Paitan Grass Jelly Herb

Paitan Grass Jelly Herb

Paitan grass jelly herb is a protected geographical indication product.

　　Zengcheng has long been renowned for its production of grass jelly herb, which together with lychee, Si Mi rice, and black olive, is known as one of the “Four Treasures of Zengcheng.” Among these, Paitan Town in the northern mountainous region yields the highest quantity and the best quality. Paitan grass jelly herb features thick leaves, slender stems, a dark color with a glossy sheen, and is rich in mucilage. The “grass jelly cake” made from it has a transparent dark tea-like color and a distinctive aroma. When mixed with syrup, it becomes smooth and delicious—making it an ideal cooling treat for hot summer days. The herb also has medicinal uses: cool in nature and mildly sweet in taste, it helps prevent and treat heatstroke, colds, high blood pressure, and can also provide some relief for joint pain.

　　 Paitan grass jelly herb has long enjoyed a good reputation. It is widely cultivated, and during harvest season, merchants from various regions come to purchase and stockpile it before exporting it in large quantities to Hong Kong, Macau, and Southeast Asian countries such as the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Indonesia.

　　Paitan grass jelly herb has a long history. Legend has it that it was introduced from Guangxi over 100 years ago. According to the “Zengcheng County Agricultural Survey Report” by Lin Chunxu and He Qinggong in 1929 (the 18th year of the Republic of China), the county exported 5,000 dan (a traditional unit of weight) of grass jelly herb each year, mainly produced in Niuxiang, Xian, and Meidu, with each dan selling for 5–10 yuan—indicating that the herb already had significant production scale at the time. After 1949, production grew rapidly. In 1979, the total cultivation area across the entire commune exceeded 1,000 mu, surpassing historical levels. The average yield was around 800 jin per mu, with high-yield fields reaching 1,600 jin. By 2006, the cultivation area of grass jelly herb in Paitan Town had reached 6,000 mu, with average output around 400 kg. Products were mainly sold to nearby cities such as Guangzhou, Dongguan, Hong Kong, and Macau, as well as to Southeast Asian countries including the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Indonesia.

　　The protected geographical indication origin area for Paitan grass jelly herb includes seven towns and subdistricts under the jurisdiction of Zengcheng City, Guangdong Province: Paitan Town, Xiaolou Town, Zhengguo Town, Zhongxin Town, Zhucun Subdistrict Office, Licheng Subdistrict Office, and Zengjiang Subdistrict Office.