Xuanhan Peach Blossom Rice

Xuanhan Peach Blossom Rice

Xuanhan Peach Blossom Rice is a product with geographical indication.

　　Peach Blossom Rice, also known as "Fragrant Rice" or "Tribute Rice," is produced in Peach Blossom Township, Xuanhan. This variety of rice is a hardy, long-grain indica type, with large and uniform grains that are white with a slight bluish tint. When cooked, the rice remains firm and does not break apart, taking on an oily sheen and rich sticky texture. It boasts a fragrant, moist taste and is of exceptionally high quality.

　　Peach Blossom Rice has a long history. Legend has it that since the time of Empress Wu Zetian in the Tang Dynasty, local officials in Sichuan would present the finest Peach Blossom Rice to the emperor every year, hence its title as "Tribute Rice." In 1963, it was showcased at the National Agricultural Expo and rated as one of China’s “Famous and Premium Rices,” being included in the book *National Directory of Fine Crop Varieties*. In 1977, Peach Blossom Rice was exhibited at the Canton Fair and gained popularity among both domestic and international customers. Now regarded as one of the premium-quality rice varieties with regional characteristics from Sichuan, it has been listed as a key development project for high-quality agricultural products in the province.

　　Geographical Scope

　　Xuanhan County, under the jurisdiction of Dazhou City in Sichuan Province, is located on the southern slopes of the Daba Mountains in eastern Sichuan. Its geographical coordinates are between 107°23′–108°33′ east longitude and 31°07′–31°28′ north latitude, with an elevation ranging from 670 to 1140 meters. The county spans 110.6 km from east to west and 78.8 km from north to south. Peach Blossom Rice is cultivated across 32 townships in Xuanhan County, including Peach Blossom Township, Fengcheng Town, Guanshan Township, Nanping Township, Fenglin Township, Laojun Township, Nanba Town, Tiantai Township, Wubao Town, Huajing Town, Baima Township, Tuhuang Town, Qibei Township, Fanxian Town, Sandun Township, Longquan Township, Dukou Township, Qishu Township, Huangjin Town, Changxi Township, Xinhua Town, Xiaba Township, Huangshi Township, Sanhe Township, Qingxi Town, Hongfeng Township, Fengming Township, Liuchi Township, Qingyun Township, Madu Township, Aikou Township, and Shitie Township.

　　Natural Ecological Environment and Humanistic Historical Factors

　　(1) Soil and Topography: Xuanhan County features mid-level and low mountainous terrain of the Daba Mountains, with some areas belonging to the low mountains and hills of eastern Sichuan. The landscape is primarily composed of low mountains and mid-level hills. The soils used for rice cultivation mainly include paddy soil, alluvial soil, and purple soil, which are slightly alkaline with good soil structure and organic matter content ranging from 0.5% to 4%. These soils are also rich in selenium.

　　(2) Hydrology: Xuanhan County is one of the sources of the Qu River. There are four major rivers within the county: Fen Zhou River, Qian River, Zhong River, and Hou River, along with hundreds of tributaries and streams that flow through all 54 townships. The county has one medium-sized reservoir, eight small (Type I) reservoirs, 75 small (Type II) reservoirs, 9,521 ponds, 15,522 water storage tanks, 2,220 irrigation channels, 405 stone river weirs, 266 fixed electromechanical pumping stations, with a total water supply capacity (through pumping, diversion, and storage) reaching 135.26 million cubic meters, of which 126.10 million cubic meters are effectively used. These resources irrigate 480,000 mu of paddy fields.

　　The irrigation of paddy fields in the county relies on rivers, reservoirs, ponds, and other water conservancy facilities.

　　(3) Climate: The rice-growing region of Xuanhan Peach Blossom Rice experiences no severe cold in winter and no extreme heat in summer. It enjoys abundant sunshine and plentiful rainfall, with precipitation concentrated between April and October. Rainfall and heat occur in the same season, and sunlight and temperature are synchronized, showing distinct seasonal variations. This area features a typical mid-subtropical humid monsoon climate, which is highly conducive to rice production. The annual sunshine duration ranges from 1,386.7 to 1,789 hours, with an average annual temperature of 15.9–17.3°C. During the rice-growing season (March to September), the monthly average temperature is 20.4–21.1°C, and the hottest month (July) averages around 26°C, with significant daily temperature fluctuations. The accumulated temperature where the daily average temperature stays above 10°C in the rice-growing region is 5,250°C, beginning in mid-to-late March and ending in early November, spanning 238–259 days. The frost-free period lasts about 210 days. The county receives an average annual precipitation of 1,213.5 mm, with a maximum of 1,593.7 mm, and most years exceed 1,025 mm. Precipitation is mostly concentrated between April and October, with monthly rainfall exceeding 100 mm. Summer sees heavy rainfall, while winter is relatively dry, with spring and autumn rainfall levels being similar. This rainfall pattern is highly suitable for rice growth and cultivation. The total annual solar radiation in the rice-growing region is 96.62 kcal/cm², with the ≥10°C period accounting for 77.94 kcal/cm², or 80.7% of the annual total, which is favorable for the production of main-season crops and makes it a typical premium rice-growing area. Based on the optimal climatic and ecological conditions for high-quality rice grain filling, the daily average temperature during the rice grain filling stage in the region is between 20–26°C, with an average sunshine duration of over 8 hours. From July to September, the average solar radiation is 11.5 kcal/cm², relative humidity is 65%–70%, making it one of the most suitable regions for rice production. Thanks to its unique growing environment, Xuanhan Peach Blossom Rice has developed its exceptional qualities.

　　(4) Humanistic and Historical Background: Rice is the main crop in Xuanhan County, with a long planting history and superior natural conditions. Within the national rice ecological zoning, it is classified as a premium rice ecological zone, enjoying a distinct locational advantage in eastern Sichuan. Xuanhan is the birthplace of the ancient Ba people. Archaeological evidence confirms that people have lived and worked here for over 3,000 years, making it an ancient rice-growing region. To this day, the rice planting area in Xuanhan County remains stable at over 500,000 mu, with Xuanhan Peach Blossom Rice standing out as particularly renowned.

　　Legend has it that as early as the Kaiyuan era of the Tang Dynasty, the rice from Liujiagou Village in Peach Blossom Township, Xuanhan County, was already famous and served as tribute rice to the emperor, thus gaining widespread renown. During the Tang Dynasty, the great poet Yuan Zhen, while serving as prefect of Dazhou Prefecture, often went on spring outings in the third lunar month. One year, as he sailed up the Zhou River to Xuanhan County and reached the Ting River (now Donglin River), locals presented him with rice from Liujiagou. Upon seeing the rice—its polished grains resembling peach blossoms, moist and plump, with slender, elegant shapes—he noticed that when cooked, the rice was snow-white and shiny, sweet and delicious, with the ends fluffing up and the middle remaining firm, resembling tiny peach blossoms, truly a beautiful sight.

　　After savoring the rice, Yuan Zhen was full of praise and wrote a poem in its honor: “Moored by the Ting River, the sand glows as the sun sets, amid flowers, grass, and peach blossom rice. A long song echoes as the mist clears, and green waves and clear ripples beckon me back.” Thus, Xuanhan Peach Blossom Rice became famous throughout the land.

　　Since the time of Empress Wu Zetian in the Tang Dynasty, local officials in Sichuan would annually present the finest Xuanhan Peach Blossom Rice to the emperor, making it a royal tribute and earning it the title “Tribute Rice.” By the Ming and Qing dynasties, Peach Blossom Rice had even become a form of bribery used by local elites to seek high office and wealth. During the Jiaqing era of the Qing Dynasty, Luo Siju, a local gentry member from Xuanhan County, secured the position of military commander by offering two sheng (a traditional unit of volume) of Xuanhan Peach Blossom Rice to Emperor Jiaqing. In the 28th year of the Republic of China (1939), Huang Baixuan, a local gentry from Xuanhan, carried a basket of Peach Blossom Rice to Chongqing and personally presented it to Chiang Kai-shek. Pleased with the gift, Chiang appointed Huang as the magistrate of Xuanhan County.

　　In 1957, Xuanhan Peach Blossom Rice was sent to Beijing to participate in the First National Agricultural Expo, where it won second place in the rice category. In 1962, it was included in the *National Directory of Fine Crop Varieties*. In 1963, it was exhibited at the National Agricultural Expo and rated as one of China’s “Famous and Premium Rices,” subsequently listed in the *National Directory of Fine Crop Varieties*. In 1965, it was featured as a premium rice at the National Agricultural Exhibition. In 1977, it gained popularity among international and domestic customers at the Canton Fair. It is now listed as a key development project for high-quality agricultural products in the province.

　　Xuanhan Peach Blossom Rice is of premium quality and holds strong market competitiveness. In 2001, to further develop this industry, with support from the county party committee and government, the Xuanhan Peach Blossom Rice Industry Co., Ltd. was established. It adopted a “company + farmer + base” production model, with the company as the leading force, farmers as the foundation, jointly building production and sales bases for Xuanhan Peach Blossom Rice to promote its industrialization. In 2001 alone, the company purchased 8,000 tons of Xuanhan Peach Blossom Rice from farmers, equivalent to the total production of the previous five years. Through the successful “company + farmer + base” model, remarkable results were achieved, rapidly increasing the influence of “Xuanhan Peach Blossom Rice” in the domestic commodity grain market. In 2001 and 2003, at the “Sichuan High-Quality Rice and Grain Products Exhibition and Trade Fair” and the Xi’an “Western China Fair,” the “Fengtao” brand series of Xuanhan Peach Blossom Rice produced by Xuanhan Peach Blossom Rice Industry Co., Ltd. were awarded “Most Favorite Consumer Product” and received the Gold Award at the “Sichuan Industrial Products Expo.” Xuanhan Peach Blossom Rice was also certified as a green food product. By 2008, the sales of Xuanhan Peach Blossom Rice had increased the average annual income of local rice farmers by over 1,000 yuan, generating significant economic and social benefits and making outstanding contributions to the construction of new rural areas. The industrial development prospects for Xuanhan Peach Blossom Rice are promising.