China food "spicy" appeared in the Qin dynasty.

today, Qin pepper is pepper, but it was not called pepper in ancient times. A plant that existed in the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period is Zanthoxylum bungeanum, a woody plant of Rutaceae. Its fruit is spherical, usually 2-3, red or purplish red, and it is densely covered with warty oil spots. The flowering period is from March to May, and the fruiting period is from July to September. It is a local spicy plant in China, which was produced in Qin land in those days. It should be called Qin pepper, also known as Guanzhong pepper.

Guanzhong Zanthoxylum bungeanum, also known as Qinjiao. Mainly produced in Guanzhong area of Shaanxi Province, it is named after its ancient name Qin. Ranked first among the "six famous peppers" in China.