Kangxian Rhubarb

Kangxian Rhubarb

Kangxian Rhubarb is a geographical indication agricultural product.

　　Rhubarb is also known as Shengjun, Jiangjun, Jinwen, or Kuanye Rhubarb. It is a perennial tall herbaceous plant of the Polygonaceae family, cultivated throughout Kangxian, with large planting areas in towns such as Zhuyuan, Haoti, Shizi, Guanting, Qinyu, Xinzhai, and Nanhe. In 1984, it was awarded the “Honorary Certificate for Export Commodities” by the Ministry of Foreign Economic Relations, and in 2015, Kangxian Rhubarb obtained the national geographical indication certification for agricultural products from the Ministry of Agriculture.

　　Kangxian County is one of the main production areas of rhubarb. The renowned “Xuanhuang” rhubarb, famous both domestically and internationally, is produced in the Xuan Shui Township of Li County and the Zhuyuan Township of Kangxian. Rhubarb has become one of the five leading medicinal herbs of Kangxian.

　　Rhubarb in Kangxian was domesticated from wild plants as early as the Tang Dynasty, with cultivation techniques passed down through generations. It is widely known as “China’s best rhubarb, with Quanshui rhubarb enjoying great fame.” The Nanyang region of Kangxian is connected to Quanshui by mountains and rivers, sharing the same soil, water, and climate. The “Shuanglu Brand Rhubarb” produced in both areas is of high quality and has been exported to various European countries.

　　Rhubarb is one of the four great medicinal herbs and has a wide range of pharmacological uses. Its primary benefits include breaking up blood stasis, promoting blood circulation, purging heat downward, providing antibacterial and anti-inflammatory effects, protecting the liver and promoting diuresis, regulating immunity, delaying aging, reducing blood lipids and aiding weight loss, fighting tumors, stopping bleeding, and relieving pain. Additionally, it is used in the production of fruit sugars, beverages, fragrances, brewing, and industrial dyes.

　　As early as 753 AD, Kangzhou rhubarb was brought by the monk Jianzhen when he traveled east to Japan, where it hybridized with Japanese rhubarb, forming what is known as Japanese Wen Zhou Rhubarb. Since then, Kangxian rhubarb transitioned from being a wild medicinal plant to a cultivated one, passed down through generations, famously called “China’s best rhubarb, with Quanshui rhubarb enjoying great fame.” The Nanyang region of the county borders Quanshui, sharing similar soil, water, and climate conditions. The “Shuanglu Brand Rhubarb” produced here is of high quality and has been exported to various European countries.

　　Rhubarb is distributed throughout the county. Cultivation began after the liberation, with large planting areas and high yields in towns such as Zhuyuan, Haoti, Shizi, Guanting, Qinyu, and Xinzhai. The county averages an annual planting area of 3,000–4,000 mu, with a total yield of over 120,000 jin. In 1984, it was awarded the “Honorary Certificate for Export Commodities” by the Ministry of Foreign Economic Relations. It is exported at 200,000–300,000 jin per year, generating $380,000 in foreign exchange.

　　The medicinal plant is known as Rheum palmatum, a perennial herbaceous plant of the Polygonaceae family that typically grows in shady, moist mountainous areas at elevations around 2,000 meters. It thrives in cool, humid environments, dislikes high temperatures but can withstand severe cold and safely overwinters. It grows well in deep, loose, fertile sandy soils but dislikes clayey soil and continuous cropping. It has a bitter and cold nature, containing anthraquinone derivatives that act as laxatives. It helps remove accumulations and promote bowel movement, purge fire and cool blood, activate blood circulation and eliminate stasis, benefit the gallbladder and reduce jaundice. It is mainly used to treat constipation and abdominal pain caused by gastrointestinal heat and accumulation, hematemesis due to excessive internal heat, sore throat, red eyes and mouth ulcers, toothache, as well as blood stasis obstruction and damp-heat jaundice. Due to its cold nature, it may damage vitality and deplete yin blood. Rhubarb has a strong aroma, is heavy and descending in property. When used raw, it acts strongly as a laxative, hence known as the “general of medicine.” When stir-fried, it acts more gently. When charred, it helps stop bleeding. For pathogenic factors located in the upper body, wine is needed to guide it upward, hence referred to as “lubricating general.” Thus, rhubarb acts on the blood aspect of the spleen meridian (Taiyin), the liver and gallbladder meridians (Jueyin), and the three yang meridians of the hands and feet.

　　Geographical Scope

　　The rhubarb cultivation area in Kangxian is primarily located in the high-altitude cold and humid regions along the upstream areas of the Western Han River, including the Lianggong River, Zhuyuan River, and Haoti River basins, as well as parts of the Minjiang River basin, at elevations between 2,000–3,000 meters. The region spans from 104°01′ to 104°48′ east longitude and 33°46′ to 34°23′ north latitude. The terrain gradually rises from east to west, bordered by Li County to the east, Wudu District to the south, Diebu to the west, and Min County to the north. The area includes 25 townships such as Awu, Hadapu, Lichuan, Bali, Pangjia, Nanhe, Hejiabao, Muer, Xinghua, Chela, Jiangtai, Jiahe, Chengguan, Xinchengzi, Linjiang, Ganjiangtou, Lianghekou, Shawan, Guanting, Xinzhai, Shizi, Nanyang, Haoti, Zhuyuan, and Hanyuan, encompassing 334 administrative villages over a region of 3,333.1 square kilometers. In 2013, the rhubarb planting area covered 4,260 hectares, with an annual output of 38,000 tons.