Wensu Rice

Wensu Rice

Wensu Rice is a geographical indication certification trademark.

　　Wensu is renowned for its rice production, with a long history of cultivating aromatic rice, earning it the title of the “Rice Homeland” of southern Xinjiang. Historically, the fragrant rice grown in Wensu was “exclusively for imperial tribute,” and “forbidden to commoners.” It was known for its pure and rich aroma, celebrated with the saying, “When it blooms, the fragrance fills the hillside; when one family cooks, the neighbors smell the aroma.”

　　As the birthplace of rice cultivation, China has evidence of the character for “rice” found in oracle bone inscriptions from the Shang Dynasty, and by the Han Dynasty, rice cultivation had been introduced to the Western Regions.

　　Historical records indicate that in 60 BC, during the second year of the Shenjue era of Emperor Xuan of the Western Han Dynasty, Zhizhi Chanyu, the Xiongnu ruler of the Western Regions, submitted to the Han Dynasty, and the state of Gumo, which was under Xiongnu control, also became a vassal of the Han. It is also recorded that in 39 BC, during the fifth year of the Yongguang era of Emperor Yuan of the Western Han Dynasty, the Right Rear Quhou stationed troops for farming in Gumo, showing that after states such as Gumo submitted to the Han, garrison troops were already engaged in agriculture in Wensu (formerly known as Aksu).

　　Later historical texts such as the “Book of Jin,” “Book of Northern History,” and “Book of Sui” all mention in their Western Regions sections that “Gumo produces rice, millet, beans, and wheat.” In the early Tang Dynasty, when Xuanzang traveled to India for his studies, passing through Gumo (then called Bālùjiā Kingdom), he also observed rice cultivation. In his “Great Tang Records of the Western Regions,” he wrote: “The kingdom of Gumo is suitable for growing millet, wheat, and japonica rice.” By the Qing Dynasty, rice cultivation had become even more widespread. When Lin Zexu was exiled to Xinjiang, he investigated farmland in southern Xinjiang’s Aksu (now Wensu) and noted the living customs of the local Uyghur people: “Rice, grain, vegetables, and fruits are used to make pilaf.”

　　The “New Book of Tang • Western Regions Biography” describes Gumo and Wensu as having “customs and script similar to those of Kucha,” and “the land is suitable for hemp, wheat, japonica, and rice.” The Wensu Rice Garrison began in the 27th year of the Qianlong reign of the Qing Dynasty (1762), with 15 soldiers managed by a militia officer and a company commander, cultivating 150 mu of rice fields. The rice gained fame for its superior quality.

　　Qing Dynasty records about the Aksu Rice Garrison are quite detailed: “Established in the 27th year of the Qianlong reign of the Qing Dynasty (1762), the garrison soldiers all came from Shaanxi and Gansu within the Pass, belonging to the Green Standard Army.” This indicates that the Qing Dynasty already had the prototype of a “military farm” dedicated solely to rice cultivation, and it was also the only rice garrison in southern Xinjiang at the time. As for the quality of Aksu rice, the folk rhyme “Aksu rice is good—you can eat pilaf every day” speaks volumes. “The rice produced in Aksu is excellent, with long grains, white color, sweet taste, and glutinous texture, surpassing the refined rice of southeastern Hangzhou.” The “Wensu County Annals” compiled in 1908 during the Guangxu reign of the Qing Dynasty state: “Wensu rice is of the highest quality among all the cities.” “Aksu has sweet springs, harmonious climate, abundant fruits and grains, and thriving livestock. In spring and summer, the rice ears exude fragrance, willows cast cooling shade, and the scenery is picturesque. It is the best rice-producing area in Xinjiang, with produce including rice, wheat, and millet, among which white rice is the most famous.” The “Outline of Xinjiang Geography and History” states: “Both Aksu and Manas have paddy fields suitable for rice cultivation. The white rice produced there rivals that of the Jiangnan region and is a unique feature of the entire province.” “The grains are as white and plump as those from Anhui Province. There is also sticky rice, but its yield is not high, and the price is cheaper than inland areas.”

　　Historically, the fragrant rice grown in Wensu was a premium variety of rice and also an imperial tribute. Historical records indicate that Wensu began cultivating rice as early as the prosperous Tang Dynasty, and during the Qing Dynasty, the fragrant rice of Wensu was presented as tribute to the imperial court, but it disappeared during the Republic of China period. In 1963, Ding Ying, a rice expert from the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, came to Aksu in search of traces of the fragrant rice but was unsuccessful. As to whether the Aksu fragrant rice was indeed a distinct variety or the result of specific environmental conditions, there are currently two prevailing theories: one suggests a genetic type that has since diverged into existing local rice varieties, while the other posits an environmental factor. This theory holds that the fragrant rice is actually the existing black-and-white awned rice variety, but it only develops a stronger fragrance when grown near Tuholo Village in Tuholo Township, Wensu County. According to local elders, the tribute rice of the past came from this area. At rice quality evaluation meetings, the rice from this region was indeed found to be more fragrant than black-and-white awned rice grown elsewhere. Investigations revealed that in the past, rice in this area was entirely irrigated with spring water, which was very warm. Elderly locals recall that in their childhood (in the 1930s), they often bathed in the irrigation channels, where the water was as hot as washing water. Now, the water is no longer warm, suggesting that the fragrant rice originated under these specific soil and water conditions. Later, due to changes in these conditions, the fragrant rice ceased to exist.

　　The fragrance of fragrant rice mainly comes from a volatile organic compound called “guaomalin,” found in its seeds and leaves. The formation of this compound is closely related to hot and humid climatic conditions, and the occurrence of this variation in rice is the result of long-term selective breeding. Based on this theory, it is reasonable that fragrant rice was produced in Tuholo Village, Tuholo Township, a century ago, thanks to the irrigation from relatively warm springs. Later, as the spring water temperature dropped and the hot and humid conditions changed, the disappearance of fragrant rice is not surprising.

　　In 1984, the Wensu County Rice Original Seed Farm successfully introduced “Lianxiang No. 1” from Hunan in an effort to revive the long-lost fragrant rice production. In 1986, they also developed glutinous fragrant rice. Since then, Wensu fragrant rice, with its rich and authentic aroma, has entered ordinary households and become a delicacy on dining tables across the region. The praise “when it blooms, the fragrance fills the hillside; when one family cooks, the neighbors smell the aroma” has returned to Wensu a century later.

　　Since the 1990s, Wensu County has boldly reformed and updated its rice varieties, replacing the original ones with high-yield, high-quality, delicious-tasting, high-market-value, and well-selling varieties such as “Akita Komachi,” “Koshihikari,” and “Fragrant Rice.” The annual rice planting area has remained stable at 100,000 mu, with a total output of 80,000 tons. In 1998, it was named the “Hometown of Rice in China.”

　　In recent years, Wensu’s high-quality rice has gained increasing recognition. The “Kuntu” series of premium rice products has become a well-known green food brand in Xinjiang and is the only rice in the region to receive the “Organic Conversion Product Certification” issued by national authoritative authorities. With advantages such as snow-white and transparent grain color, neat and pure grains, fragrant and soft cooked rice, and being pollution-free, Wensu County’s “Kuntu” series of rice has entered more than 30 large and medium-sized cities including Beijing, Shanghai, and Shenzhen, as well as over 700 shopping malls and supermarkets. The product is in high demand, with annual sales exceeding 60,000 tons.