Lanzhou Water Pipe Tobacco

Lanzhou Water Pipe Tobacco

　　Lanzhou water pipe tobacco is a famous specialty of Lanzhou. As early as the Ming Dynasty, it was renowned far and wide for its three exceptional qualities—thread, color, and taste—and was listed as a tribute to the imperial court, earning the fame “Lanzhou water pipe tobacco renowned throughout the world.”

　　Lanzhou water pipe tobacco has a long history. It is said that during the Three Kingdoms period, the hermit Meng Jie presented it to Zhuge Liang during his southern campaign to treat soldiers suffering from miasma. Since then, water pipe tobacco has taken root in areas such as Lanzhou and Lintao. Therefore, the local water pipe tobacco industry regards Zhuge Liang as its founding figure and once built a shrine under the Wenchang Palace at the eastern Dragon Mouth of the Five Springs Mountain, with a statue in his honor.

　　The main production areas of Lanzhou water pipe tobacco are concentrated along the Yellow River near Lanzhou, among which the tobacco from Hongni Gully at the Five Springs is especially renowned. Hence, the Compendium of Materia Medica Supplement records: “True water pipe tobacco comes from the Five Springs, resembling sunflower leaves, glossy in appearance and shaped like red smartweed, with a yellow hue.” Meanwhile, people of the Qing Dynasty praised it with phrases such as “Lanzhou’s fine strain is recently celebrated” and “The produce of the Five Springs is truly extraordinary.”

　　Lanzhou water pipe tobacco is divided into three types: green, yellow, and soft. Green tobacco is emerald green with a pure white interior, bright in color, fragrant in taste, thick in leaf, and rich in oil—superior in quality to both yellow and soft varieties.

　　Based on the quality of the tobacco leaves, Lanzhou water pipe tobacco can be made into three types using different formulas: green, yellow, and hemp. Among these, green water pipe tobacco is of the highest quality. Its main ingredient is green tobacco, with additional components including flaxseed oil, powdered litharge, sophora flower, purple flower, alum, borneol, spices, mint, angelica, ligusticum, atractylodes, and musk. It contains a variety of tonic medicinal ingredients, offering effects such as dispelling miasma, resisting cold, refreshing the mind, regulating qi, and preventing insect or snake bites. It is an indispensable “miracle remedy” in the lives of people in damp and riverside/coastal regions.

　　Lanzhou water pipe tobacco is classified into four grades according to its quality: “Gan,” “Su,” “He,” and “Zuo.” In recent years, new brands “Lan Zi” and “Lan Hua Pai” have been introduced, offering even higher quality and winning widespread popularity among consumers both at home and abroad.

　　Lanzhou water pipe tobacco is not only of exceptional quality but also boasts a unique method of consumption. The smoking apparatus, called a “water pipe bottle,” is made of either white copper or brass. Its design is peculiar, exquisite, and particularly refined when made of brass. The bottle features a movable tobacco bowl at the front, a water reservoir in the middle, an arched smoke tube at the top, a tobacco box at the back, and small holes on both sides for inserting paper fuses. When smoking, a suitable amount of liquor or water is sprinkled onto the tobacco, which is then moistened and softened. The user rubs it apart with their fingers, rolls it into small balls, and places them in the bowl to light. As the smoke passes through the water, it makes a bubbling sound—delighting the smoker and captivating onlookers, creating a truly delightful and endlessly enjoyable experience.