Pubei Red Boletus

Pubei Red Boletus

Pubei Red Boletus is a geographical indication protected product.

　　Pubei Red Boletus is a specialty of Pubei County, Qinzhou City, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region. Also known as red mushroom, the Red Boletus grows in the humus layer of the soil in red boletus forests and currently cannot be cultivated artificially. As a result, it has become an extremely rare, purely wild, natural mushroom.

　　The Red Boletus, also called red mushroom, grows in the humus layer of red boletus forest soil and only appears between May and August each year. Pubei County boasts the largest contiguous area of pristine secondary natural red boletus forests in China, covering a total of 113,800 mu. These forests nurture natural Red Boletus, yielding over 100,000 kilograms of dried Red Boletus annually.

　　Currently, the Red Boletus still cannot be cultivated artificially, making it an extremely rare, purely wild, natural mushroom. The growth period of the Red Boletus is quite unique—around the solar terms of the Dragon Boat Festival in May, Ghost Festival in July, and Mid-Autumn Festival in August are its peak seasons, while it does not grow at other times. In fact, the Red Boletus is just a special type of mountain mushroom that requires a very specific environment: it must grow under red boletus forests, in suitable soil (covered with red boletus leaves), and under appropriate climatic conditions (humid and hot weather after rain).

　　At present, there are no deep-processed products of the Red Boletus. It is entirely sun-dried by farmers or roasted with charcoal before being sold, and it is classified as a health-promoting edible mushroom. In many households in Longmen Town, dedicated rooms have been built for drying red mushrooms. Chen Shiyi told reporters that about 1 kilogram of dried mushrooms can be obtained from 5 kilograms of fresh ones. In years with higher rainfall, red mushrooms contain more moisture, resulting in slightly less dried yield.

　　Since ancient times, local women have often consumed Red Boletus stewed with native chicken to nourish themselves during postpartum recovery. The Red Boletus features bright color, fragrant aroma, and rich nutrition. The broth it produces is a vibrant red and sweet-tasting, making it a purely natural health-promoting edible mushroom. Cooking a soup with red mushrooms, native chicken, and bone marrow to replenish blood results in a striking red color, strong fragrance, and delicious sweetness, leading locals to firmly believe it is one of nature’s finest tonics for humans. Locally, families who do not serve Red Boletus to women recovering from childbirth may face harsh criticism. Many who have moved away from home ask their relatives and friends to go to great lengths to bring back Red Boletus for them, which they then use to make mushroom soup.

　　Red Boletus contains vitamins A, B, C, D, E, V, and 18 types of amino acids required by the human body, as well as a variety of trace elements—especially rich in the trace element selenium. It is a rare, purely natural health-promoting edible mushroom and is highly favored by consumers both in China and abroad.

　　Amidst the tides of market economy, farmers in Longmen Town, Pubei County, Guangxi—a region abundant in the rare wild mushroom Red Boletus—have finally realized that premium goods need to be “branded,” and agricultural products even more so need “packaging.” Mr. Chen Qisheng, head of the Longsheng Red Mushroom Purchasing and Sales Department in Pubei County, Guangxi, has registered the trademark “Longsheng Brand Red Mushroom” for his Red Boletus, making it a well-known local brand that is exported to Japan, Southeast Asia, Hong Kong, Macau, Taiwan, and other regions.

　　The production area of Pubei Red Boletus covers the administrative regions of 16 towns currently under the jurisdiction of Pubei County, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region: Longmen Town, Beitong Town, Baishuishui Town, Dacheng Town, Zhanghuang Town, Quanshui Town, Anshi Town, Xiaojiang Town, Sanhe Town, Fuwang Town, Zhaixu Town, Lemin Town, Guandong Town, Liukeng Town, Pingmu Town, and Shiying Town.