Pepper was introduced to China from America in the late 16th century, that is, from the late Ming Dynasty.

In ancient China, peppers were also called pepper, sea pepper, Qin pepper and so on.

Pepper originated in America. Before the new sea route was opened, the distribution of pepper was limited to the American continent. From Peru to Mexico, Indians domesticated different pepper varieties. After Europeans arrived in America, pepper also spread to all parts of the world, and it was introduced to China at the latest during Jiajing and Wanli periods in the Ming Dynasty. It is generally believed that pepper was introduced to China by sea and gradually spread from the southeast coast to the northwest inland.

Today, China has become one of the countries that consume the most peppers in the world. In Sichuan, Hunan, Guizhou, Yunnan and other places in China, pepper has become one of the indispensable daily foods for local people.

Extended information:

The hometown of pepper is America. From the 15th century to the 16th century, European navigators opened up new routes one after another and discovered the new continent of America. The opening of the new air route made the pepper on the American continent spread to other regions.

At this time, China was in the late Ming Dynasty, and the trade with European merchants made peppers enter China.

according to the Qing dynasty's Qing dynasty notes, "people in Yunnan, Guizhou, Hunan and Shu are fond of spicy products", "people in Hunan and Hubei like spicy products", "there are many soups without peppers and mustard". Thus, at the latest in the early years of the Qing Dynasty, that is, in the early 17th century A.D., pepper has been widely planted in southwest China, and has become a favorite food of local people, and has continued to this day, becoming the beginning of the tradition of eating spicy food in Yunnan, Guizhou, Hunan, Sichuan and other regions.

Baidu Encyclopedia-Pepper