"If you want quality ginseng, you must visit the Ginseng Town—they have a wide variety, excellent products like ginseng soap, and reasonable prices," recommended Ms. Zhao, a restaurant employee in Fusong County, Jilin Province, on the morning of December 9.
The town she referred to is Wanliang Ginseng Town, located in Fusong County, known as the "Hometown of Chinese Ginseng." As the core hub of the county's ginseng industry, Wanliang hosts the world's largest ginseng trading market—the National Changbai Mountain Ginseng Market. Merchants and tourists flock here daily, trading tons of ginseng, accounting for 80% of China's and 70% of the global ginseng trade volume. It serves as a barometer for the global ginseng industry.
According to Ms. Zhao, ginseng harvesting season begins in September and October, providing ample employment opportunities for workers involved in cleaning and processing. Nearly every household in this town beneath Changbai Mountain has direct or indirect ties to the ginseng trade. "Factories are everywhere, and every family runs a business," reflecting the industry's scale and prosperity, with local incomes significantly higher than neighboring regions.
Even past peak trading season, Wanliang remains bustling. Shops line the streets, offering neatly displayed and clearly priced ginseng skincare products—soaps, hand creams, shampoos, masks, and serums—in stores like "Ginseng Craft."
"All wild ginseng products here come with CMA certification. Scanning the QR code reveals details like origin and testing records," explained a salesperson at Fusong Xinsanbao Ginseng & Antler Development Co., Ltd. A golden plaque marking the store as a "Premium Ginseng Retailer" is prominently displayed. Cui Rongfang, head of Wanliang’s Market Supervision Office, emphasized that such certifications aim to set industry benchmarks, foster healthy competition, and attract more consumers.
The ginseng industry has generated substantial economic benefits. In 2025, Wanliang’s Changbai Mountain Ginseng Market recorded fresh ginseng transactions of 38,400 tons (¥2.842 billion), dried ginseng at 13,300 tons (¥3.37 billion), and forest-grown ginseng at 12 tons (¥170 million). The county’s total ginseng industry chain revenue is projected to reach ¥23 billion.
This success stems from Wanliang’s strengths: diverse product offerings, abundant supply, high trading volume, and distribution capacity. The local industry has expanded beyond raw ginseng sales into value-added products, leveraging both online and offline channels to reach broader markets.
Exploring the town reveals Fusong County’s commitment to high-quality ginseng industry growth. By tapping into cultural resources, the county promotes "ginseng +" initiatives, such as hosting the 39th China Fusong Changbai Mountain Ginseng Festival, featuring competitions and traditional events like the "Opening Scale Festival." It also integrates ginseng with tourism, launching cultural travel seasons and introducing ginseng products to scenic spots to enhance cultural influence.
"Ginseng Town Wanliang, Gold in Abundance"—once famed for gold, today for ginseng. The ginseng industry is now a driving force for local prosperity and economic transformation.