Kongtang Tobacco

Kongtang Tobacco

　　"Kongtang Tobacco" is indeed produced in Kongtang. About ten kilometers east of Lianzhou City lies a basin filled with rocks and trees, encompassing hundreds of hectares of red limestone soil. Delicate springs trickle out from between the rocks, watering several winding paddies. Five villages are scattered sparsely across the basin. This place usually lacks water; yet after several days of torrential rain, it becomes waterlogged like a pond. Gradually, the water seeps away through cracks and holes in the rocks—hence the name "Kongtang" (literally "Holey Pond").

No one knows exactly when the people of Kongtang began cultivating and producing yellow tobacco leaves, but the tradition has been passed down through generations. Kongtang Tobacco is famed for its rich aroma and oily texture. In the old days, 1.25 or 1.5 kilograms of Kongtang Tobacco could be exchanged for a dan (a traditional unit) of rice. It’s said that during the Qing Dynasty, Kongtang Tobacco was even listed as an imperial tribute. Earlier, there was a man nicknamed "Ma Gushun" from Kongtang who sold tobacco leaves in Lianzhou City while playing the flute, proudly claiming that his ancestors had left behind a "tobacco mound"—a field that grew the most authentic Kongtang tobacco leaves. In truth, though, the entire Kongtang Basin can produce top-quality Kongtang Tobacco. The locals possess ancestral techniques for growing and curing tobacco, focusing on quality over quantity, harvesting just 50 grams of dried leaves per plant. In the past, Kongtang growers used carved wooden stamps to imprint the words "Kongtang" or "Genuine Kongtang" onto growing tobacco leaves. After drying, the imprints remained visible, serving as a safeguard against theft and counterfeits. The people of Kongtang seldom sold their tobacco in markets because they had regular customers placing orders directly. As a result, much of the "Kongtang Tobacco" found in markets is fake, and the locals mock such imitations as "Kongtang-edge" tobacco.