Wangjia Tribute Rice

Wangjia Tribute Rice

Wangjia Tribute Rice is a protected geographical indication product.

　　Wangjia Tribute Rice is a specialty of Zhaohua District, Guangyuan City, Sichuan Province.

　　In the 1960s and 1970s, Wangjia Town was one of the major grain-producing areas in Guangyuan, and at that time, Wangjia rice had already gained a strong reputation.

　　 Wangjia rice is renowned for its fragrant, sweet taste and soft texture, largely due to the local natural climate. Located at the southern end of the Da'nan Mountain, Wangjia Town lies in a mid-to-low mountainous and hilly area, with an average elevation of 800 meters and annual rainfall of about 800–1200 mm. It enjoys ample sunshine, and the soil in the region is mostly sticky yellow clay, which has excellent water retention capabilities. It is this unique combination of land, water, and climate that produces Wangjia rice with its distinctive taste.

　　 Wangjia rice is also known as tribute rice. But where does this title of "tribute rice" come from?

　　 Afternoon sunlight slants through the window, casting light and shadow across the floor of the small room. Tan Junyuan, a 63-year-old man, sips his tea as he recounts to a reporter what he knows about the origins of the tribute rice.

　　 Legend has it that during the Guangxu period of the Qing Dynasty, the excellent taste of Wangjia rice was widely praised among the people, and it was offered as a local specialty to the imperial court by local officials. The rice, which looked crystal clear and plump and tasted fragrant and glutinous, was deeply loved by the royal family and nobility. For a time, it was listed as imperial tribute rice, hence the name Wangjia Tribute Rice. Moreover, because Wangjiaba (now Wangjia Town) was located at the junction of Wangcang, Cangxi, and Guangyuan counties, with heavy foot traffic and frequent trade, it served as a commercial hub at the time. This further enhanced the fame of Wangjia Tribute Rice.

　　 "There used to be a song, 'The best rice comes from Golden Hat Mountain, and the most beautiful women come from Yangping Pass,' which is still sung to this day!" The Golden Hat Mountain mentioned in the folk song spans what are now Wen Village, Motan, Wangjia, and Jinxian townships (or towns), extending all the way to the former Jieguanting (now demolished) at the foot of Nanshan Mountain in Guangyuan City. Among these, the section involving Wangjia Town is the most extensive, covering approximately two thousand meters within the town’s jurisdiction, corresponding to the area now occupied by Group 5 of Jinxing Village in the town.

　　 "When I was a child, adults would cook porridge with Wangjia rice at home, and I could smell its rich fragrance even before entering the house," Tan Junyuan reminisced with emotion. "I was born in Jinxing Village—I'm a native of Wangjia. I've eaten Wangjia rice my whole life; I just can't get used to any other kind!"

　　 Since the reform and opening-up, rice shops throughout Guangyuan City have been promoting Wangjia rice to attract customers and fetch better prices. To this day, Wangjia rice is

　　 considered an excellent gift choice, with many people from outside the area ordering it during holidays to send to relatives and friends.

　　Wangjia Tribute Rice

　　Administrative regions currently under the jurisdiction of Wangjia Town, Motan Town, Bailin Gou Town, Jinxian Township, Wen Village Township, Qingshui Township, and Weizi Town in Zhaohua District, Guangyuan City, Sichuan Province

　　"Letter from the People's Government of Zhaohua District, Guangyuan City, on Defining the Geographic Indication Product Protection Area of 'Wangjia Tribute Rice'," Zhao Fu Han [2014] No. 84

　　Sichuan Regional Local Standard: DB510811/T12—2015 "Production Technical Specifications for Wangjia Tribute Rice"