Miyi Yam

Miyi Yam

Miyi Yam is a protected geographical indication agricultural product.

　　Miyi Yam is a specialty of Miyi County, Panzhihua City, Sichuan Province. With its white, glutinous flesh, rich nutrition, and high edible and medicinal value, Miyi Yam enjoys great renown across China. It is a nationally protected geographical indication agricultural product.

　　Miyi Yam is one of the distinctive vegetable agricultural products of Miyi County. As early as the Qing Dynasty, when yams were in season, people often went into the forests of Miyi County to dig up wild yams for food. According to the "Miyi County Annals": “Since the Republic of China, the cultivation of yams has gradually increased, with those from Binggu and Yakou gaining fame and being listed as specialty vegetables of the county.” From the 1960s to the 1980s, the county continuously screened and trial-planted various wild yam varieties and newly introduced ones. During this period, yam cultivation gradually scaled up in towns such as Binggu, Yakou, and Caochang. By the late 1990s, with the advancement of mechanization and improvements in planting techniques, the development of yams entered a fast track—planting areas rapidly expanded and yields per unit area further increased. Thanks to the county’s dry-hot valley climate—characterized by abundant sunlight and large diurnal temperature variations—the produced yams are high-yielding and high-quality. In recent years, the main variety, Huazi Yam, has shown high yield and excellent quality, with higher levels of starch, protein, mucilage, and polysaccharides compared to the same variety grown in other regions. In May 2011, Miyi Yam received the “Pollution-Free Agricultural Product Certification” from the Ministry of Agriculture, with production areas including Binggu Town, Salian Town, Yakou Town, Panlian Town, and others in Miyi County, yielding 60,000 tons annually. Miyi Yam possesses unique nutritional and health benefits; it serves both as food and medicine. According to "Compendium of Materia Medica", yam is neutral in nature, sweet in taste, non-toxic, and beneficial for kidney qi, bone strength, spleen and stomach health, diarrhea control, and skin moisture. It is considered an excellent health food and traditional Chinese medicinal material. China has a thousand-year history of consuming yam, which has long been praised as a superior tonic for deficiency. In addition to being rich in starch, protein, polysaccharides, inorganic salts, and various vitamins, Miyi Yam also contains a large amount of dietary fiber, choline, mucilage, and essential amino acids. Its most significant feature is providing the human body with ample mucoprotein, which has special health benefits—helping prevent fat deposits in the cardiovascular system, delaying the early onset of arteriosclerosis, reducing subcutaneous fat accumulation to avoid obesity, and keeping the digestive tract, respiratory tract, and joint cavities well-lubricated. Yam is undoubtedly a nutritious supplement for those suffering from physical weakness, fatigue, poor appetite, indigestion, consumptive cough, diabetes, and more. As noted in the "Shennong's Classic of Materia Medica": long-term consumption of yam can prolong life, and stewing it with chicken enhances its health benefits. Since the large-scale planting of Miyi Yam, it has become a common dish on local family dining tables, especially “Yam Stewed Chicken,” which has become one of the signature dishes in Miyi restaurants used to entertain guests from afar. Additionally, the Miyi Copper Hotpot boasts a millennia-old culinary culture. Some say eating Miyi Copper Hotpot is about savoring a culture and appreciating an emotion. The selection of ingredients, preparation, and assembly of the hotpot all have unique characteristics, among which Miyi Yam is an indispensable ingredient. Without Miyi Yam, a Miyi Copper Hotpot loses its distinctiveness. Historical records indicate that the mountains spanning Panxi—including Luojishan, Niuxueshan, Longzhoushan, Jinpingshan, and Bailinshan—are towering and steep, with cliffs thousands of feet high. The Yalong River, Anning River, and their tributaries meander through the rugged landscape. With high mountains, deep valleys, solemn forests, and cold streams, the region experiences four seasons on one mountain and varying climates within ten miles, resulting in diverse species and forming a natural treasure trove of ingredients. Today’s Panxi region was the birthplace and endpoint of the ancient rebellion of the Four Southern Prefectures. On Fangshan Mountain at the border between Panzhihua and Yongren County in Yunnan, there are remnants of the Zhuge Camp. In Huimin Township of Yanbian County, Panzhihua City, and in BaiPo Township and MaLong Township of Miyi County, there are so-called “Arrow-Shooting Rocks” believed to be where Zhuge Liang shot arrows into cliffs during his southern campaign. So-called “Kongming Arrows” are still said to remain. Legend says that when Zhuge Liang campaigned southward into the Zuo territory, the rebels hid in dense forests, shouting but were nowhere to be found. Zhuge then ordered Zhao Yun to awe the local tribespeople with his extraordinary martial prowess. Upon command, Zhao Zilong (Zhao Yun) drew his bow and shot an arrow that made a loud noise as it struck the cliff. Instantly, the mountain shook and birds scattered. The tribal leader was intimidated, repeatedly shouting “divine arrow,” and quickly led the rebels out of the forest to surrender. They also offered wild game as a token of submission. Zhuge Liang was delighted and instructed the army cooks to prepare a feast. Before long, the wine and dishes were served—the wine was fragrant mountain pear wine, and there were three dishes, all featuring wild pheasant offered by the tribal leader, but with different accompaniments: bird’s nest, bamboo shoots, and yam, respectively, all stewed in a wide-brimmed military pot known as a copper pot (a type of bronze hotpot). The inviting aroma made the tribal leader salivate. When the three pots were served, Zhuge pointed to them and laughed: “This humble official is merely borrowing flowers to offer Buddha. The chicken is the wild one you offered, the dishes consist of the rock bird’s nest shot down by General Zhao and the bamboo shoots and yam gathered by our army cooks.” He then asked, “What is the name of this mountain?” The tribal leader replied, “Bailinshan!” After hearing this, Zhuge clapped in praise: “Bailinshan is truly a treasure mountain. How blessed you are to guard such a treasure mountain—why stir up trouble? The tribal leader, feeling ashamed, swore never to be misled again and to remain forever loyal subjects of Shu Han. At the end of the banquet, they pleaded with the Chancellor to teach them the cooking method. Since then, these three dishes have spread and become generations-long famous dishes in the Qiong and Zuo regions. Miyi Yam, with its white, glutinous flesh, rich nutrition, and high edible and medicinal value, not only meets local urban demand but is also sold to Chengdu, Chongqing, Yunnan, and other areas. It enjoys considerable fame within the province and is highly favored by consumers. Numerous internet platforms and media outlets, including China Panzhihua Agricultural Information Network, Sichuan Agricultural Economy Network, Food Business Network, Agricultural Internet, Panzhihua Daily, Sichuan Rural Daily, and Panzhihua Public Information Network, have reported on Miyi Yam, prompting businesses and merchants in surrounding areas to compete for purchases. In recent years, the People’s Government of Miyi County has focused on Miyi Yam as a key specialty agriculture product. The yam is now moving toward industrialization, intensification, and large-scale production. Yield and efficiency continue to improve, making it one of the important sources of income growth and prosperity for local farmers.

　　Miyi County boasts uniquely superior natural ecological conditions, with abundant sunlight, plentiful rainfall, warm winters, and cool summers. It is a natural “earth greenhouse” and a rare low-latitude, high-altitude tropical crop zone in China. The vegetables produced here are characterized by “early market availability, high yield per unit, excellent quality, and good economic returns.”

　　Miyi Yam has white, glutinous flesh, is rich in nutrition, and has high edible and medicinal value, enjoying great renown across China.

　　Miyi Yam has a long history. From the 1960s to the 1980s, the county continuously screened and trial-planted wild yams and newly introduced varieties. Currently, yam cultivation has gradually scaled up throughout the county. In 2012, the county’s yam planting area exceeded 10,000 mu (approximately 667 hectares), with an average yield of 13,000–15,000 yuan per mu, making it a major vegetable product for increasing farmers’ incomes.

　　In 2013, the application for “Miyi Yam” submitted by the Miyi County Agricultural Technology Extension Station passed the review of the Agricultural Product Quality and Safety Center of the Ministry of Agriculture and expert evaluation, and it was designated for national geographical indication registration and protection.

　　Geographic Scope

　　The geographic protection area for the Miyi Yam geographical indication agricultural product includes 12 townships (towns) in Miyi County: Deshi Town, Yakou Town, Binggu Town, Salian Town, Panlian Town, Xinshan Township, Baima Town, Caochang Township, Wanqiu Yi Ethnic Township, Puwei Town, Malong Township, and Bapo Township, covering 88 villages. Miyi County is located at the southwestern corner of Sichuan Province and the northeastern part of Panzhihua City. Its geographical coordinates are longitude 101°44′–102°15′ and latitude 26°40′–27°10′. It borders Huili County to the east, Yanbian County to the west, Dechang County to the north, and both Yanbian County and Huili County to the south. The protected area spans 16,539 hectares, with an annual yield of 30,000 tons.