annals,” during the Ming Dynasty, Tongling ginger had become a “popular” specialty. “The county produces ginger, garlic, ramie, moutan bark, etc., and in recent times there have been occasional traders, though most are from distant places.” (Qing Dynasty, Zhao Jinfeng, “Common Customs: Record of Xincheng”). In the 13th year of the Shùnzhì era of the Qing Dynasty (1656), the “Tongling County Annals: Products” recorded that the annual ginger yield at the time was “no less than one hundred thousand dan.” By the Republican era, the annual production was about 720 tons. At that time, six private ginger merchants operated in Datong, purchasing fresh ginger annually for sale in Anqing, Wuhu, Zhenjiang, Yangzhou, and other places. Well-known sauce workshops such as Anqing’s “Hu Yumei,” Yangzhou’s “Si Mei,” and Zhenjiang’s “Hengshun” sourced Tongling ginger to produce sugar-candied ginger, sweet-and-sour ginger, and spiced ginger. In the early years after the founding of the People’s Republic of China, ginger was still traded by private merchants. In the late 1950s and early 1960s, due to the exclusive focus on grain production, ginger cultivation area and production were affected and decreased.

　　Introduction: Ginger is a traditional specialty of Pinghu City with a long planting history. It serves as a vegetable, seasoning, traditional Chinese medicine, and industrial raw material. With tender and juicy flesh, minimal fibers, strong spiciness, and rich aroma, Pinghu ginger is of superior quality and renowned nationwide. There is a distinction between young and mature ginger in Pinghu. Young ginger is harvested between August and September, while mature ginger is harvested in early November. Young ginger has a crisp and tender texture, low fiber content, delicious taste, moderate spiciness, and can be eaten raw or cooked. Locals often pickle it with salt, soy sauce, sugar, vinegar, etc., to make condiments. Stir-fried chicken with young ginger is especially flavorful and is a famous dish of Pinghu. The renowned Yangzhou Buddha’s Hand Ginger and Pinghu Purple Sauce Ginger are made from Pinghu young ginger. Mature ginger has a firm texture, strong spiciness, and rich aroma. It is effective in deodorizing, relieving surface symptoms and colds, strengthening the spleen and warming the stomach, stimulating appetite, warming the middle to stop vomiting, detoxifying, and promoting water flow. It is an essential ingredient in cooking. It is also an important traditional Chinese medicine, commonly used to treat internal medicine, surgery, gynecology, traumatology, and food poisoning. Due to its high content of aromatic compounds such as gingerol and zingiberene, Pinghu ginger is also a premium industrial raw material for extracting fragrances.