Rescue Rations
Rescue Rations: Legend says after King Xiang Tianzi withdrew from Baizhang Gorge, he first set up decoy banners along the way (now called 'Huqi Valley'). After retreating west for over ten li, King Xiang suddenly ordered: 'Raise the battle flags again and ambush the enemy!' (now called 'Shuqi Valley'). The Xiang army was too small and weak to turn the tide. To deceive the enemy, King Xiang secretly ordered his troops to discard armor and weapons along the way (now called 'Xiejia...')
This article has been compiled from historical materials on 'Zhangjiajie Tour Guide Network' (33519.com · Specialty Foods / Cuisine / Customs section). Prices, business hours, administrative divisions, and statistical data mentioned in the text may already be outdated. Before traveling, please refer to the latest announcements from merchants, scenic areas, and local competent authorities; the parts involving folk legends and folk customs are local historical and cultural anecdotes, provided for cultural reference.
Reinforcement Grain
Legend says that after King Xiang Tianzi withdrew from Baizhang Gorge, he first set up decoy banners along the way (now called "Huagi Valley" or "Banner-Decoy Valley"). After retreating west for more than ten li, King Xiang suddenly ordered: "Raise the battle banners again, ambush the enemy!" (now called "Shuqi Valley" or "Raise-Banner Valley"). The Xiang army was, after all, small in number and weak in strength, unable to turn the tide. To deceive the enemy, King Xiang secretly ordered the discarding of armor and weapons along the way (now called "Xiejia Valley" or "Discard-Armor Valley"), while he himself led the remnant soldiers through Macao Bay into the vast mountain wilderness. By this time, the camp had long run out of food. The officers and soldiers had not touched a grain of rice for several days and could only rest in the forest. King Xiang Tianzi understood that they were facing the danger of total annihilation.
King Xiang Tianzi's daughter, Xiang Zhici, on this night stepped in the autumn moonlight alone up the back mountain, and leaning against a wild papaya tree, plucked her pipa. Waves of mournful, resentful melody, together with Zhici's singing, echoed through the mountain forest. Zhici's sorrowful tears, like scattered raindrops, flew down beneath the tree. The tears flowed and flowed, converging into a trickling stream (later, the place where Xiang Zhici played the pipa was called "Pipa Ridge," and the stream formed by her tears was called "Pipa Stream").
Xiang Zhici's pipa music and weeping were heard by this grove of papaya trees. Among these wild papaya trees, there was one thousand-year-old tree that took eight people to encircle. It grew in this immortal mountain and blessed land, absorbing the dew of the five directions and the essence of the six harmonies year after year, and finally cultivated itself into a spirit. It transformed into a graceful young maiden and walked smilingly toward Zhici. Zhici was very surprised and asked: "Young lady, from where do you come, and why are you here?" The maiden said: "I live over there at Tianjia Terrace. Hearing your pipa music so sorrowful, I thought you must have something troubling you. If you do not mind, please tell me about it."
Xiang Zhici, seeing the young lady's sincere words, told her everything — how the rebel army had been defeated at Baizhang Gorge, how her brother had met his martyrdom, and how the entire army was cut off from food and trapped. Hearing this, the maiden said to Zhici: "Little sister, do not grieve. Wait, and I will bring you some reinforcement grain." With that, she shook open her garment pocket, took a handful of bright red papaya seeds, and scattered them across the mountain, up and down. She scattered and scattered, scattered and scattered... Xiang Zhici watched until she was mesmerized, watched until she was tired, and holding her pipa, dozed off.
The next morning, when Xiang Zhici woke up, she saw that the entire mountain and every ridge was a brilliant red. Every green treetop and branch was laden with glistening, water-fresh wild papaya fruit. Zhici carefully recalled the strange encounter of the previous night, and suddenly understood — this was the aid of the gods. Overjoyed, she slung her pipa on her back and ran down the mountain.
At this moment, the mountain valley grew lively. Those famished Tujia soldiers still dared not eat! King Tianzi Xiang felt something was odd, so he climbed a tree, picked one fruit, and felt a faint, delicate fragrance seep straight into his heart. Several generals said anxiously, "My King, let us taste it first!" King Tianzi Xiang laughed and said, "It won't kill us! This treat, I'll enjoy first!" He popped the fruit into his mouth—
and—tsk tsk! It was like holding a spoonful of hundred-flower honey, delicious beyond words! He ate one after another and still couldn't get enough. These papaya seeds were only as big as corn kernels, seemingly ordinary and utterly unremarkable, yet they had the power to replace grain and stave off hunger. King Tianzi Xiang ate them by the handful, his belly could hold no more, but his mouth still wouldn't stop. When the soldiers saw King Tianzi Xiang enjoying them more and more, they finally relaxed, and some couldn't help smacking their lips. Xiang Zhici, seeing their greedy looks, laughed and called out, "What are you still standing there for? Hurry and pick them! These are the 'Rescue Rations' sent to us by the Papaya Fairy!"
In the blink of an eye, all the soldiers had climbed the trees; from a distance, every tree was full of troops. They ate and ate, until the fragrance filled every gully and ridge. King Tianzi Xiang picked several more bags and gave them to the wounded soldiers who could no longer walk. After those Tujia soldiers ate the papaya seeds, each one felt strength surge through his body. Just then, the government troops' pursuers arrived. King Tianzi Xiang let out a long sigh and said, "That was close—thank goodness the Papaya Fairy saved us!" Immediately, he personally sounded the gong and beat the drum, launching a decisive battle with the government troops, and finally drove back their attack. (Today this place is called 'Gonggu Ta'—Gong and Drum Slope.)
To express gratitude for the Papaya Fairy's lifesaving grace, the Tujia people honored the papaya seeds as the 'Rescue Rations' fruit.