Hongshan Purple Cabbage

Hongshan Purple Cabbage

Hongshan Purple Cabbage is a geographical indication certification trademark.

　　Hongshan Purple Cabbage, commonly known as Red Cabbage, is also called "Yun Cabbage." With its deep purple-red stalks and golden-yellow flowers, it is a specialty of the Wuhan area. Historical records indicate that Red Cabbage was a renowned vegetable during the Tang Dynasty and has long been a tribute product from Hubei presented to the emperor. It was once hailed as the "Golden Palace Jade Vegetable," enjoying the same fame as Wuchang Fish. It is rich in nutrients, containing calcium, phosphorus, iron, carotene, ascorbic acid, and other components, with a higher content of vitamin C than both Chinese cabbage and bok choy. With its vibrant color, crisp texture, and tender quality, it makes an excellent side dish. Among all Hongshan Purple Cabbages, those grown around Zhuodaoquan at Jiuling Bā'āo in Baotong Temple of Hongshan are considered the best in quality. Premium Red Cabbage is only produced in Hongshan; if transplanted elsewhere, not only does the color differ, but the taste changes as well. In the early years of the Republic of China, when Li Yuanhong left Hubei to serve as President in Beijing, he would send special couriers to Hongshan every winter to transport Red Cabbage. However, due to the long-distance bulk transportation, by the time the fresh cabbage arrived in Beijing, it had lost much of its original color and freshness, inevitably falling short compared to the freshly harvested tender cabbage from its place of origin, often leaving diners feeling something was missing. Someone then proposed transporting several trainloads of Hongshan soil to Beijing to try growing it there. As a result, although the cabbage did grow, the color was not red and the taste was not fresh. The trial planting failed, which made people even more aware of the preciousness of Hongshan Purple Cabbage. Thereafter, they had no choice but to continue using the old method—transporting the cabbage to Beijing by train in batches.

　　There are many legends about Hongshan Purple Cabbage. One story goes that over 1,700 years ago, in a small village at the foot of Hongshan Mountain, there lived a beautiful and clever young woman named Yuye, who was eighteen years old. In a neighboring village, there was a hardworking, honest, and helpful young man named Tian Yong. The two admired each other and were already in love. One spring day in March, they went to visit the scenic Hongshan Mountain, where they encountered Yang Xiong, a man known as the "Evil Tyrant." Seeing how beautiful Yuye was, Yang Xiong ordered his soldiers to abduct her. Tian Yong fought bravely to rescue her and ran down the mountain with her in hand. Seeing the beautiful maiden slip from his grasp, Yang Xiong commanded his soldiers to shoot the couple with arrows. Instantly, the blood of Tian Yong and Yuye stained the ground beneath them red. When Yang Xiong saw that lives had been taken, he fled on horseback, but suddenly a thunderstorm struck, killing him and his men on the mountainside. Later, the local villagers buried Tian Yong and Yuye at the site of their death. Over time, purple-red sprouts grew around their tomb, which the villagers often watered and fertilized. By autumn, the region suffered a severe pest plague, leaving crops ruined. The villagers gathered the purple-red stalks around the tomb to eat and found them sweet, crisp, and fragrant. The plants multiplied, helping them survive the famine. After autumn, each household collected the seeds and planted them in their gardens. In their spare time, they carried the cabbage to the city to sell. City dwellers who tasted this rare vegetable praised it highly, and the reputation of Red Cabbage grew. More and more people began to cultivate it.

　　Another legend is related to the Hongshan Pagoda. Back in the Tang Dynasty, when Yu Chijingde, one of the founding heroes of the dynasty, served as the governor of Xiangzhou, he passed through Jiangxia (now Wuchang). The magistrate of Yingzhou hurriedly prepared a lavish banquet to welcome him. During the feast, Yu Chijingde showed little interest in the exotic delicacies on the table, but he was particularly drawn to a dish of purple-red vegetables served last, which greatly whetted his appetite. As he ate, he exclaimed, “What a delicious dish—so colorful, fragrant, and tender!” He had never seen such a fine dish before and did not know its name. The Yingzhou magistrate told him, “This is the famous ‘Cabbage Stalk’ of the Chu region, as renowned as Wuchang Fish. Eating it regularly can promote longevity.” Delighted by this, Yu Chijingde quickly finished the entire plate. Before departing, the Yingzhou magistrate prepared a generous gift for him, but Yu Chijingde accepted none except for a basket of Cabbage Stalks to enjoy on his journey. He also asked the Yingzhou officials to send him a basket of Cabbage Stalks every year. Three years later, having received no Cabbage Stalks, Yu Chijingde grew anxious, wondering why the Yingzhou magistrate had broken his promise. He sent someone to Jiangxia to inquire. The messenger reported that a “well spider lake monster” had appeared on East Mountain (Hongshan), and the Cabbage Stalks had all been eaten by the monster. Yu Chijingde didn’t believe it and personally led a group to Jiangxia to investigate and confront the magistrate. Upon arriving at East Mountain, he indeed saw vast fields of Cabbage Stalks with leaves but no stalks. At that moment, the abbot of Maitreya Temple (now Baotong Temple) came out with the monks to welcome Yu Chijingde and said, “To subdue these harmful monsters, it’s simple—just build a seven-story, eight-sided pagoda on the southern foot of East Mountain, west of our temple.” Yu Chijingde promptly went to the capital to request imperial funding for the pagoda’s construction. Emperor Taizong of Tang, Li Shimin, immediately issued an edict, allocating ten thousand taels of gold, and ordered Yu Chijingde to build the pagoda without delay. Eventually, the pagoda was completed, the monsters were subdued, but Yu Chijingde, exhausted from overwork, passed away before he could taste the newly grown Purple Cabbage. From then on, thanks to the spiritual power of the pagoda, lush Purple Cabbage flourished wherever the sound of the Mituo Temple bell reached. Among them, the cabbage grown in the “Xuegong Field,” within the shadow of the pagoda, was said to be the most delicious. People could once again enjoy crisp, sweet cabbage stalks—the very “Purple Cabbage” that is known today as Hongshan Purple Cabbage.