Qibailong Chicken

Qibailong Chicken

The Qibailong Chicken is a product with National Agricultural Product Geographical Indication status.

　　The Qibailong Chicken is a poultry variety granted the National Agricultural Product Geographical Indication by the Ministry of Agriculture of China on January 10, 2017, in Dahua Yao Autonomous County, Guangxi. It is a local breed developed through generations of rural breeding, primarily raised in free-range systems. During the day, the chickens forage freely for insects and grass in suitable areas such as courtyards, hillsides, forests, wastelands, orchards, and grasslands, then return to the coop at night. They are supplemented with locally grown corn, grains, and other cereals in appropriate amounts. The breed is known for its strong adaptability, disease resistance, and foraging ability, as well as its tolerance to coarse feed. The chickens are small in size, with firm muscles, tender and delicious meat, minimal subcutaneous fat, and a rich, fragrant taste. They are also highly nutritious.

　　Dahua Yao Autonomous County features a karst landscape, with dense clusters of limestone peaks and the Hongshui River flowing throughout the region. The county lies on the northern edge of the subtropical monsoon climate zone, with an average annual temperature of 18.2–21.7°C and annual rainfall between 1,249 and 1,673 mm. The climate is mild, with ample sunlight and fresh air. The county has a forest coverage rate of 64.53%; there are no high-energy-consuming or highly polluting industrial enterprises emitting waste gases, waste materials, or chemicals, resulting in minimal dust and particles. The area has a high concentration of negative ions in the air, exceeding 20,000 per cubic centimeter. Dahua County is rich in resources, with agricultural and forestry products including rice, corn, sugarcane, peanuts, hemp, longan, chestnuts, fir, pine, bamboo, and honeysuckle. The favorable climate conditions are ideal for the growth of various crops and for the raising and breeding of Qibailong Chickens.

　　The Qibailong Chicken comes from the distant creation epic, shrouded in mystery and ancient lore. The “Miluotuo Ancient Song,” published by the Guangxi Nationalities Publishing House (October 2002), records that the rooster’s golden and snowflake-like feathers came from eating lunch tainted with the blood of the sun, while the hen’s speckled snowflake feathers resulted from eating lunch tainted with the blood of the moon. According to the *Dahua Yao Autonomous County Annals*, before 1970, Dahua County had already begun raising Qibailong Chickens. “The ‘Qibailong Chicken’ is small in size, with fine and short legs. The roosters have golden-yellow feathering with mottled patterns, while the hens have speckled feathers with white spots. They are mainly distributed in towns and townships such as Qibailong, Zhennxi, Yalong, Bansheng, and Liuye, and are considered a fine gift for visiting relatives, entertaining guests, or honoring elders during banquets.”

　　The geographical range includes sixteen townships in Dahua Yao Autonomous County: Qibailong, Yalong, Bansheng, Dahua, Duyang, Beijing, Yantan, Gonghe, Gongchuan, Liuye, Baima, Guwen, Guhe, Jiangnan, Qiangxu, and Yixu.

　　The core production areas are Qibailong, Yalong, and Bansheng townships. The geographical coordinates are: 107°20′15″ to 108°2′14″ east longitude and 23°56′16″ to 24°22′15″ north latitude, covering a total area of 2,716 square kilometers. In 2015, the county’s total number of Qibailong Chickens raised was 1.612 million, with 1.0257 million slaughtered.