Zhangping Qingren Black Soybean

Zhangping Qingren Black Soybean

Zhangping Qingren Black Soybean is a product with geographical indication.

　　The Qingren Black Soybean is a mid-to-late maturing variety, requiring 120 days when sown in spring and 105 days when sown in summer. The plant grows to about 1 meter in height, typically with 8 to 10 branches that fan out. The seedlings are light green, turning deep green after the sixth leaf, with visibly light green veins.

　　The leaves are ovate and of medium size. The flowers are white, bloom densely, and the plants have a large, sturdy frame with good lodging resistance. The pod-setting ability is extremely strong, usually producing around 200 pods, up to as many as 400, with two beans per pod and occasionally three. The hundred-seed weight is 42 grams, twice that of regular soybeans. The seeds are shiny black with a white hilum line, and the inner beans are emerald green and translucent.

　　It is said that before liberation, farmers from Xinqiao in Zhangping purchased a small quantity of seeds from a traditional Chinese medicine shop in Zhangzhou, cultivated and propagated them, leading to the development of the Zhangping Qingren Black Soybean. In 1956, it was listed as one of the country’s premium soybean varieties. This variety is high in protein and rich in nutrients, offering nourishing and health benefits such as improving liver function and vision, as well as clearing heat and detoxifying. Hence, it is also known as “Cooling Black” and can be used medicinally. The *Compendium of Materia Medica* contains as many as 59 prescriptions using only black soybeans to treat various conditions, covering internal medicine, gynecology, surgery, otorhinolaryngology, and even drug poisoning, demonstrating its wide range of uses. It is commonly used as a cooling, nourishing tonic, can be made into cooling herbal tea, and serves as an excellent food seasoning. For example, Qingren Black Soybean stewed with pig’s trotters is a delicious and healthy dish on the dining table.

　　Zhangping Qingren Black Soybean is produced in Zhangping City, Fujian Province, with nearly a century of cultivation history. It is said that before liberation, farmers from Xinqiao in Zhangping purchased a small amount of seeds from a traditional Chinese medicine shop in Zhangzhou, cultivated and propagated them, and in 1956, it was listed as one of the country’s premium soybean varieties (according to the 1990 *Zhangping County Annals*). The introduction and cultivation of Zhangping Qingren Black Soybean has spanned a century and it has been included in the local soybean varieties of Fujian Province (*Records of Local Soybean Varieties in Fujian*). The main production areas are at elevations of 170–300 meters, mostly in river valley alluvial lands with loose, fertile soil, abundant sunlight and warmth, suitable for soybean growth. This variety is a type of autumn soybean with limited pod-setting habits, upright stems, compact plant type, dark green leaves, purple flowers, brown pubescence, and blackish-brown pods upon maturity. The seeds are flat and oval-shaped, with a hundred-seed weight of 23–25 grams. Sowing is generally done before the Beginning of Autumn, with a growth period of about 105 days. The seed coat is black, the cotyledons are green, the hilum is black, and there is a small white hook line in the center of the hilum, forming the distinctive characteristics of Zhangping Qingren Black Soybean. The Qingren Black Soybean has distinct regional characteristics. It is rich in nutrients, with a jet-black seed coat and emerald-green inner beans, and its anthocyanin content is as high as over 30 mg/kg, indicating superior quality. This variety is high in protein and rich in nutrients, offering nourishing and health benefits such as improving liver function and vision, as well as clearing heat and detoxifying. Hence, it is also known as “Cooling Black” and can be used medicinally. The *Compendium of Materia Medica* contains as many as 59 prescriptions using only black soybeans to treat various conditions, covering internal medicine, gynecology, surgery, otorhinolaryngology, and even drug poisoning, demonstrating its wide range of uses. It is commonly used as a cooling, nourishing tonic, can be made into cooling herbal tea, and serves as an excellent food seasoning. For example, Qingren Black Soybean stewed with pig’s trotters is a delicious and healthy dish on the dining table. It is highly favored in the market, selling for 30–40 yuan per kilogram, and has good market development prospects.

　　Geographical Scope

　　Zhangping Qingren Black Soybean is produced in 15 towns (streets) of Zhangping City, Fujian Province, including Xinqiao Town, Shuangyang Town, Heping Town, Xianghu Town, Wuci Township, Yongfu Town, Guilin Subdistrict, Xinan Town, Luzhi Township, Gongqiao Town, Guantian Township, Nanyang Township, Lingdi Township, Xiyuan Township, and Chishui Town. Zhangping is located in the southwestern part of Fujian Province, upstream of the North River of the Jiulong River. Its geographical coordinates are between 117°10′ and 117°45′ east longitude and 24°54′ and 25°47′ north latitude. The city stretches 98 km from north to south and 58 km from east to west, covering a land area of 2,975 square kilometers. The elevation of downtown Zhangping is 167 m, while the seat of Xinqiao Town, the main production area of Qingren Black Soybean, is at 295 m, Shuangyang Town at 310 m, Heping Town at 219 m, and Xianghu Town at 247 m. Zhangping is bordered by Yongchun County and Anxi County to the east, by Hua’an County and Nanjing County to the south, by Xinluo District to the west, and by Yong’an City and Datian County to the north. The terrain slopes from the south and north toward the central river valley, mainly consisting of low mountains with some mid-level mountains and few basins. It lies within the hinterland of the Daiyu Mountain, Daiyun Mountain, and Bopingling Mountain ranges, featuring significant elevation differences that create diverse microclimates. The vegetation cover is good, with a forest coverage rate of 76.2%. The main production areas of Zhangping Qingren Black Soybean are river valley alluvial lands at elevations of 170–300 m, where the soil is loose and fertile, with abundant sunlight and warmth. The unique environmental conditions contribute to the high anthocyanin content, giving the soybeans their superior quality, with Xinqiao and other towns being the main production areas. A total of 600 hectares of Zhangping Qingren Black Soybean are registered under geographical indication protection. In 2011, the total planting area of Zhangping Qingren Black Soybean was 283.2 hectares, with a total yield of 622 tons.

　　Product Quality Characteristics

　　1. External Sensory Characteristics: The Zhangping Qingren Black Soybean is oval in shape, with a small white hook line in the hilum. The seed coat is shiny black, and the inner bean is emerald green, making its quality features very distinctive. 2. Internal Quality Indicators: Anthocyanin content is 29–35 mg/kg, crude protein content is 33%–40%, soluble sugar content is 8%–10%, and starch content is 49%–60%. The quality grades of Zhangping Qingren Black Soybean products follow Q/ZSSQ001—2011 *Zhangping Qingren Black Soybean*, and hygiene indicators are equivalent to NY5310 *Pollution-Free Food Soybean*.