When the rainy season arrives in Yunnan, the scene of "June mushroom fragrance filling the markets" from the Qing Dynasty's "Dian Hai Yu Heng Zhi" mirrors the bustling trading lights of the Mushihua Market at 3 AM, marking the official start of Kunming's annual culinary feast – the "Mushroom Season."

In the summer of 2025, with the launch of a series of events like the "Cool Paradise · Happy Shopping in Spring City" Consumption Season and the 2025 Summer Yunnan Culture and Tourism Theme Press Conference, themed around "A Way of Life Called Yunnan · Cool Summer and Mushroom Fragrance," wild mushrooms are transforming from "mountain delicacies" into Kunming's iconic symbols, opening up boundless possibilities for the fusion of business, culture, and tourism.

From "Record of Delicious Food" to "Chronicle of Mushroom"

Yunnan people cannot live without mushrooms; it's a taste memory etched in their genes. Three out of every ten edible mushroom species worldwide come from Yunnan. From Yang Shengan's "sea breeze blowing jade branches" in the Ming Dynasty to Wang Zengqi's vivid description of "all kinds of mushrooms appearing" in "The Rain of Kunming," Yunnan's mushroom-eating culture has continued for 600 years.

Today, this centuries-old tradition is breaking into mainstream culture through innovative forms: the Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, has launched a special stamp issue titled "Edible Mushrooms (II)," six cartoon IP characters of wild mushrooms have debuted, and the Yunnan Mushroom Life Season, through art exhibitions, theatrical performances, and creative markets, is bringing mushrooms from the dining table to every corner of urban life.

From "Mountain Treasure" to "City Treasure"

Kunming is upgrading its entire industry chain to transform the fleeting mushroom season into a sustainable consumption growth engine. The Municipal Catering and Food Industry Association has released a "Wild Mushroom Cuisine Recommendation List," providing authoritative guidance for tourists, from hot pot and stir-fries to creative cuisine. 188 yuan wild mushroom hot pot sets, "luxury" mushroom across-the-bridge rice noodles, home-style stir-fried mushrooms... major restaurants are launching featured dishes to satisfy various needs. In the future, the formulation of "Kunming Wild Mushroom Catering Service Standards" will further promote the standardization and branding of the industry.

From "Eating Mushrooms" to "Playing with Mushrooms"

The hashtag #wildmushrooms on Douyin has exceeded 29.6 billion views, and "mushroom hunting" has become a new tourism experience in Yunnan. The market is seeing products like "mushroom hunter" day trips and study summer camps, where tourists can follow professional guides into the mountains to search for mushrooms, make specimens, and even take home mushroom-themed creative accessories. 

Associate Professor Liu Hongfang from the Yunnan University of Finance and Economics' Cultural Tourism Industry Research Center suggests that in the future, themed hotels, airline meals, and other options can be developed to create a "mushroom-tourism-culture-business" linked ecosystem, making " journey to Kunming for a wild mushroom" travel reason.

As the lights of the Mushihua Market still shine brightly, 600 years of mushroom fragrance is spreading to the world through modern industry. Kunming is transforming the gifts of the season into a lasting city memory, truly making "mountain treasure" become a "city treasure."

当云南雨季来临，清代《滇海虞衡志》中“六月菌香满市廛”的盛景与木水花市场凌晨3点的交易灯火交相辉映，昆明人的年度舌尖盛宴——“菌子季”正式开启。

2025年盛夏，随着“避暑天堂·乐购春城”消费季、“有一种叫云南的生活·夏凉菌香”2025年夏季云南文旅主题新闻发布会等一系列活动启动，野生菌正从“山珍”蜕变为昆明的城市超级符号，撬动商文旅融合的无限可能。  

从“食鲜记”到“菌物志”

云南人不能没有菌子，这是刻在基因里的味觉记忆。全球每十种可食用菌类中，就有三种来自云南。从明代杨升庵笔下的“海上天风吹玉枝”，到汪曾祺《昆明的雨》中“诸菌皆出”的鲜活描写，云南的食菌文化已延续600年。

如今，这一传统正以全新形式“破圈”——中国科学院昆明植物研究所推出《食用菌（二）》特种邮票，6款野生菌IP卡通形象亮相，滇生菌物生活季通过艺术展览、戏剧巡游、创意市集等活动，让菌子从餐桌走向城市生活的每个角落。  

从“山珍”蜕变“城珍”

昆明正通过全产业链升级，将短暂的菌子季转化为可持续的消费增长极。市餐饮与美食行业协会发布“野生菌美食推荐榜单”，从火锅、炒菜到创意料理，为游客提供权威指南。188元的野生菌火锅套餐、菌子过桥米线“奢侈品”、家常炒菌子……各大餐厅纷纷推出特色菜品，满足不同需求。未来，《昆明野生菌餐饮服务规范》的制定将进一步推动产业标准化、品牌化发展。  

从“吃菌子”转型“玩菌子”

抖音上#野生菌话题播放量超296亿次，“采菌子”已成为云南旅游新体验。市场上涌现“菌子猎人”一日游、研学夏令营等产品，游客可跟随专业向导进山寻菌，制作标本，甚至带走菌子文创挂件。

云南财经大学文旅产业研究中心副教授刘宏芳建议，未来可开发菌子主题酒店、航空餐食等，打造“菌旅文商”联动生态，让“为一朵菌子奔赴昆明”成为最具“蘑”力的旅行理由。  

当木水花市场的灯火依旧明亮，600年的菌香正通过现代产业飘向世界。昆明，正将季节的馈赠转化为永恒的城市记忆，让“山珍”真正成为“城珍”。