My name is Gerald Zhang-Schmidt, and when I started studying cultural anthropology and ecology, I also started growing chile peppers and eating spicy foods.
The first chile pepper I ever grew: “Chinese Five-Color.”
It proved prophetic, for later I would live in China for years, and in Hunan – perhaps the province best known for its spicy character – at that. I was already deeply interested in the chile pepper’s role in cuisines and culture at that time, and China proved a particularly interesting place to explore this topic.
The main drive for this project began, not in kitchens or my garden, but in the archives.
While researching Chinese food history, I was struck by a fascinating anomaly. The fiery flavors we so readily associate with cuisines like Sichuan and Hunan are, historically speaking, a very recent phenomenon. Chiles only arrived in China in the late 16th century, and for a while – at least supposedly, they were regarded merely as ornamental plants.
So, how did this humble import become a cornerstone of Chinese identity and cuisine?
That question became the driving force behind years of research, interviews, and travels, leading to my first forays into sharing this story on my old site chilicult.com and in my podcast, Heat Stories.
The more I learned, the more I realized this wasn’t just a story about a plant—it was a story about cultural adoption, agricultural innovation, and the very nature of flavor itself.
This website and my book, Red Hot China, are the culmination of that work.
The Mission of This Site
redhotchina.com serves two primary purposes:
- It is the official home for my book, offering a direct way to learn about the project and purchase your copy.
- It is a living archive of my ongoing research. Here in The Archive, you will find articles that expand on the book’s themes, explore topics that didn’t make the final edit, and share new discoveries as I continue my research for the revised edition.
As something of an aside, I also run a little shop for select Chinese ingredients, especially the best Sichuan pepper, here, albeit for my local (Austrian, German-speaking) surroundings, and therefore in German – and it’s also less of a business than a way to provide access to some of the spices I talk about.
My goal is to ultimately provide the most comprehensive and well-researched English-language resource on the role of the chilli in China, for cuisines and culture. Whether you are a culinary professional, a passionate home cook, a historian, or simply a curious eater, I hope this work enriches your understanding of one of the world’s most dynamic food cultures.
Thank you for your interest in this project.
Sincerely,
Gerald