When westerners come to China to learn Mandarin Chinese, they will find that rice is the most common food on tables in China. Normally speaking, the price of the rice is not so high. However, if the price for two kilos is as high as 999 Yuan, it must be no longer common for us. But it is true, the rice, named “Zhefang Gong Rice (遮放贡米)”, is carefully cultivated in a village of Zhefang Town, Dehong Autonomous Prefecture in Yunnan.
Why the price is so high? Many students who study in China may wonder what make it so special that the ordinary can’t afford it. “贡” literally means “tribute”, so the rice might has close relationship to the rice presented to the emperors as a tribute in ancient China. Let’s continue to unveil the mysterious veil of this kind of rice.
As early as in Ming Dynasty, the local lord paid tributes like elephants, jewels as well as rice to the emperor. After eating the soft rice produced in Zhefang, the emperor was so happy that he appointed it as the tribute rice every year. Therefore, the name “遮放贡米” was produced. Teachers in Chinese language school may also tell you that the rice in Zhefang had been famous before that.
Nowadays, the rice has been widely planted in the local area. Even in the whole Dehong Prefecture. It gradually becomes a growing famous industry. When westerners study Chinese in Yunnan, they may know that the Zhefang Rice Science and Technology Development Corporation Limited is the largest company responsible for Zhefang Rice planting and technical research, producing and processing.
During the process when you learn Chinese in China, teachers would also tell you that there are two types of rice produced by the largest local Zhefang Rice producing company, namely, “Haomuxi (毫目细)” and “Diantun 502 (滇屯502)”.The former one is a native product that packed in 2 kilogram, selling at a price of 999 Yuan. Another one is organic rice, selling at a price of 38 Yuan per kilogram. Being soft, elastic and tasty, Zhefang Gong Rice is nutritious. The rice moistens and beautifies skin and improves one’s appetite.
Yun Wushe (允午社) is a very common Dai village which is suitable for planting Zhefang rice. Even though the rice has been harvested, you can see the base for planting rice. If the foreigners learn Chinese in Yunnan, they will have the chance to go there, they will see that the trees remain green, the streams are flowing and the sunshine is warm. These are some conditions for rice planting.
Yin Kerang is a senior horticulturist in Dehong at the age of more than 50 years. For more than 30 years, he has been engaged in research on the control of rice diseases and insect pest. Now he is the technical consultant for planting Zhefang rice. Learners in Mandarin learning courses know that sunshine and water is the precondition for excellent rice. According to him, the water for planting rice there comes from the underground without any pollution.
The good natural conditions are essential, but the planting technique is also the guarantee for planting excellent rice. Let’s show students that study Mandarin in Yunnan the differences of the planting process from the ordinary rice. According to the technicians, they should always stay there and keep watching the conditions form sowing until harvest. That’s why Zhefang rice is so expensive with good quality.
The process needs much energy and meticulousness. The season of April is the seedling cultivation period, during which the technicians should do fertilization, weeding, killing injurious insects and so on. Teachers in Mandarin language courses in China will show you that June is the seedling transplanting period, which is very important for the growth of rice.
About one month after the transplanting, technicians should pay much attention to take care of it. All aspects should be involved. When it comes to rice heading stage, the workers should build bamboo frame to hold the heavy seed-head. It becomes ripe in the middle of November. Those who learn Chinese language may think the process comes to an end. However, much work needs to be done in harvest time.
In the current market environment, it is important to win the approval of the market. For Zhefang Rice, we have a comparative advantage in quality with the foreign high quality rice. Therefore, we need to make efforts to support it in logistics, market supply, publicity and promotion.