Funing Star Anise

Funing Star Anise

Funing Star Anise is a geographical indication certification trademark.

Funing Star Anise is a geographical indication agricultural product.

　　Star anise, commonly known as "da liao" (big spice) in northern China, is an evergreen broad-leaved tree. Its fruits, leaves, and branches are all highly valuable, earning it the nickname "money tree" among Funing farmers. The dried fruits and leaves of star anise are primarily used as spices, chemical raw materials, and in medicine. They serve as key ingredients in cough medicines, the synthetic anti-cancer drug "Pieronosaron," and the female hormone hexestrol. They are also essential flavoring agents in high-end perfumes, soaps, beverages, food, tobacco, toothpaste, and cosmetics, making them extremely versatile and highly sought after in the international market. Funing has a history of over 700 years cultivating star anise, with large-scale planting dating back to the Qianlong era of the Qing Dynasty. Over time, cultivation has been consolidated and expanded, now covering 350,000 mu (approximately 23,333 hectares) with an annual output of 7 million kilograms of dried star anise fruits. Both the planting area and yield rank first among counties (cities) in Yunnan Province, while the quality leads the nation. The Tianxing Xianghui Factory in Funing produces 12 product lines, including Large Red Star Anise, Anethole, Star Anise Essence, and Star Anise Powder, which are renowned both domestically and internationally. "Star Anise Essence" won the Singapore Merlion Gold Award at the 1994 China New Technology and Products Exhibition. At the 1999 Kunming World Expo, the 2000 Shanghai Specialty Trade Fair, the 2000 Liuyang (Hunan) Second China Specialty Culture Festival Exhibition, and the 2000 Kunming Private Sector Exhibition, Funing’s star anise products were highly favored by merchants from across the country and abroad, selling out quickly.

　　Funing has a long history of cultivating star anise, spanning nearly 300 years. Historical records indicate that the Gaolou and Mincun areas of Funing are the birthplace of its cultivation. From the Guangxu era of the Qing Dynasty to the early Republican period, with the implementation of reforms and increased interactions between officials, merchants, and scholars, star anise gradually spread from Funing to parts of southeastern Yunnan. According to the book "Afforestation Techniques for Major Tree Species in China": "Star anise cultivation in Yunnan began in Funing County before expanding to Guangnan, Xichou, Maguan, Wenshan, Malipo, Hekou, Pingbian, Mojiang, and Yuxi." This confirms Funing as the origin of star anise cultivation in the province. In many Yao ethnic villages across the region, nearly every household plants star anise trees around their homes, with annual incomes ranging from over a thousand yuan to as much as 100,000 yuan, leading them to call the trees "money trees." To express gratitude for the prosperous and happy life brought by the trees, during the annual Panwang Festival (held from August to September when the trees bloom), villagers gather in the star anise forests to sing, dance, celebrate the harvest, and look forward to the future. Young men and women use the forests as a setting for courtship, sharing sweet nothings and heartfelt emotions, often pledging eternal love under the witness of the trees. Yao women embroider star anise and its blossoms onto their headdresses and belts as symbols of good fortune. Although Funing has a long history of star anise cultivation—and even exported it to coastal regions like Guangdong, Guangxi, and Hong Kong during the Qing Dynasty’s early prosperity—the industry developed very slowly before the establishment of the People’s Republic of China due to exploitation by local tyrants and unscrupulous merchants, as well as poor transportation, economic backwardness, and cultural limitations. In the early 1960s, Yan Hongyan, then a leader of the Yunnan Provincial Committee of the Communist Party of China, visited Funing and proposed, based on the county’s realities, to “shift the focus of work to the mountains.” He guided the county party committee and government to formulate a development strategy prioritizing forestry and livestock. Following this, star anise cultivation in Funing began to progress, with the industry seen as a vital measure for revitalizing the mountainous economy. A total of 980,000 yuan in support funds was allocated for seed collection, seedling cultivation, technical training, hiring professionals, and conducting scientific research. Cultivation gradually shifted from extensive to intensive management, with development occurring in both established and new areas. By 1985, Funing’s star anise quality was ranked first at a national standardization conference held in Nanning, Guangxi. Products were exported to countries such as Switzerland, France, the United States, Japan, and Canada, contributing to China’s economic development. In 1999, Funing County was designated as the “Hometown of Chinese Star Anise” by the China Specialties Promotion Committee. To transform brand strength into economic advantage and achieve the goal of enriching people through star anise, the government leveraged the national opportunity of converting farmland back to forest. Star anise was listed as a key species in the project, with initiatives such as creating eco-friendly star anise villages, increasing publicity, expanding planting areas, accelerating industrial growth, advancing scientific research, improving production technology, speeding up product development, and establishing a “company + base + farmer” model. These efforts helped scale up the industry. Advertising archways were set up along National Highway 323 to inform visitors about the “Hometown of Star Anise.” Provincial and regional newspapers covered the industry’s development, taxis displayed the slogan “Welcome to the Hometown of Star Anise,” and the song “Fragrance of Star Anise” was adopted as the county anthem. The Funing Star Anise Research Institute was established to conduct research, trials, and training on superior tree selection, breed improvement, low-yield forest transformation, pest control, clonal propagation, high-yield cultivation techniques, and new product development. In Yapai Village, Funing, where star anise is the main crop, increased income from cultivation has led to a landscape of households growing the plant and building new homes. On November 11, 2004, Bai Enpei, then Secretary of the Yunnan Provincial Committee, visited Yapai Village during an inspection and noted: “We must actively and rationally develop and utilize resources. Yapai Village represents the future direction for mountainous regions in Yunnan. With 94% of Yunnan being mountainous and many areas sharing similar conditions with Yapai, what Yapai can achieve, others can too. We must learn from Yapai’s successful experience, leverage mountain advantages, and flexibly and actively develop these resources.” By the end of 2010, Funing had 58,700 hectares of star anise cultivation, yielding 10,000 tons of dried fruit. Only Guangxi had a larger planting area and higher output, placing Funing second in the nation.

　　Geographical Scope

　　The production area of Funing Star Anise spans 55 towns across one city and seven counties in the Wenshan Zhuang and Miao Autonomous Prefecture. These include: 13 towns in Funing County (Muyang, Tianpeng, Xinhua, Bokai, Lida, Guichao, Gula, Zhesan, Banlun, Neng, Huajia, Ayong, Dongbo); 3 towns in Guangnan County (Bamei, Babao, Dixu); 12 towns in Maguan County (Mabai, Dulong, Muchang, Jinchang, Renhe, Bazhai, Jiahanqing, Nanlao, Pojiao, Gulinqing, Dalishu, Miechang); 7 towns in Malipo County (Malipo, Daping, Tiechang, Babu, Xiajinchang, Liuhe, Mengdong); 9 towns in Xichou County (Xixia, Xingjie, Jijie, Benggu, Lianhuatang, Bolin, Fadou, Dongma, Xinmajie); 6 towns in Wenshan City (Bozhu, Baxin, Xigu, Xiaojie, Zhulijie, Liu Jing); 3 towns in Qiubei County (Shuanglongying, Guanzhai, Wenliu); and 2 towns in Yanshan County (Baga, Bang’e). The region lies between 103°35′–106°12′ east longitude and 22°40′–24°28′ north latitude, at elevations of 600–1,600 meters, stretching 255 kilometers from east to west and 190 kilometers from north to south. The total planting area is 58,700 hectares, with an annual output of 10,000 tons of dried fruit.

　　Product Quality Characteristics

　　(1) External Sensory Features: The fruits, branches, and leaves of Funing Star Anise all possess a distinctive aroma. Most Funing Star Anise fruits are composed of eight follicles arranged radially around a central axis. Each follicle measures 1–2 cm in length, 0.3–0.5 cm in width, and 0.6–1 cm in height. The outer surface is reddish-brown with irregular wrinkles and a beak-like tip, often splitting on the upper side. The inner surface is light brown, smooth, and glossy, with a hard and brittle texture. The fruit stalk is 3–4 cm long, attached to the base center of the fruit, curved, and often falls off. Each follicle contains one flat, oval seed about 6 cm long, reddish-brown or yellowish-brown, shiny, with a hilum at the tip; the endosperm is white and rich in oil. Dried Funing Star Anise is notable for its bright red color, fragrant and crisp texture, strong aroma, and attractive shape. (2) Internal Quality Indicators: Funing Star Anise has a fragrant aroma, sweet and spicy taste, plump and thick flesh, dryness, and high oil content. Both the fruit and seeds can be used as seasonings and in traditional Chinese medicine. The dried mature fruit contains ≥6.5% shikimic acid, ≥5.0% alcohol-soluble extractives, and ≥1.50% volatile oil. (3) Safety Requirements: The quality of the production environment complies with the "Technical Conditions for the Production Environment of Pollution-Free Forestry and Fruit Products" (NY 5013-2006). Funing Star Anise strictly adheres to the "Pollution-Free Spices" standard (NY5323—2006).