Sijiashui Red-Tipped Chinese Toon

Sijiashui Red-Tipped Chinese Toon

Sijiashui Red-Tipped Chinese Toon is a registered geographical indication agricultural product.

　　Sijiashui Red-Tipped Chinese Toon is a specialty of Sijiashui Village in Yanchi Town, Mentougou District, Beijing. The standardized production base of Chinese toon in Sijiashui Village produces toon shoots that are “large, tightly clustered, bright red, glossy, richly aromatic, and tender in texture.” It is a premium local variety and a treasured mountain delicacy. Sijiashui Red-Tipped Chinese Toon is a nationally protected geographical indication agricultural product.

　　Sijiashui Red-Tipped Chinese Toon is a specialty of Sijiashui Village in Yanchi Town, Mentougou District, Beijing, with a history of over 600 years of toon cultivation. During the Ming and Qing dynasties, it was served as a tribute to the imperial court. By the late Qing Dynasty, the local toon trees had spread across nearly 1,000 acres, yielding tens of thousands of pounds annually. In 1997, with strong support from district and town governments, Sijiashui Village vigorously developed its toon cultivation. Starting in 2002, Sijiashui Red-Tipped Chinese Toon was supplied to Zhongnanhai, reviving its Ming and Qing-era title of “imperial tribute,” gaining widespread fame across the city. In 2005, a 500-acre toon demonstration base was established, and in 2009, a 1,300-acre organic toon production demonstration base was completed. Since then, the toon industry in Sijiashui Village has embraced scientific, standardized, and large-scale production management.

　　Chinese toon, known as the “vegetable from trees,” refers to the tender shoots of the toon tree. Around the Grain Rain period each spring, the young toon shoots can be used to prepare a variety of dishes. Not only are they highly nutritious, but they also possess significant medicinal value. With thick leaves and tender shoots, green leaves edged in red resembling agate or jade, and an intense aroma, toon shoots are far more nutritious than other vegetables, making them a prized delicacy for banquets.

　　Sijiashui Red-Tipped Chinese Toon is highly favored by people. Already an imperial tribute during the Ming and Qing dynasties, by the late Qing Dynasty, the local toon trees had spread across nearly 1,000 acres, yielding tens of thousands of pounds annually. In 2009, a 1,300-acre organic toon production demonstration base was built, further enhancing its reputation across the city and restoring its Ming and Qing-era title of “imperial tribute.” Sijiashui Village is located in the deep mountainous area northeast of Yanchi Town, Mentougou District, Beijing, at an altitude of 410 meters, covering an area of 3.36 square kilometers. Local toon cultivation adopts pollution-free management practices, using only high-efficiency organic fertilizer, with irrigation water sourced from natural mountain springs. Throughout the production and management process, no pesticides are used, ensuring it is truly a green, organic, and safe food product.

　　In 2014, the Sijiashui Village Chinese Toon Association in Yanchi Town, Mentougou District, Beijing, applied for the registration of “Sijiashui Red-Tipped Chinese Toon,” which passed the review by the Agricultural Product Quality and Safety Center of the Ministry of Agriculture and expert evaluation, and was granted national geographical indication protection.

　　Geographical Scope

　　Sijiashui Red-Tipped Chinese Toon is mainly distributed along Sijiashui in Yanchi Town, Mentougou District, including four natural villages: Songshu Village, Gaotai Village, Yubai Village, and Sijiashui Village. Its geographical coordinates are: 115°52′30" to 115°57′43" east longitude, and 40°04′0" to 40°08′14" north latitude. The protected area spans 2,508 hectares, with currently planted area of 115 hectares, producing 55 tons of fresh Chinese toon annually.

　　Product Quality Characteristics

　　Sijiashui Red-Tipped Chinese Toon is known for its superior qualities: “large and tightly clustered, bright red and glossy, richly aromatic, juicy and tender, with no residue after eating.” The young shoots are red or purplish-red, bright red and glossy, with a large and tightly clustered shape, forming a cone with a small diameter of 1–2 cm and a large diameter of 6–8 cm. The toon leaves are long-oval shaped, with slightly fuzzy stems, and possess an intense aroma, juiciness, tenderness, and leave no residue—hallmarks of quality. The local tradition of harvesting only the terminal buds and not lateral buds helps maintain the excellent quality of the red-tipped toon. What makes it even more unique is the fresh lilac-like fragrance of freshly picked terminal buds. Per 100 grams of early-harvested toon (first flush), protein content ranges from 6.38–6.80 g, crude fiber from 1.7–1.8 g, vitamin C from 53.3–72.2 mg, vitamin E from 0.54–0.78 mg, and calcium from 72.8–104 mg. Production and sales must strictly comply with the national standard GB/T19630-2011 for Organic Products, adhering closely to organic food production regulations, with a complete ban on pesticides and chemical fertilizers throughout the production process.