Zhenshan Bamboo Fungus

Zhenshan Bamboo Fungus

　　Zhenshan bamboo fungus is an ideal natural health food that is both edible and medicinal, renowned for its superior flavor among all fungi. This fungus mostly parasitizes decaying bamboo roots in bamboo forests. The term "fungus" here refers to fragrant herbs, and it is ranked among China's "Eight Mountain Delicacies" alongside elephant trunk, camel hump, monkey head mushroom, bird’s nest, deer velvet, bear paw, and pangolin lip. Bamboo fungus also has high medicinal value, similar to that of ginseng, hence its name "bamboo ginseng." As a medicinal ingredient, it functions to nourish kidney yang, benefit the stomach and cleanse the intestines, combat aging, reduce inflammation and pain, and aid in weight loss. Zhenshan bamboo fungus is physiologically alkaline, helping to regulate blood acidity and fatty acids in the human body. Rich in gelatinous fiber, it helps scrape away oil and reduce the accumulation of abdominal fat, thus contributing to weight loss.

　　 Bamboo fungus is also known as bamboo ginseng, bamboo flute, bamboo mushroom, bamboo calyx, bamboo immortal, bamboo flesh, fragrant herb, bamboo egg, net veil mushroom, bamboo maiden, and bamboo shoot fungus, among other names. In Japan, it is called "soukasa-take" or "kyomu-san-take." There are about a dozen species in China, but the two main edible varieties are the long-skirted bamboo fungus and short-skirted bamboo fungus. These are primarily distributed across Sichuan, Yunnan, Guizhou, Guangdong, southern Shaanxi, Jiangsu, Fujian, and Anhui provinces. In Zhenshan County, southern Shaanxi, they mainly grow at altitudes between 200 to 1,500 meters in the Daba Mountains. The counties with the highest production include Yongle, Jianchi, Sanxi, Wuja, Liba, Rencun, Chinan, Yuantan, and Songsu—totaling 13 townships. Like other fungi, bamboo fungus lacks chlorophyll and cannot perform photosynthesis. It survives by absorbing nutrients from bamboo forests and wood.

　　　In the past, bamboo fungus grew deep in the mountains and dense forests, often hidden within shrubs and bamboo thickets, usually wild on decaying bamboo roots. Besides bamboo, it can also grow in broadleaf forests such as sweet gum and light-barked birch, and has even been found on fir trees. It occasionally emerged during summer and autumn, making it hard to find, resulting in extremely low yields and high prices—valuable as gold. Thus, it became a rare treasure, an imperial tribute, hailed as the "King of Fruits in the Capital," only seen at royal banquets. After the founding of New China, it was served only at grand state banquets for distinguished guests. Bamboo fungus has a delicious taste, rich aroma, and a crisp, tender texture that offers a unique culinary experience. In 1972, former U.S. President Nixon, former Secretary of State Kissinger, and former Japanese Prime Minister Kakuei Tanaka visited China. Premier Zhou served them "Bamboo Fungus Lotus Soup" at a state banquet, which received high praise. In 1990, global bamboo fungus production was only 2–3 tons, with dried bamboo fungus selling for $60,000 per ton on the international market—10 kilograms of dried bamboo fungus could be exchanged for one tael of gold.

　　　　Bamboo fungus is not only rare and delicious but also highly nutritious, making it a rare health food. Analysis shows that dried bamboo fungus contains 19.4% crude protein, 13.4% pure protein, 2.6% fat, 60.4% carbohydrates, 8.4% crude fiber, and 9.3% ash. Among the carbohydrates, there is 38.9% hydrolyzed reducing sugar, 1.2% pentosan, 0.8% methyl pentosan, 4.2% mycose, and 6.2% glycogen alcohol. It also contains various vitamins and minerals such as calcium, phosphorus, potassium, magnesium, and iron, along with 19 types of amino acids (including 2%–3% lysine and 1.76%–2.3% glutamic acid). Of these, eight essential amino acids account for 42% of the total amino acids—compared to soybeans at 33.5% and chicken at 39%. Therefore, bamboo fungus is comparable to chicken. In ancient China, it was honored as "bamboo chicken," and internationally, it is known as the "vegetable chicken." It is ranked among China's "Eight Mountain Delicacies" alongside elephant trunk, camel hump, monkey head mushroom, bird’s nest, deer velvet, bear paw, and pangolin lip.

　　　　Bamboo fungus also has high medicinal value, similar to that of ginseng, hence its name "bamboo ginseng." It has been used medicinally since ancient times, first documented in the early Tang Dynasty in Meng Shen's *Food Therapy Materia Medica*. Subsequent generations of medical texts, pharmacopoeias, and herbals have also recorded its benefits. *The Chinese Pharmacopoeia* states that bamboo fungus functions to nourish kidney yang, benefit the stomach and cleanse the intestines, combat aging, reduce inflammation and pain, and aid in weight loss. As a physiologically alkaline food, it regulates blood acidity and fatty acids, offering notable therapeutic effects for common elderly conditions such as arteriosclerosis, hypertension, and high blood lipids. Its rich gelatinous fiber helps scrape away oil and reduce abdominal fat accumulation, aiding in weight loss. It also aids digestion and prevents constipation, proving especially effective against bacterial enteritis and elderly colitis. It contains bamboo fungus polysaccharides, which offer anti-cancer properties.

　　　　Bamboo fungus is an ideal natural health food that is both edible and medicinal, renowned for its superior flavor among all fungi. When used in cooking, it can be prepared into a variety of famous dishes, suitable for both meat and vegetable dishes. It can be stir-fried, braised, simmered, steamed, boiled, or even made into soups. The Qing Dynasty scholar Xue Baochen wrote in *A Brief Discussion on Vegetarian Food*: “Blanch bamboo fungus in boiling water, season with salt and cooking wine, then simmer in premium broth. The result is crisp, rich, and uniquely delicious.” Before cooking, fresh bamboo fungus should be rinsed in cold water, trimmed, blanched in boiling water, quickly removed, and cooled. For dried bamboo fungus, simply rinse off sand with cold water, soak in warm water to soften, and it's ready. The soaking liquid, after sedimentation, can also be used for cooking, adding great flavor. Examples include Fujian cuisine’s "Bamboo Fungus and Sea Whelk Soup," Sichuan cuisine’s "Bamboo Fungus Braised Duck Slices," Cantonese cuisine’s "Bamboo Fungus with Phoenix Claws," and Guangxi cuisine’s "Glass Chicken Slices with Bamboo Fungus," each with distinctive flavors. As the saying goes, “An actor’s skill lies in their voice, a chef’s in their soup,” and among soups, clear broth showcases the highest culinary skill. The famed Sichuan dish, "Pushing the Veil to Gaze at the Moon," regarded as the king of clear broths, is a masterful creation. The method involves cutting the bamboo fungus’s net-like skirt into rectangular curtain shapes, steaming pigeon eggs into moon shapes using a round mold, then pouring the seasoned clear broth into a bowl. The presentation resembles moonlight reflecting before a window, lending elegance to the bamboo fungus and pigeon eggs. The broth is rich yet not greasy, light yet not thin—the exquisite taste of which is celebrated worldwide.

　　 Zhenshan County in southern Shaanxi lies within the northern subtropical humid monsoon mountain climate zone, with an average annual temperature of 13.8°C and annual precipitation of 1,250 mm—ideal conditions for bamboo fungus growth. With over 500,000 mu of bamboo forests, the area boasts abundant wild bamboo fungus resources and is a major bamboo fungus production site in Shaanxi. In the 1980s, local scientists successfully cultivated bamboo fungus artificially and promoted it on a large scale. This achievement filled a gap in the northwestern region and won the National "Spark Program" Silver Award. In 1990, a pair of twin bamboo fungus specimens were cultivated here—marking the first such occurrence in the world. The county now produces over 100 kilograms of dried bamboo fungus annually, creating new opportunities for poverty alleviation among rural mountain farmers. Don’t underestimate these little bamboo fungus mushrooms—they’re truly picking up "gold" for the nation’s modernization drive.