Shiye Cai (Mountain Wild Vegetables) from Shiyan

Shiye Cai (Mountain Wild Vegetables) from Shiyan

　　Shiye cai refers to wild or semi-wild plants that grow naturally without artificial cultivation, and whose roots, stems, leaves, fruits, and other parts are edible. The vast majority of shiye cai grow in pristine natural environments with clean air and ample sunlight, free from pollution by exhaust gases, wastewater, dust, as well as chemical fertilizers and pesticides. As such, they are hailed as pure “green food,” “natural food,” “organic food,” “ecological food,” “pollution-free food,” and “hazard-free food.” Since ancient times, China has had the tradition of gathering and eating wild vegetables. Poems in the Classic of Poetry (Shijing) mention the gathering of “blue plants, green plants, mountain ferns, bracken, and mugwort.” With the improvement of living standards and quality of life, shiye cai and their products—rich in nutrition, hygiene, and health benefits—are increasingly popular. Wild vegetables have become an indispensable delicacy on dining tables when entertaining family, friends, and honored guests.

　　The Shiyan region is located in the central mountainous area of China’s inland, nestled among the Qinling Mountains, Daba Mountains, and Wudang Mountains. It features a northern subtropical continental monsoon climate. The area’s climate, soil, and topography create diverse ecological conditions and broad adaptability for plant growth. The biological resources in the Shiyan region exceed 1,300 species, including over 300 types of shiye cai such as bracken, mountain fern, Chinese toon, purslane, daylily, wild bamboo shoots, and pagoda tree flowers. The harvestable area spans more than 2 million mu (approximately 133,333 hectares), with an estimated reserve of about 400,000 tons. This includes 400,000 mu of bracken, 80,000 mu of Chinese toon, 300,000 mu of pagoda trees (flowers), 100,000 mu of wild garlic, 500,000 mu of wild bamboo shoots, 30,000 mu of “fairy leaves,” and over 500,000 mu of other varieties. The city currently has a total of 330,000 mu of wild vegetable bases for crops such as Chinese toon, lotus, bamboo shoots, daylily, and Chinese toon, with 260,000 mu already in production, yielding a total output of 100,000 tons and generating nearly 200 million yuan in value. The industry shows strong momentum for further growth. Shiyan’s shiye cai not only sell well in the local market but are also exported in large quantities to major cities such as Wuhan, Shanghai, Beijing, and Shenzhen. Among them, Chinese toon is even exported to Southeast Asian countries and regions like Japan and South Korea. In recent years, shiye cai have become one of Shiyan’s main export commodities for earning foreign exchange, with mountain delicacies primarily consisting of shiye cai accounting for about 90%.

　　Shiye cai are not only rich in nutrients but also offer medicinal and health benefits, making them highly valuable for development and utilization. The nutritional content of shiye cai generally exceeds that of conventional vegetables, especially in terms of vitamins and minerals, with some varieties containing levels that are tens, hundreds, or even thousands of times higher. According to the book Chinese Wild Vegetable Pictorial, among the 234 types of wild vegetables tested, 88 contained more than 5 mg of carotene per 100 grams of fresh weight, 87 had more than 0.5 mg of vitamin B2, and 43 contained over 200 mg of calcium. Some shiye cai also contain vitamins not typically found in regular plants, such as vitamins D, E, B6, B12, and K. Additionally, shiye cai have relatively high levels of medicinal compounds, offering health benefits such as anti-cancer properties, blood pressure reduction, cholesterol control, cold relief and cough suppression, anti-inflammatory and pain relief, as well as nourishing yin and kidney functions. Many traditional Chinese remedies use wild vegetables to treat illnesses. For example, purslane is used to detoxify, reduce inflammation, stop bleeding, promote urination, and treat bacterial dysentery; dandelion is used for chronic bronchitis and hepatitis. In terms of deep processing of shiye cai, our city has continuously developed a range of diversified, high-end products that combine medical, nutritional, and health benefits, such as series of shiye cai juices, canned shiye cai, shiye cai crystals, shiye cai powder, and shiye cai slices. Among these, organic Wudang Mountain delicacies have become a renowned specialty product of Shiyan.