Guoluo Cordyceps

Guoluo Cordyceps

　　Guoluo Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture is located in the eastern part of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, in the southeastern part of Qinghai Province, nestled between the Bayan Har Mountains and the Anyemaqen Mountains. It borders Gannan Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture of Gansu Province to the east, Aba Tibetan-Qiang Autonomous Prefecture of Sichuan Province to the south, and Haixi Mongolian-Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, Hainan Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, and Huangnan Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture of the same province to the north. With an average elevation of over 4,200 meters and an annual average temperature of -4°C, the prefecture features undulating mountains and towering snow peaks. The Bayan Har Mountains stretch from west to east across the southern part, serving as the watershed between the Yangtze River and the Yellow River. Due to its unique ecological environment, Guoluo Prefecture is home to a wide variety of medicinal plants such as Cordyceps, snow lotus, rhubarb, rhodiola, fritillaria, gentian, angelica, codonopsis, ligusticum, astragalus, and notopterygium, which thrive across much of the region.

　　Guoluo Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture boasts relatively abundant Cordyceps resources. Thanks to its high altitude, thin air, and pristine environment free from pollution, the region—accounting for 40% of Qinghai Province’s total Cordyceps production—is a major source of the prized fungus. The Guoluo Cordyceps mainly grows in the shady, semi-shady slopes, and shrublands of alpine meadows at elevations between 4,000 and 4,800 meters. It is distributed vertically and is particularly concentrated around the Anyemaqen Snow Mountain area, including towns and townships such as Snow Mountain, Dongqingou, Dawu, Daluo, Dangxiang, and Lajia in Maqen County; Qingzhen, Jiangqian, Xiazangke, and Shanggongma in Gande County; Jianshe and Sangrima in Dari County; Guoka and Shanggongma in Banma County; and areas around the Nyainqentanglha Shan (Yearly Jade Snow Mountain) in Jiuzhi County.

　　As Guoluo Prefecture lies at the source of the Three-River-Source National Park, to strengthen the management of its Cordyceps resources, protect the ecological environment and grassland vegetation of the river source region, and ensure social stability, the prefecture has implemented a Cordyceps harvesting ban. It prohibits outsiders from collecting Cordyceps in Guoluo. The government manages pastoral grasslands by dividing mountain pastures into designated zones and assigning them to individual villages and herding households, who are responsible for their use and maintenance. Only ethnic Tibetan relatives or residents of the prefecture holding official Cordyceps harvesting permits are allowed to enter the area for collection.

　　The production area of Guoluo Cordyceps covers six counties in Guoluo Prefecture: Maqen, Banma, Gande, Dari, Jiuzhi, and Maduo.