Spice Shopping in Sichuan

by Taylor Holliday · Published May 21, 2014 · Updated May 30, 2023

Chengdu spice market haul featuring bags of whole dried chilies, ground chilies, sichuan pepper, and more

Enough Sichuan pepper to last a lifetime, plus chili peppers and sauces, from my favorite vendors in Chengdu

A Spicy Girl Shops for Spices

I just returned from a trip to Chengdu (and Hong Kong, Guangzhou, Shanghai). I never get enough of Sichuan, which may explain why I always try to bring all its goodies back with me. This is just some of the Sichuan spicy stuff I stuffed in my luggage, bought at Chengdu’s jaw-dropping wholesale spice market, its fascinating supermarkets and wet markets and a sidewalk artisan food stall with the best sauces on earth (really!):

Three kinds of freshly dried Sichuan chili peppers, or lajiao, from mild to hot, plus chili flakes, from the Chengdu spice market
Four kinds of Sichuan pepper, or huajiao, straight from Hanyuan County: two packages of dried red, one of dried green, and one of fresh green Sichuan pepper, still on the vine, bought at the Chengdu spice market
One package of the best Pixian doubanjiang (chili bean paste), purchased onsite at Sichuan’s original douban factory
Two artisan sauces from a Pixian street vendor: a douchi (black bean) sauce with chili peppers and Sichuan pepper, and a chili oil with crispy chili flakes and a variety of nuts
A package of spicy pickled Jerusalem artichoke from the same Pixian street vendor

I’ll be writing more about this trip and my latest finds in Chengdu, but for now, here are my shopping highlights.

Chengdu spice market seller surrounded by heaping piles of fresh and dried chilies, chili powders, Sichuan pepper huajiao, and more

One of hundreds of spice merchants at Chengdu’s wholesale spice market

Two women, Chengdu spice market sellers, on the ground sorting a floor full of vibrant red chilies, with boxes and loads of spices behind them

These Spicy Girls (as Sichuan women are called) are clearly enjoying their work sorting chili peppers

Chengdu spice market sellers, all women, pictured standing in front of their piles of fresh and dried chili and spice products with a young child being carried in one of the women's arms

My absolute favorite spice merchants, so friendly and helpful, with great advice on the best peppers

Chengdu street food and sauces for sale by big open porcelain and metal bowls on a large wraparound vender table in a spice market

A Chengdu street vendor selling pickled and preserved sauces, vegetables and snacks made in Pixian County

Chengdu street food on a vendor table showing 7+ varieties of chili oils and and chili sauces, including artisan-made douchi (black bean) sauce

Unbelievably delicious, artisan-made douchi (black bean) sauces and chili oils

Chengdu street food showing porcelain bowls of pickled vegetables

To-die-for pickled vegetables; I know because I sampled them all and came home with the best

In December 2016, we opened an online SHOP to sell products such as these described here, imported direct from Sichuan spice markets. We have the widest range of Sichuan chili peppers and the freshest Sichuan pepper you’ll find in the U.S.

BYRON CRAWFORD says:

November 26, 2020 at 2:26 pm

THERE IS A MARKET FOR GANSU PROVENCE BLACK FLAX SEED COOKING OIL AND MORE IMPORTANTLY YUNAN PROVENCE LACKER TREE COOKING OIL AS NOBODY ELSE IS CARRYING THESE PRODUCTS.KINDLY CONSIDER THESE ITEMS FOR YOUR COLLECTION AND OBLIGE.HAPPY THANKSGIVING!