Cangshan Garlic

Cangshan Garlic

Cangshan Garlic is a protected geographical indication product.

Cangshan Garlic is a national intangible cultural heritage.

Cangshan Garlic is an agricultural geographical indication product.

　　Cangshan Garlic, also known as Hu or Hulan, has a long history in China. According to the *Dongguan Han Ji* (*Records of the Eastern Capital*) by Cui Shi of the Eastern Han Dynasty, “Li Xun, serving as the governor of Yanzhou, gave all the wheat and Hulan he planted to his subordinates, keeping none for himself.” This indicates that garlic was already cultivated in Shandong at that time.

　　Garlic has high culinary and medicinal value. The *Compendium of Materia Medica* states: “In the north, meat and flour-based diets are especially incomplete without garlic.” Garlic helps reduce nitrite levels in the stomach and has anti-tumor properties, effects which are particularly notable in Cangshan Garlic. It is common for residents of the region to consume raw garlic as a daily condiment. Additionally, during the garlic harvest season, garlic sprouts, garlic seedlings, and fresh garlic become staple vegetables in every household. According to a field survey by the research institute of Shandong Medical College on low-incidence gastric cancer areas in Shandong Province, Cangshan County has the lowest gastric cancer mortality rate among counties with over 100,000 people north of the Yangtze River.

　　The superior composition of Cangshan Garlic compared to garlic from other regions is due to the area’s soil, which contains higher levels of organic matter and relatively abundant nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium. The well water in the garlic-growing region is mostly slightly alkaline, with some wells nearly reaching the quality of first-grade fertilizer water. In terms of quality, Cangshan Garlic not only features characteristics such as fragrance, spiciness, stickiness, richness, and deliciousness, but also contains higher levels of all 17 types of amino acids compared to garlic from other areas.

　　Cangshan Garlic has been exported for over 20 years, with markets including Singapore, Malaysia, Cambodia, Thailand, Hong Kong, and other regions and countries.

　　It is available at various vegetable wholesale markets and retail stalls in Linyi City.

　　Cangshan Garlic – Geographical Indication Product

　　Geographical Scope

　　The current Cangshan Garlic production base covers an area of 24,000 hectares, spanning from Dongyangzhuang Village in Shen Shan Town, Lanling County, Linyi City in the east; to Yangzhuang Village in Xiangcheng Town in the west; to Qianluwazi Village in Changcheng Town in the south; and to Quanwang Village in Dazhongcun Town in the north. It includes 10 towns and 560 administrative villages, with geographical coordinates between 117°56′ to 118°17′ east longitude and 34°39′ to 34°59′ north latitude. The total protected area spans 24,000 hectares, with an annual yield of 320,000 tons.