Baoshan Translucent Green Broad Beans

Baoshan Translucent Green Broad Beans

Baoshan Translucent Green Broad Beans are a product certified with a Geographical Indication for Agricultural Products.

　　    Baoshan Translucent Green Broad Beans are produced in Baoshan City, located in the western part of Yunnan Province. They have a long history of cultivation and processing. In the 1950s, the planting area covered at least 3,733.37 hectares. Before 1965, both the planting area and yield fluctuated significantly, ranging between 3,733.37 and 5,466.67 hectares, with total output between 1.5 and 4.5 million kilograms. From 1967 to 1985, the planting area became relatively stable, while both yield per unit area and total output increased year by year. In 1967, 4,848 hectares were planted, yielding 1,212.07 kilograms per hectare, for a total output of 5.8761 million kilograms. In 1985, 4,147.47 hectares were planted. Due to spring drought that year, the yield was 1,556.97 kilograms per hectare, resulting in a total output of 6.5475 million kilograms. The Translucent Green Broad Bean is the result of long-term natural selection under Baoshan’s unique geographical and climatic conditions, and cannot be replicated elsewhere. No similar products have been found or cultivated in other regions, making its distinctive advantages very prominent. It is the most representative traditional specialty snack of Baoshan. These beans are notable for their white seed coat and naturally emerald-green cotyledons (bean halves), along with a rich bean aroma and a sweet aftertaste. Their unique qualities stem from the combined effects of the local soil, water, fertilizer, light, air, and heat—conditions shaped by long-term natural selection—which prevent successful cultivation elsewhere. As a typical specialty agricultural product of Baoshan, they are locally referred to as “Translucent Green” or “Translucent Green Bean.” The origin of these beans includes 18 townships in Longyang District: Xiyi, Bingma, Wadu, Xinjie, Hanzhuang, Hetu, Banqiao, Jinqi, Wayao, Shuizhai, Pupiao, Mangkuan, Yangliu, Wafang, Wama, Lijiang, Lancheng, and Yongchang. In the past, these beans were traditionally pan-fried with fine sand in earthen pots by local street vendors and then peddled around town. They were a beloved local specialty and a well-known regional product across Yunnan Province. When people talked about Baoshan, many would associate it with Translucent Green Broad Beans. For visitors traveling to or conducting business in Baoshan, buying these beans became a top choice for gifts to take back home. With the progress of time, new opportunities arose for the development of Baoshan Translucent Green Broad Beans. After the 1990s, the Longyang District People’s Government supported many processing enterprises focused on these beans, adopting an industrialized operation model of “company + base + farmer,” thus forming a complete industrial chain covering planting, processing, and sales. Since then, the fame of Baoshan Translucent Green Broad Beans has spread far and wide, and they are now sold across the country. The planting area has expanded from the original 5,000 mu (approximately 333 hectares) to over 60,000 mu today. Product development has also grown—from a single producer to four, among which the “Tongxin Green Broad Beans” series produced by the renowned local enterprise Yunnan Baoshan Tongxin Food Co., Ltd. is especially famous. Highly favored by consumers, this product line has earned certification as a “Yunnan Famous Brand Agricultural Product” as well as China’s “Green Food” certification. Today, Baoshan Translucent Green Broad Beans have become a signature industry of Baoshan and a calling card for the region. They are documented in newly compiled works such as Chronicles of Baoshan, Annals of Baoshan City, and Selected Historical Materials of Baoshan City (Volume 1). In March 2011, the Daily Agriculture program on CCTV-7’s Military and Agricultural Channel also featured a special report on Baoshan Translucent Green Broad Beans.

　　    According to research, Baoshan Small Green Beans are a variant of broad beans. They exhibit a “white skin with green cotyledons” due to their rich content of anthocyanins, chlorophyll, and other alkaloids. Compared to regular broad beans, they are small and delicate—not only exquisitely shaped but also uniquely colored: before processing, the bean shells are clean and glossy white, while the cotyledons are entirely emerald green, literally “transparent to the core,” making them highly appealing. Hence, locals in Baoshan have vividly named them “Translucent Green.”

　　    This variety is rich in chlorophyll, potassium, iron, and various other minerals, offering high nutritional value for the human body. It thrives under the unique environmental conditions of Longyang District in Baoshan, making it a regional specialty. This type of broad bean contains higher levels of vitamins and other nutrients compared to common varieties, and boasts a uniquely pure, fragrant, and sweet taste. Small Green Beans are mainly distributed in some villages within townships such as Jinqi, Hetu, and Hanzhuang in the Baoshan Basin area, with an annual planting area of around 3,000 mu. The average yield is about 150 kilograms per mu, resulting in a total annual production of approximately 450 tons.

　　Baoshan Translucent Green Broad Beans

　　     Baoshan Translucent Green Broad Beans are produced in Baoshan City, located in the western part of Yunnan Province. They have a long history of cultivation and processing. In the 1950s, the planting area covered at least 3,733.37 hectares. Before 1965, both the planting area and yield fluctuated significantly, ranging between 3,733.37 and 5,466.67 hectares, with total output between 1.5 and 4.5 million kilograms. From 1967 to 1985, the planting area became relatively stable, while both yield per unit area and total output increased year by year. In 1967, 4,848 hectares were planted, yielding 1,212.07 kilograms per hectare, for a total output of 5.8761 million kilograms. In 1985, 4,147.47 hectares were planted. Due to spring drought that year, the yield was 1,556.97 kilograms per hectare, resulting in a total output of 6.5475 million kilograms. The Translucent Green Broad Bean is the result of long-term natural selection under Baoshan’s unique geographical and climatic conditions, and cannot be replicated elsewhere. No similar products have been found or cultivated in other regions, making its distinctive advantages very prominent. It is the most representative traditional specialty snack of Baoshan. These beans are notable for their white seed coat and naturally emerald-green cotyledons (bean halves), along with a rich bean aroma and a sweet aftertaste. Their unique qualities stem from the combined effects of the local soil, water, fertilizer, light, air, and heat—conditions shaped by long-term natural selection—which prevent successful cultivation elsewhere. As a typical specialty agricultural product of Baoshan, they are locally referred to as “Translucent Green” or “Translucent Green Bean.” The origin of these beans includes 18 townships in Longyang District: Xiyi, Bingma, Wadu, Xinjie, Hanzhuang, Hetu, Banqiao, Jinqi, Wayao, Shuizhai, Pupiao, Mangkuan, Yangliu, Wafang, Wama, Lijiang, Lancheng, and Yongchang. In the past, these beans were traditionally pan-fried with fine sand in earthen pots by local street vendors and then peddled around town. They were a beloved local specialty and a well-known regional product across Yunnan Province. When people talked about Baoshan, many would associate it with Translucent Green Broad Beans. For visitors traveling to or conducting business in Baoshan, buying these beans became a top choice for gifts to take back home. With the progress of time, new opportunities arose for the development of Baoshan Translucent Green Broad Beans. After the 1990s, the Longyang District People’s Government supported many processing enterprises focused on these beans, adopting an industrialized operation model of “company + base + farmer,” thus forming a complete industrial chain covering planting, processing, and sales. Since then, the fame of Baoshan Translucent Green Broad Beans has spread far and wide, and they are now sold across the country. The planting area has expanded from the original 5,000 mu (approximately 333 hectares) to over 60,000 mu today. Product development has also grown—from a single producer to four, among which the “Tongxin Green Broad Beans” series produced by the renowned local enterprise Yunnan Baoshan Tongxin Food Co., Ltd. is especially famous. Highly favored by consumers, this product line has earned certification as a “Yunnan Famous Brand Agricultural Product” as well as China’s “Green Food” certification. Today, Baoshan Translucent Green Broad Beans have become a signature industry of Baoshan and a calling card for the region. They are documented in newly compiled works such as Chronicles of Baoshan, Annals of Baoshan City, and Selected Historical Materials of Baoshan City (Volume 1). In March 2011, the Daily Agriculture program on CCTV-7’s Military and Agricultural Channel also featured a special report on Baoshan Translucent Green Broad Beans.