Jiangyong fragrant rice
Jiangyong Fragrant Rice
Dear friends:
Hello, everyone! Welcome to Jiangyong County, Yongzhou City, for sightseeing. Located in southern Hunan, Jiangyong is a magical land rich in specialty products, and Jiangyong Fragrant Rice is one of them.
At the mention of rice, many people naturally think of white grains. In fact, throughout the rice world, colors are vibrant and diverse, and functions vary widely. The rice produced in Shiping, Yunnan, is purple; the rice produced in Yuping, Guizhou, is black; and a type of rice produced in Changshu, Jiangsu, is carmine red, long known as "blood glutinous rice." In addition, some places produce green rice. In China, rice is not only a staple food but some varieties also have medicinal effects. For example, Yunnan's purple rice and Jiangsu's "carmine red" are rich in iron and have obvious blood-enriching effects; the sick, the elderly, women, and children often cook porridge with this rice for nourishment. Yunnan's purple rice is praised as "bone-setting glutinous rice"; when added to herbal medicines for bruises and fractures and applied to the affected area, it produces good bone-setting results.
As the saying goes, each place has its own way of nurturing its people. Moreover, rice from different places and different varieties has different flavors. Guangdong's "Simiao" rice and Tianjin's "oil rice" have slender grains and a lustrous color; when cooked, the rice is soft, smooth, and sweet, and is renowned for its sweetness. A type of "glass emerald" rice produced in southern China and "Jingji rice" produced in the north have crystalline, transparent grains and are famous for their delicious taste. Hunan's Jiangyong Fragrant Rice, Shaanxi's Xianghe rice, Fujian's Guoshanxiang rice, and Yunnan's fragrant glutinous rice all belong to the famous fragrant rice varieties. Not only does their aroma fill the neighborhood when cooking, but they are also fragrant when the rice flowers are in full bloom, winning praise from people around the world.
Fragrant rice, also known as fragrant grain rice or fragrant paddy, is a type of soft rice with a strong, distinctive aroma. China is rich in fragrant rice resources and has a long history of cultivation. According to records, it has been cultivated for over 2,000 years. Legend has it that in the 15th year of Emperor Jing of the Western Han Dynasty (142 BC), Zhang Qian, the famous diplomat of the Western Han, discovered fragrant rice as a young man along the Wei River in his hometown of Yang County and began to propagate, cultivate, and plant it. Through careful cultivation over successive dynasties, it has been propagated to this day. In "Rhapsody on the Southern Capital" by Zhang Heng of the Han Dynasty, there is a record of "fragrant rice." In the 6th century AD, Jia Sixie's "Essential Techniques for the Common People" of the Later Wei Dynasty contains records of "large fragrant rice" and "small fragrant rice" varieties. The "Geography Treatise of the Book of Tang" also records "tribute of large and small fragrant rice," indicating that fragrant rice had become a tribute item by the Tang Dynasty. Agricultural texts, miscellanies, poetry, and prose from the Tang, Song, Yuan, Ming, and Qing dynasties repeatedly contain accounts and descriptions of "fragrant rice." The Song Dynasty "Occasional Records of Hunan Travelers" states: "The good rice of Changsha, the one that is fragrant for five li, is this variety," and also records the "fragrant seed" rice known as "nine-li fragrance." The Ming Dynasty "Exploitation of the Works of Nature" records: "There is a type of fragrant rice, prized for its fragrance, used to serve noble persons, but its yield is very low." Xu Guangqi's "Complete Treatise on Agriculture" from the late Ming Dynasty states: "...the grains are small and the nature is soft, with red awns and white awns among the varieties, ripening in the seventh month, called fragrant japonica." There are also records in cookbooks, such as Yuan Mei's "Menu of the Sui Garden" from the Qing Dynasty, which notes that to cook delicious rice, one must first select fragrant rice. "Dietary Recipes for Rest and Nourishment" writes: "Fragrant rice has a natural fragrance; when cooking porridge, add a little, and it is extraordinarily fragrant and delicious, especially effective for stimulating the appetite." "Records of Things Heard Daily" contains accounts of fragrant rice such as "concerned and truly satisfying to behold, so delicious one wants to savor every grain." The Qing Dynasty once stipulated that fragrant rice "is purely a tribute item, and common people may not taste it." Throughout history, from Emperor Wu of Han to Emperor Xuantong of Qing, every dynasty sought this wondrous rice—on one hand to supply the palace for the emperor's meals, and on the other to serve distinguished guests at banquets. Officials and wealthy gentry of successive dynasties also often used fragrant rice as gifts for audiences with superiors.
The fragrant rice of Jiangyong County in Yongzhou City, together with fragrant pomelo and fragrant taro, are collectively known as the "Three Fragrances of Jiangyong," and are a long-renowned specialty of Hunan. Fragrant rice ranks first among the "Three Fragrances of Jiangyong" and is a traditional specialty. It was already cultivated in the Western Han Dynasty, giving it a history of nearly 2,000 years. In ancient times, there was a saying that "the good rice of Yongming is fragrant for five li." Emperor Wen of Wei, Cao Pi, once highly praised Hunan rice: "Changsha has good rice... when the wind blows over it, its fragrance is smelled from five stars away"—referring to the Yuankou fragrant rice of Jiangyong. Its grains are large, sticky in texture, and milky white in color; when cooked into rice, it is glutinous and soft, with a rich fragrance. It is the finest of Hunan rices, renowned throughout the three Xiang regions for its excellent quality and fragrant taste. When this rice blooms, its fragrance assails the senses; when cooked into rice or porridge, its aroma fills the neighboring homes.
Jiangyong fragrant rice is produced in Yuankou of Jiangyong County, located in southern Hunan Province, on the upper reaches of the Yongming River, a tributary of the Xiao River. This area is rich in selenium-enriched products such as rice, wheat, peanuts, and soybeans, which is why Jiangyong fragrant rice is also called "Yuankou fragrant rice." It is a rare and precious aromatic rice, its rich fragrance intoxicating. Historically it was a "tribute rice," hence also called "imperial fragrance." From growth in the field, heading, flowering, to harvest, and from collection, storage, and preservation to processing into rice, it emits a refreshing, penetrating fragrance. The rice cooked from fragrant rice is white as snow and ice, soft and delicious, with a rich aroma that makes one's mouth water—hence the praise: "One mu of rice blossoms fragrance for ten li; one household cooks rice and a hundred households smell the fragrance." It can truly be called "a marvel among rices" and is a famous traditional specialty. Poets of successive dynasties in China, such as Du Fu, Bai Juyi, Han Yu, Wang Wei, Meng Jiao, Lu You, Su Shi, and Xin Qiji, all wrote fine lines praising fragrant rice. The great Tang poet Du Fu in his poem "Eight Autumn Meditations" left the famous line: "Fragrant rice, the parrot's leftover grains; green parasol, where the phoenix once perched." Du Fu also wrote: "Fragrant rice at the end of three autumns, across a hundred qing of level fields." Bai Juyi's "The Salt Merchant's Wife" contains the line: "Moreover, by the river fish and rice are cheap—red minced fish, yellow oranges, and fragrant rice." Han Yu and Meng Jiao's "Linked Verses of the Southern City" praises "washing jade and cooking fragrant japonica." Li Xin in "Poem Presented to Zhang Xu" writes: "Lotus leaves wrap river fish; white bowls hold fragrant japonica." Wang Wei's poem says: "Fragrant rice served with sesame." The poet Pi Ximei wrote: "Before the mountain ripe rice stands, purple ears assail one with fragrance." The Song Dynasty Lu You wrote: "Softly cook fragrant japonica rice." Su Dongpo wrote: "The frost rice of Wucheng assails one with fragrance." The Southern Song patriotic poet Xin Qiji also has the line "In the fragrance of rice flowers, speaking of a bumper year"—all referring to "fragrant rice."
Under normal conditions, Jiangyong fragrant rice has a growth period of 125–128 days. The stalks are slender and long, 1.2–1.8 meters tall; the leaves are elegant and emerald green; the stems are thick and sturdy; the panicles are large with good seed-setting; the thousand-grain weight is about 35 grams; the annual yield per mu is 350–400 kilograms, and with high-yield cultivation can reach over 450 kilograms. The grains are large and plump, pale yellow in the husk, and the milled rice is large and white with an ivory hue. Both the leaves and grains have a distinctive fresh fragrance. After cooking, the fresh aroma fills the air and lingers for a long time. Fragrant rice is not only soft and sweet but also nutritious—a treasure among grains. Since its emergence, fragrant rice has been regarded as a precious item throughout the ages and was designated as tribute by successive feudal dynasties—hence the name "tribute rice" from "cultivated generation after generation, paid as tribute year after year." Today many people still use the name "tribute rice."
According to "Occasional Records of Hunan Travelers": "In the prefecture there is fragrant rice, not easily obtained... its grains are jade-colored, not very white, fine-grained; add a small amount to rice and it becomes fragrant. The so-called 'good rice of Changsha, fragrant for five li' refers to this variety." In "Dream of the Red Chamber," there is even the elegant setting of "Rice Fragrance Village." However, fragrant rice has a strong "local character" and can only be grown under specific conditions, because its growth is closely related to the particular soil, water quality, and microclimate of its place of origin. If it is moved to another plot of land or its environment is changed, the fragrant rice grown will no longer be fragrant. Legend has it that Kou Zhun, the famous prime minister of the Northern Song Dynasty, once made an attempt. He brought fragrant rice seeds from elsewhere and planted them in Chang'an; people called that rice field "Fragrant Rice Garden." Unexpectedly, within two years, the fragrant rice degenerated, its fragrance disappeared, and the experiment failed—only the place name "Fragrant Rice Garden" has been passed down to this day. It seems that when fragrant rice is transplanted elsewhere, it gradually loses its fragrance due to differences in soil and water. The reason Yuankou fragrant rice of Hunan can remain such a rare treasure is inseparable from the special soil and water conditions of the local area suitable for its growth.
The reason why fragrant rice has a fragrance is that it contains a volatile organic compound called "coumarin," and its formation is related to the tropical climate. Many tropical herbaceous plants contain this volatile organic compound. This variation appeared in rice and, through artificial selection, developed into various fragrant rice varieties. The mystery of its "strong fragrance" was revealed after five years of research by the Hunan Institute of Soil and Fertilizer and the Hunan Institute of Geology. Apart from varietal factors, it is caused by the soil and groundwater in the producing area containing trace elements such as selenium, zinc, manganese, lanthanum, titanium, vanadium, cobalt, and strontium, and it cannot be obtained elsewhere.
Fragrant rice belongs to the grass family and the genus Oryza. It resembles japonica rice, with large grains, slightly flat grains, a slender body, a spindle-shaped grain, a jade-like color, semi-transparency, a glossy and bright appearance, and a crystal-clear look. It has good glutinous quality and excellent grain quality, and the husk is purplish red. The rice contains relatively high levels of nutrients such as protein and fat. When cooked into rice, it is glutinous and soft, white as snow, glossy and shiny, crisp and soft with a delicate fragrance, slightly sticky, mellow in taste, delicious and refreshing, with a delicate aroma, and it does not spoil after being kept for a long time. Liquor made from tribute rice as the raw material is strong but not harsh. At national exhibitions and evaluation meetings of famous, special, and excellent new agricultural products over the years, it has been rated as national "high-quality special rice."
The "tribute rice" that was once only enjoyed by the royal family and nobles has now, like the swallows before the halls of the noble families of old, entered ordinary people's homes. Cooking a pot of fragrant rice on the weekend, with family and friends sitting around the table and savoring it slowly, offers a special pleasure. At the same time, it has also become a top-grade delicacy for giving to relatives and friends and entertaining distinguished guests.
Fragrant rice is rich in nutrition and has high economic value. According to analysis, fragrant rice contains 12.3% protein, 5.5% higher than ordinary rice. It contains 4% fat and is rich in 16 amino acids, including 8 essential amino acids for the human body such as lysine. The total amino acid content is 9.89%, on average 35% higher than ordinary rice. Among them, the contents of lysine, arginine, threonine, and others all clearly exceed domestic and international rice quality standards. In particular, the methionine content directly related to aroma is 0.20%, the phenylalanine content is 0.55%, the leucine content is 0.84%, and the threonine content is 0.36%, all exceeding domestic and international standards by more than 50%, thus giving it a rich fragrance. The arginine content, which has medical value for the human body, is 0.88%, and the lysine content, which the human body must supplement, is 0.40%, exceeding the domestic rice quality standard by 0.35% and the international standard by 0.10%, respectively. It also contains nutrients necessary for the human body such as alkaloids, vitamins B1 and B2, as well as amylase, maltase, and trypsin. These natural nutrients can stimulate appetite, aid digestion, enhance the body's resistance, and improve metabolism. After eating, it can clear heat and moisten the lungs, calm the heart and refresh the spirit, and has the function of nourishing the stomach. Therefore, people believe that eating fragrant rice is filling and healthful.
Fragrant rice is also a top-grade food therapy item. According to the Ming dynasty Li Shizhen's Compendium of Materia Medica, fragrant rice can "moisten the heart and lungs, harmonize with all medicines, and when taken over a long period, lighten the body and prolong life." It has the effects of nourishing the kidneys, spleen, and liver and invigorating the blood. It is an auxiliary remedy for treating scurvy, allergic diseases, and acute and chronic infectious diseases, and is greatly beneficial to patients with hypertension and cardiovascular system diseases.
Due to its strong glutinosity and low gelatinization degree, fragrant rice is suitable for a variety of culinary uses. It can be steamed or boiled into rice; when cooked with red dates, lotus seeds, peanut kernels, rock sugar, and the like, its fragrance is best released and the result is even more nutritious. It can also be cooked into congee with white fungus, walnut kernels, lily bulbs, longan, lotus seeds, rock sugar, white sugar, and other ingredients, making a delicious and nourishing food. When used to make yuanxiao, zongzi, ciba, zenggao, pastries, or liangpizi, it outperforms other types of glutinous rice, offering a delicate fragrance and delightful taste. Fragrant rice also yields a high rate of alcohol, and the wine brewed from it has a fresh, mellow aroma and pure flavor, making it an excellent choice among wines. It is especially good for making "laozao" (sweet fermented rice wine)—the mash is clear with plenty of liquid, the flavor is pure and mellow, and it is sweet and delicious, leaving a lifelong unforgettable impression on those who taste it.