Yanshan Notoginseng

Yanshan Notoginseng

　　Yanshan notoginseng is a specialty of Yanshan County, Wenshan Prefecture, Yunnan Province. Yanshan County is the origin and main producing area of notoginseng. In 1995, it was honored as the "Hometown of Chinese Notoginseng" by the National Hundred Famous Specialties Evaluation Committee.

　　Yanshan features picturesque landscapes, boundless natural beauty, with no intense summer heat or harsh winter cold, best representing Yunnan’s spring-like climate throughout the year.

　　Notoginseng is one of the earliest precious medicinal and edible plants used in China. It was first recorded in Li Shizhen's "Compendium of Materia Medica" and has since been regarded as the "most precious of traditional Chinese medicines," a status it still holds today, earning the reputation of "more valuable than gold." Modern research has found that notoginseng contains over 20 types of saponin active compounds, 17 amino acids, 11 trace elements, and up to 8.56% crude protein, along with abundant vitamins, polysaccharides, and other nutrients — including active selenium and other cancer-fighting compounds. Medical experts praise it as the "King of Ginsengs." There is also a saying: “Ginseng in the north, notoginseng in the south.” An important component of the world-renowned Yunnan Baiyao is notoginseng. It uniquely offers benefits such as enhancing vitality, stopping bleeding while promoting blood circulation, dispersing blood stasis, reducing swelling, and more. It is especially effective in inhibiting cancer cells, treating cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases, and lowering blood lipids and blood sugar.

　　Yanshan’s magical land is the origin and primary production base of notoginseng, possessing unique natural conditions that are perfectly suited for its growth. Yanshan notoginseng is a rare and precious traditional Chinese medicinal material that is "unmatched by others and superior even where others exist" — truly "the best in the world." With over 500 years of cultivation history, dedicated notoginseng research began here in the 1950s. By the 1960s, it had become the country’s only county-level notoginseng production base. The county also hosts provincial and prefectural notoginseng medicinal farms, a notoginseng research institute experimental base, and has established technical guidance institutions for notoginseng production. It also founded the country’s only notoginseng technical school. In 1994, Yanshan County listed notoginseng as a pillar industry and actively explored strategies such as external collaboration and internal reform, strengthening efforts to develop the notoginseng industry. The Yanshan County Notoginseng Special Products Administration was established, and leading companies in the notoginseng industry — including Yunnan Jinbuhuan Group Co., Ltd. and Yanshan County Golden Phoenix Co., Ltd. — were formed. A 36,000-square-meter notoginseng trading market was built, attracting merchants from across the country. Over 40 types of notoginseng products integrating medical and health benefits have been developed. Some of these have won gold and silver awards at international trade fairs and have been recognized as “Products Trusted by Consumers” in Yunnan Province. Notoginseng raw materials and processed products are sold nationwide and exported to Hong Kong, Macau, Taiwan, Southeast Asia, Japan, Europe, and America. In 1995, Yanshan County was honored as the "Hometown of Chinese Notoginseng" by the National Hundred Famous Specialties Evaluation Committee.

　　In 2012, the total planted area of notoginseng in the county reached 30,425.3 mu, an increase of 1.96 times compared to the previous year. The estimated output value of the notoginseng planting industry was 1.492 billion yuan, more than tripling from the previous year.