Red-necked bamboo fungus

Red-necked bamboo fungus

　　In 1972, - Premier highly praised the red-necked bamboo fungus from Yunnan after tasting it in Kunming. The Shizong red-necked bamboo fungus was even served as the first delicacy to honored guests at the opening of the 1999 Kunming World Expo. In August 2001, it won the Gold Award at the China Wuhan International Food Exposition.

　　“Compendium of Materia Medica” states: Bamboo fungus, also called bamboo spawn, bamboo flesh, bamboo mushroom, or bamboo sheath. “Duzangqi” says: “Bamboo flesh grows on bitter bamboo branches, resembling chicken eggs.” Li Shizhen said: “This is the bamboo fungus. It grows on the rotten joints of bamboo roots, shaped like wood ear fungus and is red.” Duan Chengshi’s “Youyang Zazu” states: “In the Jianghuai region, there is bamboo flesh, as big as a bullet, tasting like white chicken — this is the same thing. But only those growing on bitter bamboo can be toxic.” “It tastes sweet and salty, is cold in nature, and non-toxic. It treats all types of white dysentery and is consumed with ginger and sauce.”

　　According to modern scientific analysis, bamboo fungus contains a variety of physiologically active mineral elements such as iron, phosphorus, calcium, and potassium. It has 18 types of amino acids and 20% protein, 2.6% crude fat, 60.4% carbohydrates, as well as vitamins B1, B12, C, D, etc., all of which are highly beneficial to the human body. Regular consumption can enhance and boost the immune system, lower cholesterol, and improve nervous system function. It also provides certain preventive and therapeutic effects against malignant tumors, hepatitis B, diabetes, and more. “Dian Nan Ben Cao” mentions that “bamboo fungus treats heat-related illnesses in the five viscera and six bowels of the human body.”

　　Relevant data shows that there are 3,000 acres of red-necked bamboo fungus cultivation across the country, with Shizong alone accounting for 280 acres, and it is hailed as the premium among red-necked bamboo fungi. Fresh, live red-necked bamboo fungus typically weighs around 50 grams, though some can reach up to 250 grams.

　　Shizong red-necked bamboo fungus is mainly produced in Danfeng Town, where the climate is mild and the soil fertile. There have been historical records of wild red-necked bamboo fungus. After successful artificial cultivation began in 1998, the area gradually expanded and received high attention from the county party committee and government. However, due to the relatively complex cultivation process, large-scale expansion has been slow. Generally, under constant temperature in greenhouses, wild red-necked bamboo fungus is used for tissue culture to produce the primary strain, which is then converted into a secondary strain, and further into a tertiary cultivation strain — a process that takes about half a year. Then, for every acre, 7 tons of dried bamboo slices are used, soaked in water, fermented, and sterilized under high pressure, before being laid on the ground with layers of bamboo and substrate — three layers of bamboo and three of substrate — covered with 1.5 kilograms of fine soil, and topped with pine needles. Planting is done in spring and harvesting in autumn, with two harvests per year over a span of three years. The yield is 120 kilograms per acre, with prices ranging between 400–800 yuan per kilogram depending on the grade.

　　Currently, Shizong red-necked bamboo fungus has supply and sales relationships with countries such as Japan, South Korea, Singapore, and regions like Taiwan, showing an increasingly promising market outlook.