Macheng Chili

Macheng Chili

Macheng Chili is a geographical indication agricultural product.

　　Macheng Chili is a specialty of Macheng City, Huanggang, Hubei Province.

　　"Macheng Chili" features neat fruit appearance, bright color, thin skin, thick and crisp flesh, mild spiciness, delicious taste, and rich nutrition. It contains over 1.5% soluble sugar and less than 1.5% crude fiber. The planting area reaches 6,700 hectares, with a total output of 800,000 tons. The product is sold in more than ten large and medium-sized cities including Shanghai, Wuhan, and Guangzhou, and has won the "Gold Award Agricultural Product" at the 11th China Wuhan Agricultural Expo.

　　Chili was introduced to China during the Jiajing and Wanli eras of the Ming Dynasty. The 1670 edition (page 35) of the Macheng County Annals records the history of chili cultivation, and the 1985 edition (page 92) notes that the chili planting area at the time was over 10,000 mu. In addition to local sales, it was also supplied to Wuhan and surrounding areas. Before liberation, Macheng Chili was the preferred goods for porters and traders to make a living, mostly transported to Hankou and nearby counties. In the deep autumn of rural areas, every household in Macheng would hang several strings of bright red chilies at their doors, and wealthier families would pickle several large jars. In winter, families would gather around the hanging pot to enjoy chili-infused dishes, drink old rice wine, and the air would be filled with the aroma of chilies and wine. This custom has continued for hundreds of years in the Dabie Mountain region and is still practiced today. There is a folk song in the Dabie Mountains: "Old rice wine, stove fire, next to the emperor is me; sour chili, hanging pot dish, the more I eat, the more I love." During the Liberation War, when the Liu-Deng Army advanced a thousand miles into the Dabie Mountains and arrived in Macheng, conditions were harsh. In the cold winter, soldiers wore thin clothes and had little bedding. They often ate chilies to keep warm, boost morale, resist illness, and enhance combat effectiveness. In 1998, after General Secretary — a Party and state leader — inspected Macheng and gave important instructions, the Macheng municipal government vigorously adjusted the industrial structure, converting the fertile cotton-growing areas along National Highway 106 and the Ju River into a hundred-mile greenhouse vegetable belt, focusing on developing Macheng Chili. In 2002, the first Macheng Vegetable Festival was successfully held in Macheng Chili’s main production area in Songbu Town, inviting well-known experts and merchants from some parts of the country. Experts unanimously praised Macheng Chili as unique and outstanding. To date, Macheng has successfully held five Macheng Chili Festivals, effectively promoting the development of the Macheng Chili industry.

　　Region:

　　Hubei

　　Applicant:

　　Macheng Vegetable Association

　　Region:

　　2014

　　Geographic Scope

　　The protected geographic area for the "Yichang Lily" geographical indication agricultural product covers the core production areas within the current administrative regions of Yichang City, mainly including Yiling, Dianjun, Xingshan, Changyang, Wufeng, Yidu, Zigui, and Yuan’an counties and districts. Its geographical location spans longitude 110°15′–112°04′ and latitude 29°56′–31°34′. It stretches from Yiling District and Xingshan County in the north, bordering the Shennongjia Forest District and Baokang County of Xiangyang City; to Yuan’an County in the east, bordering Jingmen City; extends southward to the lower reaches of the Qingjiang River, covering Changyang, Wufeng, and Yidu counties and cities, bordering Songzi City of Jingzhou City and Hunan Province; and reaches westward to Zigui County, bordering Badong County of Enshi Prefecture. The total production area covers over 600,000 hectares.

　　Product Quality Characteristics

　　1. External sensory characteristics: Macheng Chili has neat fruit appearance, bright color, thin skin, thick and crisp flesh, mild spiciness, and a delicious taste. 2. Internal quality indicators: Macheng Chili is of high quality and rich in nutrition. It contains over 1.5% soluble sugar and less than 1.5% crude fiber. 3. Safety requirements: Macheng Chili meets the ecological environment quality standards for pollution-free agricultural product production areas, and the product quality should comply with the Chinese agricultural industry standard "Pollution-Free Food – Solanaceous and Fruit Vegetables."