Wushan Miaodang

Wushan Miaodang

Wushan Miaodang is a geographical indication certification trademark.

　　Miaodang is produced in the deep mountain forests of Damiao, Wushan County, Chongqing. It is a type of Sichuan Codonopsis, also known as Single-Stem Codonopsis, and is named after Miaoyu Town in Wushan County where it is grown. It thrives at an altitude of 1,500 meters in the mountains of Wushan and is famous for its fine skin, white flesh, strong aroma, firm and soft texture, richly mellow taste, and the fact that it melts smoothly when chewed. It has a sweet flavor and neutral nature, and contains volatile oil, baicalin, glucose, trace alkaloids, and other components. It functions to tonify qi and enrich blood, moisten lungs and promote fluid production, strengthen primordial yang, and benefit heart and kidney functions. Known for its fine skin, white color, strong medicinal aroma, firm and soft texture, richly sweet taste, smooth melting when chewed, potent tonic effects, and similarity to ginseng, it is sweet and neutral in nature, primarily containing volatile oil, baicalein, glucose, trace alkaloids, and various other compounds. It helps tonify qi and enrich blood, moisten lungs and promote body fluids, strengthen primordial yang, and benefit heart and kidney functions. It is effective against spleen-lung qi deficiency, kidney yang insufficiency, middle qi deficiency, and anemia-related fatigue, and regular consumption can enhance lightness in movement and promote longevity. It enjoys excellent reputation and market presence in Southeast Asia. Around 3,000 acres are cultivated annually, yielding 25,000 kilograms of the herb.

　　 The perennial (3-year) natural Codonopsis produced by Chongqing Wushan Yunwu Tea Industry Development Co., Ltd. under the “Genyuan” brand grows at an altitude of 1,500 meters in the deep mountains of Wushan. It is known for its fine skin, white flesh, strong medicinal aroma, firm and soft texture, richly aromatic taste, and the ability to melt smoothly when chewed. With a sweet flavor and neutral nature, it contains volatile oil, baicalin, glucose, trace alkaloids, and other ingredients. It functions to tonify qi and enrich blood, moisten lungs and promote fluid production, strengthen primordial yang, and benefit heart and kidney functions. The “Genyuan” brand Codonopsis ranks among China’s four most famous types of Codonopsis, characterized by its rice-like color, pen-shaped form, chicken-skin texture, and chrysanthemum-heart core. Around 1830, Miaodang began to be developed as a commercial product. Between the late Ming and early Qing dynasties, it transitioned from wild harvesting to cultivation. Because it originates from Damiao in Wushan, it is called “Miaodang.” The 1995 edition of the “Chinese Pharmacopoeia” states: “Codonopsis has a sweet taste and functions to tonify middle qi deficiency and moisten lungs to relieve cough, especially the Miaodang from Wushan, which is considered the best.”

　　Usage: Take 5–15 grams and stew or steam it with chicken, fish, pigeon, or pig’s trotters. It can also be soaked in boiling water for drinking.