Osmanthus in Pucheng

Osmanthus in Pucheng

Osmanthus in Pucheng is a protected geographical indication product.

Osmanthus in Pucheng is a certified geographical indication trademark.

　　Northern Fujian’s Pucheng, where osmanthus is the county flower, is known as the “World of Golden Grains.” This ancient town boasts a rich history of osmanthus culture and was

　　honored as China’s “Hometown of Osmanthus” in 2007. The mountain city is filled with osmanthus trees, and its people hold the flower in high esteem and take pride in it. Osmanthus, belonging to the Oleaceae family, is also called the fragrant olive flower. Pucheng’s climate is suitable for osmanthus trees to absorb heat and moisture, thriving in sunlight, with varieties including Dark Purple Osmanthus, Golden Osmanthus, and Silver Osmanthus.

　　 In the northern suburbs of the county town lies an osmanthus garden, where terraced hillsides are covered with tens of thousands of osmanthus trees. Visiting during early autumn, one walks along winding mountain paths, surrounded by osmanthus as far as the eye can see—lush branches adorned with jade-like blossoms, emerald trunks dotted with gold, and vibrant floral clusters filling the air with fragrance. Up close, the tiny flowers cluster together, nestled among the green leaves. The orange-yellow Golden Osmanthus, snow-white Silver Osmanthus, and bright crimson Dark Purple Osmanthus are especially enchanting.

　　 Standing in the garden, flowers and leaves overlap in a beautiful interplay, with layers of blossoms and tender petals blushing pink. As the autumn breeze gently blows, osmanthus petals fall like a delicate red rain, landing on visitors’ heads, shoulders, and faces—and seemingly in their hearts, transporting them into a dreamlike gallery of osmanthus, a heavenly realm of the flower. Before one’s eyes, golden grains adorn the blossoms, as if fairies dwell among the stamens… Osmanthus embodies the essence of autumn. Ancient poets once praised its beauty with lines like “The fragrance of osmanthus stirs the autumn across the mountains” and “It reigns supreme in the three autumn months, surpassing all other flowers.”

　　 The people of Pucheng hold osmanthus in high regard, revering the tree and aspiring to prosperity. Their ancestors wove osmanthus into ceremonial crowns to honor the most esteemed individuals, symbolizing friendship and respect. In the early years of the Tang Dynasty’s Zhenyuan era, the tale of “Scholars Competing for Osmanthus” was recorded. Lin Zao and his brother Lin Yun traveled to the capital together for imperial exams. Passing through Pucheng’s Five Manifestations Ridge, they inscribed their names at the pass, vowing to succeed. True to their word, both brothers later passed the exams. Upon returning home in glory, they joyfully composed a poem at the site: “We once carved our names upon this ridge, vowing not to return without success. Each of us plucked a branch of osmanthus, then soared together back to this ridge.” Later generations named the ridge “Osmanthus-Crested Ridge.”

　　 Zhang Heng, a native of Pucheng, ranked first in the imperial examinations in the second year of the Song Dynasty’s Jiayou era and rose to the position of Attendant at the Baowen Pavilion. He wrote in his poem about Zifu Temple: “My family’s fifteen ancestors’ portraits hang in this temple, where nobility and Buddhist grace intertwine. The literary star shines brightly in the sky, and the osmanthus register remains ever full.” The mountain city’s people grow osmanthus, cherishing its solemnity and elegance. In naming their children, many include the character “gui” (osmanthus) to invite good fortune.

　　 The mountain city’s people love osmanthus for its fragrance. The flower’s scent is unique, not competing with other blooms but said to come from the moon. Its aroma is fresh enough to cleanse the heart and rich enough to drift far, leaving an unforgettable impression. Along the roads leading into the county town, rows of osmanthus trees compete in fragrance, filling the air with their scent as one enters the city. Osmanthus, with its intoxicating and pure fragrance, brings joy and serenity.

　　 Jiang Yan, known for the legend of “the magic brush that made flowers bloom,” left behind the lines “The osmanthus branch is destined to break in vain, smoke and starry rain startle the senses” during his time in Pucheng. Xie Ao, a Southern Song Dynasty general who resisted the Jin and later settled in Pucheng’s Shuibeitown, wrote: “Wu Gang, burdened with sorrow, fells the tree; a brush hair floats as the jade axe clips the high branch. The moon maiden rides her toad, tears falling as osmanthus seeds drop like star rain.”

　　 Osmanthus is the soul of the moon, and the moon is the reflection of osmanthus. The mountain city’s people love osmanthus, calling it “moon osmanthus” or the “flower of reunion.” “A piece of icy wheel shines bright, tenfold the osmanthus spirit dances gracefully.” During the annual full moon festivals, admiring osmanthus and the moon has become a cherished family reunion occasion. Under the osmanthus trees, with the bright moon overhead, sharing the same moonlight across thousands of miles, travelers far from home often ask: who can say the moon is not rounder in their hometown?

　　 The locals have a custom of “respecting osmanthus wine, yet it remains in the hometown.” Elders say osmanthus is the “flower that benefits the world.” With its warm nature and sweet taste, osmanthus warms the stomach, soothes the liver, nourishes the kidneys, and dispels cold. Thus, osmanthus wine is considered a fine brew that benefits the people. Today, osmanthus wine is a national brand and an essential drink in the osmanthus homeland. The locals also say osmanthus is the “flower that benefits the world.”

　　 Pucheng osmanthus tea, made by mixing osmanthus with white sugar, is a traditional New Year’s tea served to guests. The tea is infused with osmanthus, offering a rich and mellow flavor that fills the room with a delightful aroma, blending the scents of tea and flowers perfectly. The mountain city’s people also make osmanthus pastries, osmanthus candy, osmanthus cakes, osmanthus dumplings, and osmanthus-flavored dishes, which have become a highlight of the local economy. In innovating osmanthus culture, the folk dance “Osmanthus Sentiment” from Pucheng won first prize in a national performing arts competition.

　　 Recently, a former classmate—who is now an osmanthus-growing expert in Pucheng and nicknamed the “Osmanthus King”—Huang Anmin, told me that this year’s Mid-Autumn reunion and moon-gazing gathering will be held at the Dark Purple Osmanthus Restaurant. He insisted I return home to drink osmanthus wine, taste the osmanthus tea he made, and get drunk together under the moonlight in the land of osmanthus.

　　The protected geographical indication area for Pucheng osmanthus covers the entire administrative region of Pucheng County, Fujian Province.