Zhonghua Chive Sprouts

Zhonghua Chive Sprouts

Zhonghua Chive Sprouts are a protected geographical indication product.

　　 Zhonghua Town is under the jurisdiction of Yuanba District, Guangyuan City, Sichuan Province. It is located along National Highway 108 at the confluence of the Jialing River, Bailong River, and Qingjiang River, with an average elevation of 510 meters. The area has a mid-subtropical humid monsoon climate, characterized by mild temperatures year-round, abundant sunlight, plentiful rainfall, and rich heat. The soil is loose, fertile, and rich in organic matter, making it the ideal environment for growing chive sprouts.

　　 According to historical records, chive sprouts originated in China and are grown throughout the country. The Book of Songs even contains the line “Offer lamb and chives as sacrifice.” Also known as “chive shoots,” “yellow chive shoots,” or “yellow chives,” and commonly referred to as “yellow leeks,” chive sprouts are produced by cultivating leeks in controlled light conditions that turn them yellow. When leeks are kept in complete darkness and deprived of sunlight, they cannot perform photosynthesis and thus do not produce chlorophyll, resulting in their yellow color—hence the name “chive sprouts.” Chive sprouts are rich in nutrients such as protein, fat, iron, carotene, and vitamin C, and offer benefits including improving digestion, refreshing the mind, reducing sweating, consolidating collapse, nourishing kidney yang, enhancing essence, and providing warmth. Both leeks and chive sprouts have unique qualities—leeks are good for the liver, while chive sprouts benefit the stomach. Moreover, chive sprouts boast superior color and taste, making them far more valuable than regular leeks.

　　 The production of Zhonghua Chive Sprouts can be traced back to the Three Kingdoms period. In 211 AD, Liu Bei, the founding emperor of Shu Han, led his troops to “station north in Jiameng (present-day Zhonghua)” and, rather than immediately attacking Lu, focused on winning the hearts of the people by bestowing generous favors. This marked the establishment of his base camp for the eventual campaign to conquer Chengdu and establish his imperial legacy. Both Liu Bei and his soldiers greatly enjoyed eating Zhonghua chive sprouts, considering them a “heaven-sent delicacy” and an “auspicious item.” Eating Zhonghua chive sprouts greatly stimulated Liu Bei’s appetite, and he always savored them with relish. He continuously encouraged his soldiers to grow chive sprouts in their spare time. Inspired by the non-“grass” radical “非” and the single stroke “一” in the character “韭” (chive), Liu Bei strengthened his resolve to eliminate the warlords (who were not of the legitimate Liu family of the Han dynasty) and restore the unity of the Han empire. Additionally, associating the homophone “jiu” (久, meaning long-lasting) with the character “韭,” in 217 AD he personally renamed Jiameng County to Hanzhou County, symbolizing the birth of the Shu Han regime in Zhonghua and expressing his hope that the restoration of the Han dynasty would last forever. After ascending the throne in 221 AD, Liu Bei never forgot about Zhonghua chive sprouts and frequently ordered them to be delivered from Zhonghua to Chengdu. In 252 AD, Jiang Wei, the Grand General and Director of the Imperial Secretariat of Shu Han, was appointed by imperial decree to “establish his administration in Hanzhou (present-day Zhonghua)” to oversee military and political affairs of Shu Han, making Zhonghua the command center for resisting Wei forces. During his stay in Zhonghua, Jiang Wei developed a particular fondness for Zhonghua chive sprouts, treating them as a delicacy and often enjoying them as an accompaniment to wine. The sprouts even cured Jiang Wei’s chronic stomach ailment that had plagued him for years, which many found miraculous. At that time, very few local farmers grew chive sprouts, so during planting season, Jiang Wei ordered his guards to cultivate them in the open spaces around the military camps to ensure a steady supply for himself and his officials.

　　 By the Tang Dynasty, the production of Zhonghua chive sprouts had expanded. Zhonghua (then known as Yichang County) was the birthplace of Yang, the birth mother of Empress Wu Zetian, and Guangyuan was the birthplace of Wu Zetian herself. Wu Zetian’s father, Wu Shihuo, once served as the Prefect of Lizhou (present-day Guangyuan), and the entire family loved eating Zhonghua chive sprouts. During her pregnancy, Wu Zetian’s mother, Lady Yang, ate Zhonghua chive sprouts almost daily. These sprouts were especially known for their beauty-enhancing and longevity-promoting properties. Having consumed Zhonghua chive sprouts since childhood, Wu Zetian grew up to be a peerless beauty. Her mother, Lady Yang, who had a lifelong passion for the sprouts, lived to the remarkable age of 92, setting a longevity record. After becoming empress, Wu Zetian ordered that Zhonghua chive sprouts be sent to the imperial palace every year, and they thus became a tribute item, referred to as “Tribute Chives” (also called “Tribute Yellow”). As a result, Zhonghua chive sprouts gained immense favor among the royal family and high-ranking court officials, becoming their preferred delicacy. In her later years, Wu Zetian also derived profound life lessons from the characters “韭黄” (chive sprouts). Breaking down the character “韭,” she took the non-“grass” radical “非” to signify “all things are empty,” and the single stroke “一” to mean “all returns to one.” She concluded that no emperor rules forever, but the earth and the people who toil upon it endure. This inspired her to create the legendary character “曌” (Zhao), symbolizing “the eternal moon shining in the sky,” implying that only nature endures, and everything must stand the test of time and history. She also ordered the construction of her own wordless tombstone after death, leaving generations to ponder its meaning.

　　 Zhonghua chive sprouts are “tender yellow in color and crisp and delicious.” Emperor Xuanzong of Tang, Li Longji, once passed through Zhonghua. The first time he tasted Zhonghua chive sprouts, he was amazed by their exceptional flavor and bestowed upon them the title “Tribute Yellow.” From then on, Zhonghua chive sprouts began to flourish in production.

　　 Successive county magistrates of Zhonghua during the Qing Dynasty placed great emphasis on the production of Zhonghua chive sprouts. The cultivation techniques steadily improved, and the planting area expanded significantly. Zeng Fengji, the renowned “Silkworm and Mulberry Magistrate” of the Qing Dynasty, not only actively encouraged the populace to plant mulberry trees and raise silkworms but also implemented various measures to promote the production of Zhonghua chive sprouts. This increased the income of local residents and allowed more traveling merchants to enjoy the famous Zhonghua chive sprouts.

　　 Grown under unique natural conditions of moderate temperature, pleasant climate, and fertile soil, Zhonghua chive sprouts are cultivated and processed using distinctive traditional methods, earning them an outstanding reputation both within the province and overseas. Rich in nutrients, Zhonghua chive sprouts contain large amounts of vitamins, trace elements, and amino acids beneficial to health. There are various ways to process and consume Zhonghua chive sprouts, but they are mainly used for stir-frying or making dumplings. With their bright color, pleasant texture, rich aroma, and unique efficacy, Zhonghua chive sprouts are a warming and yang-tonifying food that nourishes the liver and kidneys, regulates qi in the middle burner, disperses blood stasis, detoxifies, provides warmth, and aids digestion. They are suitable for general consumption, and chive sprouts from other regions are hard to compare with them.

　　 Through long-term cultivation, the people of Zhonghua have organically integrated the unique qualities of chive sprouts with modern pastoral life. In 2002, Zhonghua chive sprouts were recognized as one of the first national pollution-free agricultural products, and in 2006, a standardized chive sprout production base was successfully established in Sichuan Province. Every spring and autumn, Zhonghua chive sprouts become a beautiful sight, fragrant and delightful. During the annual Ancient City of Zhonghua Three Kingdoms Cultural Tourism Festival, Zhonghua chive sprouts are served as a sumptuous delicacy at banquets, delighting domestic and international visitors with their taste and leaving them full of praise.