Ten Thousand-Year Tribute Rice

Ten Thousand-Year Tribute Rice

Ten Thousand-Year Tribute Rice is a protected geographical indication product.

　　　　Legend has it that as early as the Northern and Southern Dynasties period (420–589 AD), during an imperial southern tour, the emperor dreamed of the south having “a thousand-jin winter melon and inch-long rice.” He then sent officials to investigate the south. When the officials arrived at the areas of Heqiao and Yougang in Wannian County, Jiangxi (established as a county in the Ming Dynasty), they indeed found “three-inch grains” of rice, and the quality of the rice was extraordinary. They quickly returned to the capital to report to the emperor. Upon hearing this, the emperor was overjoyed and immediately issued an edict that the rice from Heqiao and Yougang in Jiangxi should be “planted and consumed by generations, and offered as tribute every year.” Thus, the Ten Thousand-Year Tribute Rice got its name, and it has a cultivation history of over 1,000 years to date.

　　　　Ten Thousand-Year Tribute Rice features large grains, slender shape, shuttle-like form, and jade-like color. Cooked, it is soft yet not greasy, with a rich and fragrant taste. When used to brew liquor, the resulting drink is strong yet not harsh. Both the rice and the liquor are of premium quality, offering unique flavors.

　　It is produced in the area around Peimei Town, Wannian County. In the seventh year of the Zhengde era of the Ming Dynasty (1512), it was presented as tribute to the imperial court. After tasting it, the emperor highly praised it and issued an edict stating “planted and consumed by generations, and offered as tribute every year,” hence the name of the tribute rice. During the Qing Dynasty, after grain tributes from various counties were delivered to the capital, the storage could only be sealed after the arrival of the Ten Thousand-Year Tribute Rice. The tribute rice measured three grains per inch, with slender and long grains, glossy and translucent, fragrant, sticky yet not greasy, high in protein, and rich in nutrition, earning praise above all other grains. It was exhibited at the Bandung Fair in Indonesia in 1958 and received positive reviews. In 1959, it was selected as the official rice served during the Lushan Conference of the Chinese Communist Party, gaining considerable acclaim. In collaboration with Jiangxi Agricultural University and the Academy of Agricultural Sciences, more than ten varieties were developed, including Tribute Fragrant Rice No. 1, 2, and 3, Tribute Silk Rice No. 1 and 2, and Pearl Tribute Rice. In 1998, the Ten Thousand-Year Tribute Rice series products were awarded the title of “1998 Jiangxi Famous Brand Products.”