Nowadays, locals are harvesting Chinese yam in bulk in Weixi County, Diqing Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture.

Chinese yam root (which may also be called a tuber or rhizome) was traditionally combined with other herbs to manage diabetes, improve people’s health, and support digestion.  

Priced around 30 yuan per kilogram, the Chinese yam is a popular winter food for locals in Diqing prefecture, and the pork-yam dish is also liked by tourists in the region.   

Reporting Zhang Yan and Wang Sibo; trans-editing by Wang Shixue