Zhazi Charcoal

Zhazi Charcoal

　　Zhazi Charcoal is a type of charcoal produced in Ciyabao, Lingwu, Ningxia, and is rare in China. This kind of charcoal has a soft texture but forms solid chunks. It has a very low ignition point and is easy to burn—just a sheet of paper or a match can ignite it. When burned, it resembles wood charcoal, but it has a high carbon content, burns for a long time, produces an intense flame, and gives off a great deal of heat. After a large chunk of it burns out, only a small amount of white ash remains. Additionally, if burning charcoal is buried under the ashes, when uncovered the next day, the ember will still be bright red, resembling fragments of charcoal—hence the name “Zhazi Charcoal” (meaning “fragment charcoal”). Zhazi Charcoal has a wide range of uses, such as for heating, warming hand stoves, simmering hotpot, or using in a brazier for warmth. (Yinchuan)