Phoenix Terrace Glutinous Rice

Phoenix Terrace Glutinous Rice

　　　Phoenix Terrace Glutinous Rice is produced in Fenghuangtai Village, located in the eastern suburbs of Zhengzhou. The rice grains are thick at one end and taper to a point at the other, with a smooth, pearly white appearance. When steamed, the grains stand upright, emitting a rich fragrance. It tastes soft, fragrant, and delicious, with a lingering aftertaste. Leftover rice even resists spoilage during summer. It is said that during the Ming and Qing dynasties, this rice was already considered a “tribute rice.” Legend has it that when Empress Dowager Cixi once tasted it and noticed the grains in her bowl were not standing upright, she flew into a rage, accusing the county magistrate of Zheng and the local villagers of deceiving the emperor. Upon hearing the news, the magistrate quickly dispatched a renowned chef to the capital. The chef first gently swayed the bowl of rice, then steamed it again. When Empress Dowager Cixi saw the grains standing tall and graceful in the bowl, the charges were dropped. After the liberation, the people of Fenghuangtai regained their pride. In 1960, they carefully milled 100 kilograms of Fenghuangtai indica rice and presented it as an offering to Chairman Mao.

　　   The origins of Fenghuangtai indica rice are not recorded in history, but the local people have a magical legend. Long ago, the area was a lake with clean, sweet water. A phoenix would come to drink there every day and dance by the lakeside, bringing joy to the local people. At that time, a cruel green dragon wanted the phoenix to be its singing girl, but the phoenix remained steadfast and unyielding. In response, the dragon used its might to drain the lake in one breath, hoping to kill the phoenix by thirst. The kind-hearted phoenix, unwilling to let everyone suffer because of her, let her tears flow into the lake until it was filled. Only then did she stop breathing. The people buried her on the nearby earthen mound, which became known as Fenghuanggang (Phoenix Mound), and later built Phoenix Terrace there. Since then, the locals have used the phoenix’s tear-water to grow rice. The resulting rice grains are thick at one end and pointed at the other, resembling the eyes of a phoenix. Because the phoenix died unjustly, the steamed rice grains stand upright, symbolizing the phoenix’s unyielding spirit.

　　   In reality, the uniqueness of Fenghuangtai rice is determined by the local soil, water, and rice variety. In ancient times, there was indeed a lake near Fenghuangtai Village called “East Lake.” By the Qing Dynasty, it had silted up into a low-lying area of about 100 acres, with sweet-tasting water. The rice grown there was the high-quality “Dabaimang” (Big White Spike) variety—this is the famous Fenghuangtai indica rice. “Dabaimang” is an indica rice variety with a growth cycle of about 150 days, suitable for spring or summer planting in Zhengzhou. The rice is firm, absorbs a lot of water when cooked, has a high expansion rate, yields more cooked grains, and is pearly white with a shine. The grains are thick at one end and tapered at the other. Gently shaking the bowl before steaming causes the thicker ends to sink, and after steaming, the grains stand upright. Coupled with the excellent soil and water quality, this results in a rich fragrance. If “Dabaimang” is planted elsewhere, it lacks the same aroma. Similarly, if other oval-shaped rice varieties are grown in this 100-acre lowland, the cooked rice will not stand upright. However, this variety grows quite tall, is sensitive to fertilizer and lodging, and has degenerated over generations of cultivation, yielding only about 200 kilograms per mu per year. Nowadays, due to the widespread planting of high-yield rice varieties, low-yield types like “Dabaimang” are preserved only as germplasm resources. Additionally, with the digging of deep wells for irrigation, the natural springs have dried up. Today’s Fengtai indica rice has lost much of its original character. To preserve this famous product, efforts should be made to breed and develop new varieties that retain the unique traits of the original strain, for wider promotion and application.