Laojun Shiitake Mushrooms

Laojun Shiitake Mushrooms

Laojun Shiitake Mushrooms are a product certified with a geographical indication.

　　Xuanhan County is located at the southern foot of the Daba Mountains in the northeast of the Sichuan Basin. It was established in the 8th year of Emperor He of the Eastern Han Dynasty, boasting a history of over 1,900 years. As the ancestral homeland of the Ba people, the region is rich in culture and natural resources. Within Laojun Township of Xuanhan County lies a massive rock, anciently known as “Laojun Rock.” Legend has it that Laozi, the Supreme Taoist Patriarch, once traveled here and turned the rock into an alchemy furnace—hence the name of the township. Shiitake cultivation in Laojun Township dates back to the Qing Dynasty (as recorded in the Xuanhan County Annals). The area is abundant in forest resources, and large-scale bag cultivation using sawdust began in the 1980s. The rich supply of Quercus aliena wood ensures high-quality raw materials for Laojun Shiitake production. The resulting mushrooms are large and round, with thick flesh, short stems, tender and crispy texture, and a rich aroma. Since 2007, the county has widely promoted standardized production, regulated management, industrialized operations, and branded marketing of Laojun Shiitake Mushrooms. The “Laojun Gu” brand was registered, and multiple standardized shiitake production demonstration bases were established in Laojun, Dishui, Fangdou, Jianbao, and Yihé. Within these bases, bag cultivation using Quercus aliena sawdust and corn cobs was promoted, and a series of Laojun Shiitake products—including dried mushrooms, canned mushrooms, and mushroom sauces—were developed. These products are sold across Beijing, Shanghai, Zhejiang, and Guangzhou, and exported to Japan and South Korea, generating approximately two million USD in foreign exchange. From 2008 to 2010, the products were showcased at agricultural product exhibitions in Beijing, Chongqing, and Chengdu, winning widespread consumer acclaim and earning the title of “Best-Selling Product” at the Western China International Agricultural Products Trade Fair.

　　Geographical Scope

　　The protected production area for Laojun Shiitake Mushrooms covers 497 villages across 54 townships in Xuanhan County, including Laojun, Tuzhu, Puguang, Huangjin, Changxi, Xinhua, Shitie, Shuanghe, Dacheng, Hujia, Maoba, Liuchi, Juntang, Hongling, Mingyue, Dongxiang, Xiaba, Bajiao, Nanba, Fengcheng, Taohua, Tiansheng, Qili, Baishu, Baibao, Tiantai, Chah河, Tah河, FanKuai, Sandun, Qishu, Dukou, and Qingyun. The geographical coordinates are: 107°22′30″ to 108°32′21″ east longitude, and 31°07′39″ to 31°49′03″ north latitude. The protected area spans 427,100 hectares, with an annual production of 4,800 tons of fresh mushrooms.

　　Product Quality Characteristics

　　(1) External Sensory Characteristics: Laojun Shiitake Mushrooms are large and round, with thick flesh, short stems, tender and crispy texture, and a rich aroma. (2) Internal Quality Indicators: Laojun Shiitake Mushrooms are highly nutritious, rich in protein, amino acids, calcium, and trace amounts of selenium, with a protein content of ≥3%. (3) Quality and Safety Standards: Spawn production follows NY/T 528 “Technical Regulations for the Production of Edible Fungus Spawn.” The production environment complies with NY 5358 “Environmental Requirements for Pollution-Free Edible Fungus Production.” Cultivation substrates meet NY 5099 “Safety Technical Requirements for Edible Fungus Cultivation Substrates.” Production management adheres to NY/T 5333 “Technical Specifications for Pollution-Free Edible Fungus Production,” and product quality meets the standards of NY 5095 “Pollution-Free Edible Fungi.”