Hanyuan Prickly Ash

Hanyuan Prickly Ash

Hanyuan Prickly Ash is a geographical indication protected product.

Hanyuan Prickly Ash is a geographical indication certification trademark.

　　With a long history, it was listed as a tribute in the Tang Dynasty, hence the name "Tribute Pepper." Known for its crimson color, large size, rich oil content, strong aroma, and pleasantly numbing and refreshing taste, it sells well both within and outside the province. The "Lijiang Brand" prickly ash oil, refined from fresh peppers, won the title of Provincial Quality Product in 1984 and has been widely favored by consumers.

　　Hanyuan County enjoys the reputation of being the "Hometown of Chinese Prickly Ash," and it boasts a long history and splendid culture. Located in the southwestern mountainous region of Sichuan Province and in the southern part of the Ya'an area, the county comprises 6 districts, 8 towns, 32 townships, 255 villages, and 1,851 villager groups, with a total population of 350,000. It is home to 17 ethnic groups, including Han, Yi, Tibetan, and Hui, among which ethnic minorities make up 10% of the population. It is a shining pearl on the Chengdu Economic Circle and the Panxi Economic Belt. With a unique climate and abundant resources, the county has strong potential for economic development. The "Fulin Culture" and "Lion Mountain Culture" are renowned both at home and abroad; the "Southern Silk Road" and the "Ancient Tea Horse Road" are famous throughout history.

　　 Hanyuan Prickly Ash ranks the highest in quality nationwide. Legend has it that during the Tang Dynasty, the monk Xuanzang, on his return journey from obtaining Buddhist scriptures in the West, stayed overnight in Hanyuan County where his celestial staff transformed into this pepper. Named "Qing Pepper" after its place of origin, Qingxi County (now Hanyuan County), it is also commonly known as "Baby Pepper" because each pepper fruit bears 1–3 small, pure-fleshed seeds. From the first year of the Yuanshi era (84 AD) during the reign of Emperor Zhang of the Western Han Dynasty, Hanyuan Prickly Ash was chosen as a royal court tribute, a status it held until 1903 (the 29th year of the Guangxu reign in the Qing Dynasty), spanning over 1,800 years. It has long been known as China’s famous "Hometown of Prickly Ash." The cultivated varieties of Hanyuan Prickly Ash mainly include Qing Pepper, Zhenglu Pepper, Dahongpao, Gaojiao Huang, and Zhuyezhong. Among these, Qing Pepper is the highest in quality and the principal variety grown in the county, followed by Zhenglu Pepper and Dahongpao. Gaojiao Huang and Zhuyezhong are semi-wild or wild varieties—the former is primarily used as an ideal condiment for pairing with beef and mutton, while the latter serves as rootstock for grafting high-quality prickly ash. With a long history, it was listed as a tribute in the Tang Dynasty, hence the name "Tribute Pepper." Known for its crimson color, large size, rich oil content, strong aroma, and pleasantly numbing and refreshing taste, it sells well both within and outside the province. The "Lijiang Brand" prickly ash oil, refined from fresh peppers, won the title of Provincial Quality Product in 1984 and has been widely favored by consumers. By 1999, the county's total prickly ash cultivation area reached 100,000 mu, with 32.8 million plants, yielding 895 tons and generating income of over 35 million yuan, making it one of the main sources of diversified income for farmers in the pepper-growing regions.

　　 Prickly ash is a thorny shrub or small tree belonging to the Rutaceae family. It has odd-pinnate compound leaves with crenate edges and transparent glandular dots. It blooms in summer, producing small flowers in corymbs or short panicles. The fruit is red, and the seed is black. The fruit is the prickly ash itself, containing volatile oil, with a hot nature and a pungent, aromatic flavor.

　　 Prickly ash is an important seasoning in cooking, primarily used in preparing meats. It is also commonly used in making salt-and-pepper peanuts, salt-and-pepper beans, and Chinese-style salt-and-pepper pastries. Additionally, it is a common ingredient in formulating other seasonings.

　　 Due to factors such as water, soil, and climate, Hanyuan Prickly Ash differs most noticeably from those produced in other regions of China in that each pepper has one or two smaller peppers attached to its back, hence it is called "Mother-and-Son Pepper" or "Baby Pepper." Enjoying a thousand-year reputation, it is hailed as a unique delicacy of Bashu. From the Tang and Song dynasties through the Ming and Qing periods, Hanyuan Prickly Ash was always served as a "tribute." In today’s era of applying science and technology to invigorate agriculture, researchers have endowed this traditional premium product, Hanyuan Tribute Pepper, with new technological significance. Its quality has continually improved, and production has expanded year by year. Currently, the total planting area of Hanyuan Prickly Ash has grown to over 60,000 mu, with an annual yield of more than 600 tons, and it sells well in both domestic and international markets.