Changning bamboo fungus officially approved as a national geographical indication protected product
Huang Wenpei introduces new achievements to bamboo fungus growers
Phallus indusiatus
In 1972, when US President Nixon visited China, the Chinese government specially designated Changning long-skirted Sichuan bamboo fungus to entertain the guests. Since bamboo fungus had not yet been artificially cultivated at that time and could only be collected from the wild, preparing two jin of dried long-skirted bamboo fungus to welcome Nixon required mobilising almost all of Changning's resources to gather enough.
On the 16th, the reporter learned from the Changning County Quality and Technical Supervision Bureau of Yibin City that the General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine of the People's Republic of China has approved Changning bamboo fungus (Changning long-skirted bamboo fungus) as a national geographical indication protected product, with the current administrative area of Changning County designated as the protection area. After 14 years of work to cultivate the first long-skirted bamboo fungus, 83-year-old "Bamboo Fungus Granny" Huang Wenpei, upon hearing this good news, said excitedly: "My 'daughter' has finally put on her geographical indication wedding dress."
Fully deserving of the name
Changning long-skirted bamboo fungus stands out in all indicators
It is understood that from Changning long-skirted bamboo fungus, functional substances such as bamboo fungus polysaccharides, mycelial glycoproteins and lectins with anti-tumour, anti-coagulant, anti-inflammatory, immune-stimulating and blood sugar-lowering properties have been isolated. These have high edible value and medical health care value, and represent an important breakthrough in the development of anti-tumour drugs. Changning long-skirted bamboo fungus contains 21 total types of amino acids, with a total amount 10% higher than other bamboo fungi, among which glutamic acid content is especially rich, accounting for more than 17.0% of total amino acids, and riboflavin content is relatively high, at 2-3 times that of other bamboo fungi.
"We will step up publicity and promotion efforts, standardise the use of the geographical indication product name and the special mark, and ensure the unique quality and characteristics of Changning bamboo fungus," said Jiang Ming, director of the Changning County Quality and Technical Supervision Bureau. Next, routine supervision and management will be further strengthened in areas such as raw materials, production technology and processes, production environment and conformity with product standards for Changning bamboo fungus. At the same time, adhering to the principle of "discover one, cultivate one, mature one, create one," the county will continue to advance geographical indication product protection work across the county, establish a geographical indication product protection pipeline, and focus on cultivating county-level distinctive products such as Changning bitter bamboo shoots, Shuanghe lianggao (cold rice cake), Sanyuan loquat and Changning bamboo leaf huangba for application as geographical indication protected products.
"Bamboo Fungus Granny"
More than 40 years of hardship finally fulfils the dream
In 1972, after President Nixon tasted the famous dish "bamboo fungus and egg white soup" from Empress Dowager Cixi's imperial cuisine, made with long-skirted bamboo fungus, he praised it endlessly, calling it "delicious white pearls." For a time, a "bamboo fungus craze" emerged around the world, and there were even sayings such as "Sichuan bamboo fungus is equivalent in value to gold."
That year, 39-year-old Huang Wenpei saw the enormous development prospects behind the "bamboo fungus craze." Starting in 1972, Huang Wenpei began research on artificial cultivation techniques for bamboo fungus. Since there was no precedent for artificial cultivation of bamboo fungus in China at that time, not only was there no relevant experience to draw on, but starting from scratch, Huang Wenpei searched the forests for wild mycelium, visited farmers who had long cultivated mushrooms, and visited experts in related fields, doing the same work day after day, year after year.
Huang Wenpei persevered for more than 10 years without change, until May 1986, when 53-year-old Huang Wenpei finally saw the first long-skirted bamboo fungus she had cultivated. In 1988, Huang Wenpei began to gradually promote the technique of artificially cultivating bamboo fungus. At that time, there were 8 households, planting only just over 30 bottles of bamboo fungus spawn, yet each bottle yielded nearly half a jin of dried bamboo fungus. That year the price of bamboo fungus was astonishingly high, with a foreign company offering US$300 per kilogram.
After Huang Wenpei succeeded in artificially cultivating long-skirted bamboo fungus, she gradually gained support from all sides, and the government's attention played a huge role in promoting the development of the bamboo fungus industry.
Bamboo fungus economy
Technology has been extended to more than 10 provinces
In 1986, the first artificially cultivated long-skirted bamboo fungus came into being and went on to win numerous domestic and international awards, including the Silver Award at the Asia-Pacific International Expo, the Gold Award at the Bashu Food Festival, and the Sichuan Provincial Science and Technology Progress Award. In 1995, the "Comprehensive Technical Standard for Long-Skirted Bamboo Fungus of Sichuan Province," written by Huang Wenpei and others, was approved as a provincial-level local standard, paving the way for the standardised and industrialised development of long-skirted bamboo fungus.
After successfully developing soil cultivation and liquid cultivation of long-skirted bamboo fungus, Huang Wenpei, at the age of 79, successfully developed greenhouse cultivation of long-skirted bamboo fungus. For more than 40 years she promoted artificial cultivation techniques for long-skirted bamboo fungus without complaint or regret, helping 60,000 households in the local area escape poverty and become prosperous. Today her technology has been extended to more than 10 provinces and over 100 counties across the country.
"Bamboo Fungus Granny" Huang Wenpei has successively been elected as a Sichuan Province "March 8th Red Banner Pacesetter" and one of Yibin City's "Top Ten Outstanding Figures." Upon learning that Changning bamboo fungus had been approved as a national geographical indication protected product, Huang Wenpei said happily: I am overjoyed; my "daughter" has finally put on her geographical indication wedding dress. This was the greatest dream of my lifetime. With this "golden key," a new "broad road" out of poverty and towards prosperity can be added for the county's farmers. "The deep processing of bamboo fungus has not kept up, and this is a huge space and direction for development, where relevant enterprises can be brought in to invest. I hope to live to 90 and strive to achieve new research results in the artificial cultivation of bamboo fungus."