Broad beans are also called beans, Buddha beans, Sichuan beans, Japanese beans and arhat beans. China originally did not produce broad beans. According to legend, Zhang Qian brought it back from the Western Regions. It is generally believed that broad beans originated in Southwest Asia and North Africa, and the earliest existing discovery is the ancient Palestinian city of Jellicoe, where the remnants of broad beans were discovered 6000 years ago.
Mung bean, most experts believe that it is produced in India and Myanmar, but some scholars believe that China is its origin. It was called Ludou in ancient times. Wild beans were mentioned in Sima Xiangru's Fu in the Western Han Dynasty (Biography of Historical Records and Sima Xiangru).
Peas are called cold beans and wheat beans. Originated from the ancient Mediterranean coast and the west coast of Asia. The word pea first appeared in Zhang Yi's Guangya (3rd century), also known as bēi bean. Beans have been recorded in the Moon Order for Four People written by Cui Gui in the Eastern Han Dynasty (2nd century), so it can be seen that they were introduced to China at the latest in the Han Dynasty.
Since the Yuan, Ming and Qing Dynasties, some varieties have been added to the recipes in China. Carrots originated in northern Europe and were introduced from Persia in the Yuan Dynasty.
Pepper and tomato were introduced later. Although tomatoes were introduced into China from Europe, their ancestral home is Peru in South America. The original name of tomato is Wolf Peach. When Peruvian aborigines first discovered it, they thought it was poisonous and dared not eat it. At the end of Qing Dynasty, all the existing traditional vegetable varieties in China basically appeared.
Potatoes (potatoes) are not found in China itself, and their hometown is also in the United States. It was first brought back to Europe by the Spanish, and probably was introduced to China from northwest or south China in the middle of16th century or later.
Cabbage has a long history of utilization and cultivation. As early as 4000 years ago, some people in Southeast Europe (the site of Troy) ate wild cabbage, and perhaps the legendary beauty Helen also ate cabbage. Cabbage has not spread to China for a long time. It was first read in the book 1848, then it was called sunflower cabbage (an interesting name). Later, it was also called Huizi Cabbage, probably because it spread along the route of the Silk Road.
Cauliflower was introduced to China later than cabbage (cabbage), and was only planted in Guangdong and Fujian in the early 20th century. After the establishment of People's Republic of China (PRC), it has developed rapidly and has been widely planted in China. Broccoli has been circulating for more than ten years.
Lettuce is native to the Mediterranean coast and western Asia. Some people think lettuce is popular. The evidence introduced by the Sui Dynasty is that in the novel Coco in Qing Dynasty, Tao Gui said: "When envoys from various countries came to Han, Sui people made a lot of money selling vegetables." The country is now in Afghanistan and Bhutan. But lettuce has been recorded in Ge Hong's The Elbow Queen. Therefore, lettuce was introduced to China earlier.
Chinese pumpkin is native to South Asia (Indonesia, Myanmar).
There was no record of bitter gourd before the Ming Dynasty, and it is generally believed that it was brought by Zheng He when he went to the West. Fei Xin, who went to the West with Zheng He, recorded bitter gourd in Xing Cha Sheng Lan. Momordica charantia is listed as one of the crops for famine relief in its Contemporary Herbs for Famine Relief. But eating bitter gourd was not popular at that time. It was not until the middle of Ming Dynasty that it became popular in the south.
Coriander is native to the Mediterranean coast in southwest Europe. Later, it was introduced to West Asia. Zhang Qian brought it to the Central Plains when he went to the Western Regions. In the Western Jin Dynasty, Zhang Hua wrote the Natural History, which recorded that "Zhang Qian hollowed out pomegranate (pomegranate), walnut (walnut), garlic and coriander (coriander)".
Luffa originated in India. Lu You said in the Southern Song Dynasty: "Wiping the inkstone with loofah can clean all dirt without damaging the inkstone (loofah washes the inkstone, leaving all stains without damaging the inkstone). Du Beishan wrote a poem about loofah, indicating that loofah was introduced to China not later than the Song Dynasty.
Ancient Egypt was one of the earliest areas where onions were planted. Onions began to be distributed in the Middle East and the Near East, and later spread all over the world. China was called "Hu Cong" in ancient times. This is recorded in Jia Sixie's Book of Qi Yaomin in the Northern Wei Dynasty. Therefore, onions were introduced no later than the Southern and Northern Dynasties. The name of onion came from Japan and was named onion after it was introduced to Japan. This name was later introduced into China and became a common name.