Jianchuan Di Shen

Jianchuan Di Shen

　　Jianchuan Di Shen is a specialty of Jianchuan County in Dali Prefecture, Yunnan Province. Originally a wild, temple-grown vegetarian dish, Di Shen is rich in various amino acids and crude protein, making it an ideal green health food.

　　Jianchuan Di Shen, also known as Cordyceps Di Shen, is commonly called "Gen Zai Zi" by the Bai people; in the Eryuan area of Dali, it is referred to as Xue Shen; in other provinces such as Yuncheng in Shandong and Hejian in Hebei, it is also called Chinese Di Shen, Di Ou, Di Sun, Zelan, or Yin Tiao Cai. The plant grows 120 to 160 centimeters tall, with a square stem, internodes spaced 2 centimeters apart, and four leaves per node arranged in a cross pattern. It produces white sesame-like flowers but does not bear fruit. The leaves are alternate, and botanically, it belongs to the perennial Lamiaceae family. Originally a wild plant, Di Shen has been domesticated and cultivated, resulting in significant improvements in yield and quality. It is both edible and medicinal. In spring and summer, its tender stems and leaves can be stir-fried, served cold, or used in soups. The main edible part is the pure white, crisp, and tender ring-shaped fleshy root harvested in late autumn (due to its shape and nutritional value being comparable to ginseng, it is called Di Shen), which can be stir-fried, used in soups, deep-fried, or made into pickled vegetables. It has a great taste and is considered a premium vegetable. Di Shen contains a variety of amino acids, carbohydrates, proteins, vitamins, with 16 types of amino acids and various trace elements, making it a high-nutrition health food.

　　Jianchuan's Shaxi Town is the origin of wild Di Shen within Yunnan Province and the earliest place where wild Di Shen was artificially domesticated and cultivated. The perennial planting area of Di Shen here is 2,000–3,000 mu, with a fresh yield of 3,500–4,000 kg per mu. The processing of Jianchuan Di Shen products began in the 1990s with individual households experimenting by making fried Di Shen snacks seasoned with various condiments. In 2005, the "Jianchuan Cheji Di Shen Food Factory" started developing Di Shen primarily for processing and sales, registering the "Cheji Hao" trademark. The factory developed and processed more than ten varieties, including a series of fried-flavored Di Shen products and Di Shen cakes and pastes. These products are not only sold in the province but also to other regions, bringing good economic benefits to local villagers.