For Romanian teacher Simona Abagiu, the flavors of Yunnan's rainy season arrived in a steaming pot of wild mushroom soup.
As the clear broth arrived at the table, carrying the rich aroma of mushrooms gathered from the province's forests, she lifted a spoon and took a sip. Then she paused.
"Just the soup by itself. It's so, so delicious," she said.
The 38-year-old has lived in Kunming, the capital of Southwest China's Yunnan province, for nearly nine years and teaches English at a local university. Although Abagiu has tried mushroom hotpot before, the variety of flavors and textures continues to surprise her.
Yunnan is now in the midst of its annual wild mushroom season. Nourished by summer rains, mushrooms are emerging across the province's mountain forests and making their way from farmers' baskets to markets and restaurant tables.
Behind each bubbling pot lies a wider story — one of remarkable biodiversity, knowledge passed down through generations, rural livelihoods and a growing interest in mushroom foraging tours.
For Abagiu, the hotpot's appeal lies not in any single mushroom, but in the contrasts created when different varieties are cooked together. Some are soft and delicate, while others are crisp or pleasantly chewy.
"I think the most important thing is the texture," Abagiu noted.
Mushrooms are also eaten in Europe, but they are often prepared differently. Abagiu said that Western-style cream of mushroom soup can be rich and heavy, whereas Yunnan's clear chicken broth is light yet delivers an unexpected depth of flavor.
"It's just that the mushroom and the chicken broth are so rich together," she added.
In Yulong county in Lijiang, Yunnan, 37-year-old mushroom farmer He Weiqiang heads into the mountains from early July until early October every year.
August and September are the peak months, when he can earn between 200 yuan ($30) and 250 yuan a day by collecting mushrooms.
The forests follow their own seasonal calendar. Tuoluojun — the Chinese name of which evokes the shape of a spinning top — comes in several varieties that differ in color and appearance as the season progresses. Found from July to October, it is often stir-fried with cured pork.
Jizong mushrooms, which are recognizable by their umbrella-shaped caps and long, slender stems, become more abundant in August and September. They can be cooked in soup or fried into a fragrant mushroom oil served with rice or noodles.
Among Yunnan's most recognizable wild mushrooms are blue-staining boletes, commonly known as jianshouqing because their flesh changes color when cut or bruised. They are valued for their distinctive flavor, but some varieties contain toxins and must be professionally identified, properly prepared and thoroughly cooked.
Expert guidance is essential for visitors unfamiliar with wild mushrooms. Judging safety simply by appearance, smell or folk methods can be risky.
That caution is an essential part of Yunnan's food culture: appreciating what the forests provide while respecting nature's boundaries.
In early July, the Lijiang Edible Mushroom (Matsutake) Trading Center launched an immersive mushroom-foraging program in Yulong. Led by professional guides and local farmers, visitors enter the forest to learn about mushrooms, trees and ecological conservation while experiencing the excitement of foraging for wild mushrooms.
Under the program's rules, collected mushrooms cannot be taken away or eaten. Farmers guide visitors throughout the excursion, prevent them from picking known poisonous species and inspect what they collect.
Luo Wei, general manager of the center, said that mushroom-foraging experiences have been organized locally since 2018. This year's program aims to create additional sales and tourism-related income for rural households, while giving travelers another reason to visit Lijiang during the summer.
As for the mushrooms, the hotpot has moved beyond family kitchens into busy commercial districts, becoming an accessible introduction to the province's cuisine.
Zhang Jianqiang, executive chef at two Aishangjun mushroom hotpot restaurants near Kunming's old town, said the broth is prepared from a carefully proportioned blend of dried mushrooms, including boletes, matsutake, milk caps and chanterelles. The fresh mushrooms served with the hotpot change according to seasonal availability.
For Chen Shuya, a tourist from Zaozhuang in East China's Shandong province, mushroom hotpot was her family's first meal after arriving in Kunming.
"We will definitely have it again before leaving," Chen said. "After we go home, we won't be able to find anything this authentic."
"It doesn't matter if you're Chinese or if you're a foreigner in China, you must try mushroom hotpot in Yunnan. It's a very, very special experience," Abagiu, the Romanian teacher, said.
