Origins and Early Cultivation of Taro in China

The unassuming taro root boasts a surprisingly noble history in Chinese agriculture, with cultivation records stretching back over two millennia. As one of China’s earliest domesticated “Araceae colocasia plants,” taro appears in agricultural manuals as early as the Spring and Autumn period (771-476 BCE). The ancient text Guanzi contains detailed instructions about seasonal planting priorities, listing taro second only to wheat in importance for spring cultivation.

This tuber’s significance becomes clearer when examining its linguistic history. The Han dynasty scholar Xu Shen explained in his etymological dictionary Shuowen Jiezi that the Chinese character for taro (芋) derived from descriptions of its “large leaves and substantial roots that astonish people.” During the Warring States period, the Qi state held taro in such high regard that they named settlements after it. The vegetable’s prestige is further evidenced by its poetic ancient names like “squatting owl” (蹲鸱), referencing the root’s resemblance to a perching bird of prey.

Taro as Economic and Survival Strategy

The strategic value of taro emerges dramatically in Sima Qian’s Records of the Grand Historian. He recounts how the Zhuo family, wealthy iron merchants from Zhao, deliberately chose relocation to the remote Linqiong county (modern Sichuan) after Qin’s conquest. While other wealthy families bribed officials to remain near the capital, the Zhuo couple recognized Linqiong’s potential because its fertile basin produced abundant “squatting owls” – taro that could prevent starvation.

This prescient decision allowed the Zhuo family to rebuild their fortune through iron smelting, using taro as both sustenance and economic leverage. By distributing taro during food shortages, they gained local support and labor for their industrial operations, eventually controlling regional trade networks with a household of thousands. Their story illustrates how taro’s reliability made it both an agricultural staple and socioeconomic tool.

Han dynasty agricultural texts like Fan Shengzhi’s Book reveal sophisticated taro cultivation techniques, including:
– Preparing three-foot square plots layered with bean stalks
– Strategic placement of five seedlings per plot
– Careful irrigation and soil management
These methods could yield remarkable harvests of three dan (about 90 liters) per plot, demonstrating advanced understanding of tuber farming.

Cultural Significance Through Dynasties

Taro’s role expanded beyond nutrition into Chinese cultural consciousness. The Han-era Tales of Immortals recounts how a centenarian official nicknamed “Wine Drinker” saved Liang province from famine by promoting taro cultivation. When predicted drought struck three years later, his foresight preserved countless lives, cementing taro’s reputation as heaven-sent sustenance.

By the Tang dynasty (618-907 CE), taro cultivation had spread throughout China, particularly flourishing in Sichuan. Poet Du Fu’s frequent references to chicken dishes in his Chengdu poems suggest “taro braised chicken” may have Tang origins. Buddhist monasteries also relied on processed taro – pounding it into paste, drying it into bricks, and storing it against lean years, as recorded in the Five Dynasties text Jade Hall Anecdotes.

The tuber also entered political discourse. The Han-era “Ruin of the Hongxi Dam Ballad” from Runan complains of misguided flood control policies that destroyed both lakes and farmland, forcing peasants to subsist on “taro stems and bean meals.” This birthed the idiom “taro and bean rice” symbolizing emergency rations, later referenced by Song dynasty literati like Su Shi to express rustic contentment.

Su Shi’s Taro Epiphanies

The great Song poet-official Su Shi (1037-1101) developed a lifelong relationship with taro that mirrored his political fortunes. His family’s philanthropic tradition involved cultivating taro around their Meishou estate to distribute during famines. Though unimpressed by plain steamed taro in youth, exile transformed his appreciation.

During his 1080 banishment to Huangzhou, Su Shi wrote to Qin Guan praising local taro that “rivaled Sichuan’s.” Later, stranded in impoverished Huizhou (1094), he discovered refined preparation methods from friend Wu Fugu, who taught him to:
1. Peel the tuber
2. Wrap in damp paper
3. Roast until perfectly tender
This technique produced taro so sublime that Su Shi documented it in his celebrated “Roasted Taro Note.”

Su Shi’s taro fascination turned philosophical during his final exile to Hainan (1097). Initially disgusted by islanders’ “bat and rat” diet, he eventually created “Jade Grain Soup” from local taro, boasting in verse that this humble dish surpassed even the legendary “golden minced fish” delicacy of the south. His culinary adaptation symbolized scholarly resilience – creating beauty amid adversity.

Regional Varieties and Modern Transformations

Centuries of cultivation produced remarkable taro diversity across China:

– Lipu Taro (Guangxi): Grown north of the Tropic of Cancer, this large, fragrant variety became a Qing imperial tribute. Its dry, powdery texture shines in steamed dishes or the classic Lipu pork belly.

– Fenghua Taro (Zhejiang): The “red taro” from Xiaowangmiao features thin skin and starchy, tender flesh. Local specialties include salt-cured vegetable broth stewed taro or coastal versions dipped in shrimp roe paste.

– Jingjiang Taro (Jiangsu): Nurtured in Yangtze River silt, these smaller tubers offer chestnut aroma and red bean paste texture, starring in holiday braised pork or everyday cakes and soups.

– Lechang “Cannonball” Taro (Guangdong): Weighing up to 10 jin (5 kg), these giants steam into cotton-soft sweetness, perfect with sugar or cured meats. Chaoshan chefs elevate taro to artistic levels in elaborate banquet dishes.

From Survival Food to Gastronomic Icon

Modern taro has transcended its famine-food origins through:
1. Agricultural refinement: Selective breeding improved flavor and texture
2. Culinary innovation: Integration into regional haute cuisine
3. Industrial applications: Use in health foods, supplements, and beverages

This journey from “squatting owl” to gourmet ingredient encapsulates Chinese food culture’s dynamism – transforming necessity into pleasure while preserving historical memory in every bite. As contemporary diners enjoy taro milk tea or artisanal taro pastries, they participate in an unbroken chain of culinary adaptation stretching back to antiquity.