View source for Chinese cabbage

{{Short description|Vegetable of the bok choy plant}}
{{about|bok choy and sui choy|variety ''parachinensis'', the Chinese flowering cabbage|Choy sum}}
{{more citations needed|date= April 2013}}
{{Infobox cultivar 
| name = Chinese cabbage
| image = File:ChineseCabbage.jpg
| image_caption = ''Brassica rapa'', subsp. ''pekinensis''
| species = ''[[Brassica rapa]]''
| group = Chinensis Group, Pekinensis Group
| origin = [[China]], before the 15th century
| subdivision = Many; see text
}}

'''Chinese cabbage''' (''[[Brassica rapa]]'', subspecies ''pekinensis'' and ''chinensis'') is either of two [[cultivar group]]s of [[leaf vegetable]]s often used in [[Chinese cuisine]]: the Pekinensis Group ([[napa cabbage]]) and the Chinensis Group ([[bok choy]]).

These vegetables are both variant [[cultivar]]s or subspecies of ''B. rapa'' and belong to the same [[genus]] as ''[[Brassica oleracea]]'', whose cultivars include Western staples such as [[cabbage]], [[broccoli]], and [[cauliflower]]. Both ''B. rapa'' cultivars have many variations in name, spelling, and [[scientific classification]], especially bok choy cultivars.

==History==
The Chinese cabbage was principally grown in the [[Yangtze River]] Delta region, but the [[Ming dynasty]] naturalist [[Li Shizhen]] popularized it by bringing attention to its [[traditional Chinese medicine|medicinal]] qualities. The variant cultivated in [[Zhejiang]] around the 14th century was brought north, and the northern harvest of [[napa cabbage]] soon exceeded the southern one. These were then exported back south along the [[Grand Canal (China)|Grand Canal]] to [[Hangzhou]] and traded by sea as far south as [[Guangdong]].{{citation needed|date=August 2013}}

Napa cabbage became a staple in [[Northeastern Chinese cuisine]] for making ''[[suan cai]]'', Chinese [[sauerkraut]]. In [[Korea]], napa cabbage was used for ''[[baek-kimchi]]'', which developed into [[kimchi]].<ref>{{Cite journal|title=Kimchi throughout millennia: a narrative review on the early and modern history of kimchi|first1=Reggie|last1=Surya|first2=David|last2=Nugroho|date=April 3, 2023|journal=Journal of Ethnic Foods|volume=10|issue=1|pages=5|doi=10.1186/s42779-023-00171-w|doi-access=free |pmc=10068239}}</ref> Chinese cabbage is now commonly found in markets throughout the world, catering both to the [[Chinese diaspora]] and to northern markets that appreciate its resistance to cold.

In 2017, aboard the [[International Space Station]], a crop of Chinese cabbage from a plant growth device included an allotment for crew consumption, while the rest was saved for scientific study.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.nasa.gov/feature/cabbage-patch-fifth-crop-harvested-aboard-space-station|title=Cabbage Patch: Fifth Crop Harvested Aboard Space Station|last=Heiney|first=Anna|date=2017-02-17|work=NASA|access-date=2018-05-11|language=en|archive-date=2019-04-23|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190423095447/https://www.nasa.gov/feature/cabbage-patch-fifth-crop-harvested-aboard-space-station/|url-status=dead}}</ref>

==Cultivar groups==
There are two distinct groups of ''Brassica rapa'' used as leaf vegetables in China, and a wide range of cultivars within these two groups. The binomial name ''B. campestris'' is also used.

===Pekinensis Group===
{{Main|Napa cabbage}}

This group is the more common of the two, especially outside Asia; names such as [[napa cabbage]], ''dà báicài'' ({{zh|links=no|c=大白菜}}, "large white vegetable"); ''Baguio petsay'' or ''petsay wombok'' ([[Tagalog language|Tagalog]]); ''Chinese white cabbage''; "wong a pak" (Hokkien, Fujianese); ''baechu'' ({{Korean|배추}}), ''wongbok''; ''hakusai'' ({{langx|ja|[[:ja:白菜|白菜]] or [[:ja:ハクサイ|ハクサイ]]}}) and "suann-tang-pe̍h-á" (Taiwanese)<ref>{{Cite web |title=山東白仔-詞目-教育部臺灣閩南語常用詞辭典 |url=https://sutian.moe.edu.tw/zh-hant/su/365/ |access-date=2023-09-04 |website=sutian.moe.edu.tw}}</ref> usually refer to members of this group. Pekinensis Group cabbages have broad green leaves with white [[Petiole (botany)|petiole]]s, tightly wrapped in a cylindrical formation and usually forming a compact head. As the group name indicates, this is particularly popular in northern China around [[Beijing]] (Peking).

===Chinensis Group===
{{Main|Bok choy}}
[[File:Starr-070730-7871-Brassica rapa-Chinese cabbage-Foodland Pukalani-Maui (24797118771).jpg|thumb|Bok choy]]
Chinensis Group cultivars do not form heads; instead, they have smooth, dark green leaf blades forming a cluster reminiscent of [[Mustard plant|mustard]] or [[celery]]. These cultivars are popular in southern China and [[Southeast Asia]]. Being winter-hardy, they are increasingly grown in Northern Europe. This group was originally classified as its own species under the name ''B. chinensis'' by [[Carl Linnaeus|Linnaeus]].{{Citation needed|date=June 2014}}

==See also==
*[[Cabbage]], the related European vegetable ''B. oleracea'' Capitata Group
*[[Gai lan]] ({{lang|zh|芥兰}}, <small>[[pinyin|p]]</small>&nbsp;''jièlán''), the Chinese vegetable ''B. oleracea'' Alboglabra Group
*[[Choy sum]] ({{lang|zh|菜心}}, <small>[[pinyin|p]]</small>&nbsp;''càixīn'') aka ''yu choy'' ({{lang|zh|油菜}}, <small>[[pinyin|p]]</small>&nbsp;''yóucài''), the Chinese vegetable ''B. rapa var. parachinensis''
*[[Turnip]], the same species ''B. rapa'' cultivated in Europe for its roots
*'''''<small>{{portal-inline|Food}}</small>'''''

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
*[http://www.plantnames.unimelb.edu.au/Sorting/Brassica_rapa.html Multilingual taxonomical information from the University of Melbourne]

{{Brassica}}

[[Category:Brassica]]
[[Category:Chinese vegetables]]
[[Category:Leaf vegetables]]