Yunnan Gastrodia Elata

Yunnan Gastrodia Elata

Yunnan Gastrodia Elata is a Geographical Indication Protected Product.

Yunnan Gastrodia Elata is a Geographical Indication Certified Trademark.

　　Gastrodia elata, also known as Chi Jian, Ding Feng Cao, or Shui Yang Yu, is one of the main varieties produced in China. Yunnan is one of the country’s primary production regions, with a concentrated output mainly in the counties of Zhaotong Prefecture—especially in Zhenxiong and Yiliang, where the quality is considered the best and yields the highest. According to the “Shennong’s Classic of Materia Medica,” Gastrodia elata has therapeutic effects on convulsions, loss of consciousness, and boosts vitality and spirit.

　　 When it comes to Gastrodia elata, one must mention its most famous production area—Xiaocaoba in Yiliang County, Zhaotong Prefecture. In fact, all 11 cities and counties in the Zhaotong region offer optimal natural environments for wild Gastrodia elata growth. Their yield and quality rank the highest among all Gastrodia-producing areas nationwide. The “Compendium of China’s Local Specialties” states: “Zhaotong Gastrodia elata is large, plump, bright yellowish-white in color, known as ‘Yun Gastrodia,’ and sells well both domestically and internationally.”

　　 　　Gastrodia elata is a precious traditional Chinese medicine, with its primary medicinal component being gastrodin. It offers multiple therapeutic and tonic functions, such as anti-epileptic, anti-convulsive, anti-rheumatic, sedative, antispasmodic, analgesic, and tonic effects. Clinically, it is used to treat hypertension, vascular neuralgic headaches, post-concussion syndromes, as well as speech impediments, rheumatic cold bi-syndromes, limb spasms, and pediatric convulsions—with noticeable results. According to test results from the Kunming Institute of Botany, 13 types of medicinal and brain-benefiting compounds in Zhaotong Gastrodia elata—including gastrodin—are as high as 0.42%–0.46%, roughly double that of similar products nationwide. The test results for Xiaocaoba Gastrodia are even more impressive: they contain 14 essential trace elements, 6 macro-elements, and 16 amino acids—including all essential ones for humans such as threonine, valine, methionine, leucine, phenylalanine, tryptophan, and isoleucine. Nutrients that the human body cannot synthesize but which benefit the brain and liver—such as aspartic acid, glutamic acid, and arginine—are present at levels of 0.55%, 0.8%, and 0.25%, respectively. The average gastrodin content reaches 1.13%, 2–4 times higher than other production areas.

　　 　　Zhaotong Gastrodia elata enjoys widespread fame. In the 50th year of the Qianlong Emperor’s reign during the Qing Dynasty (1785), a trusted local official from Yibin Prefecture in Sichuan, seeking imperial favor, specially dispatched skilled officers along with herbal merchants and farmers to Xiaocaoba to dig for Gastrodia elata. They carefully selected the finest specimens, packed them in ornate boxes, and offered them as a birthday tribute to Emperor Qianlong (Hongli). Once this practice began, erroneous customs spread. Officials from prefectures and counties used Gastrodia elata for building personal factions and advancing careers—an ongoing abuse of the time. From the late Qing Dynasty through the Republican era, every Gastrodia harvest season saw officials and merchants from across the region flocking to Xiaocaoba to purchase the herb on-site. Even in these remote mountainous areas, it became bustling like a marketplace, with daily supplies reaching over a thousand kilograms. At the 1973 Guangzhou Autumn Trade Fair, “China’s Xiaocaoba Gastrodia elata” was priced as high as 120,000 yuan per ton, yet buyers still crowded in, unable to be accommodated.

　　 　　Zhaotong Gastrodia elata is primarily wild, with two varieties: “Zhu Jie Wu” (Bamboo Joint Black) and “Ming Tian Ma” (Bright Gastrodia). Among them, “Zhu Jie Wu” is considered the best in quality. In the 1950s, the annual purchase volume across the entire region reached around 30,000 kilograms. However, due to overharvesting, yields have since shown a declining trend.

　　 　　To meet domestic and international market demand and ensure the rational development and utilization of wild resources, with guidance from the Kunming Institute of Botany, experiments on the sexual and asexual propagation of Gastrodia elata began in the late 1950s. In 1978, the scientific achievement of artificially cultivating Gastrodia elata was officially certified, and the method was promoted in 11 cities and counties. As a result, the annual purchase volume of Gastrodia elata rebounded to around 30,000 kilograms. The Zhaotong City Pharmaceutical Factory produced a honey-based “Gastrodia Pill” using locally grown Gastrodia as the main ingredient, supplemented with other regional herbs. With meticulously selected materials and refined craftsmanship, it demonstrated confirmed clinical efficacy and was awarded the title of Yunnan Province Quality Product. Yiliang County developed and produced a dual-purpose medicinal and drinking “Gastrodia Wine,” which is amber-colored, crystal-clear, and deliciously aromatic. It preserves the medicinal properties of Gastrodia while winning consumer favor for its unique taste, aroma, and character.