Benxi Liaowuwei

Benxi Liaowuwei

Benxi Liaowuwei is an agricultural geographical indication product.

　　Benxi Liaowuwei is produced in Benxi Manchu Autonomous County, Liaoning Province. The protected geographical indication area includes 11 townships—Xiaoshi Town, Jianchang Town, Nandian Town, Tianshifu Town, Dongyingfang Township, Lianshanguan Town, Caohezhang Town, Caohekou Town, Caohecheng Town, Qinghecheng Town, Gaoguan Town—and Guanyinge Subdistrict Office, as well as one agricultural and pastoral farm and one subdistrict office, comprising a total of 99 administrative villages. The geographical coordinates are between 123°34′53″ to 124°45′42″ east longitude and 40°48′50″ to 41°33′50″ north latitude. In 2012, it was registered as a national agricultural geographical indication product by the Ministry of Agriculture, with the certificate held by the Forestry Industry Development Bureau of Benxi Manchu Autonomous County. Benxi County is located in the mountainous region of eastern Liaoning and falls within the mid-temperate humid climate zone, with forest coverage reaching 76.8%. It enjoys abundant rainfall, with an annual precipitation of 800–1000 mm. The natural landscape is described as “eight parts mountain, one part water, half a part field, and half a part roads and estates.” Due to Benxi’s specific geographical conditions and unique natural environment, it has become a major production area for “Liao medicinal herbs.” Since the Ming and Qing dynasties, local people have been collecting and selling traditional Chinese medicinal materials externally. By the 1950s, transplanted medicinal herb cultivation had already begun, and by the mid-1980s, medicinal herb production had reached a certain scale. Schisandra chinensis, a native medicinal herb of Liaoning, is commonly known as “Liao Wuwei.” Benxi Liaowuwei features large, plump fresh fruits, high fruit-setting rates on the plants, tightly clustered berries forming spikes on the fruit stems, with individual fruit diameters typically ranging from 7–11 mm. The fruit is fleshy, bright red in color, and when dried, appears purplish-red or dark purplish-red with oiliness and luster. The percentage of double-seeded fruits is high, around 80%. Since 2006, the economic benefits of Benxi Liaowuwei have been recognized by governments at all levels, and its economic share within the total GDP of medicinal herbs has been increasing year by year, becoming an important component of forest-based economy. Currently, the county's Liaowuwei cultivation area has reached 30,000 mu, with an annual output of 8,700 tons and an annual output value of 30 million yuan. Among them, Dongyingfang Township has been named the “Hometown of Schisandra” by the provincial government, and the external influence of Benxi “Liaowuwei” has been growing steadily each year.

　　Many say the current market outlook for schisandra is worrisome, but step into the Liaowuwei plantation in Dayang Village, Dongyingfang Township, Benxi Manchu Autonomous County—a provincial “Women’s Science and Technology Wealth Demonstration Base”—and you’ll see a very different scene: lush foliage and plump fruits. The plantation owner explains that thanks to standardized production methods that meet all GAP requirements, there’s no worry about selling the harvested fruit. With year-end subsidies from the county, growing schisandra can be just as profitable as cultivating other crops.

　　Protected Geographical Area

　　Benxi Manchu Autonomous County is located in the mountainous region of eastern Liaoning, with a total land area of 3,344 square kilometers and a landscape characterized by “eight parts mountain, one part water, one part field.” The protected geographical indication area for Benxi Liaowuwei agricultural products includes 11 townships—Xiaoshi Town, Jianchang Town, Nandian Town, Tianshifu Town, Dongyingfang Township, Lianshanguan Town, Caohezhang Town, Caohekou Town, Caohecheng Town, Qinghecheng Town, Gaoguan Town—as well as one agricultural and pastoral farm and one subdistrict office, totaling 99 administrative villages. The location spans 123°34′53″ to 124°45′42″ east longitude and 40°48′50″ to 41°33′50″ north latitude, covering a total area of 6,667 hectares.

　　Product Quality Characteristics

　　(1) External Sensory Features: Benxi Liaowuwei boasts large, plump fresh fruits with diameters generally between 7–11 mm, bright red in color. The berries are tightly clustered on the fruit stems, forming a spike-like structure. The plants have a high fruit-setting rate. The dried fruit is purplish-red or dark purplish-red, with a hard, brittle seed coat that is red, large, and fleshy, featuring oiliness and a glossy appearance. The proportion of double-seeded fruits is high, around 80%. (2) Internal Quality Indicators: Benxi Liaowuwei is cultivated from pure Liaowuwei seedlings, so the product is expected to have a high purity of medicinal properties, truly embodying the five flavors—sweet, sour, pungent, bitter, and salty. Benxi Liaowuwei must contain no less than 0.40% schisandrin (C24H32O7). (3) Safety Requirements: The production area and environment (air, water, soil) of Benxi Liaowuwei comply with NY5013—2006 “Environmental Conditions for the Production Areas of Pollution-Free Forest and Fruit Products.” The product itself adheres to the NY5086-2005 “Pollution-Free Deciduous Berry Fruits” standard. Throughout the production process, comprehensive training and cultivation records are established, technical operation procedures and fertilizer usage norms are formulated, and daily records are maintained.