採筍季

These tender young shoots are a declicacy

A collector hard at work

Bamboo-shoot collector's huts/workshops in their various sizes and shapes (1)

Bamboo-shoot collector's huts/workshops in their various sizes and shapes (2)

Bamboo-shoot collector's huts/workshops in their various sizes and shapes (3)

Freshly harvested shoots are first boiled to remove the bitterness

Baking to dehydrate the boiled shoots

A collector returns with his heavy load of harvest through a narrow cliff path

金佛山方竹（Chimonobambusa utilis）, named after the Golden Buddha Mountain, is a southwest China endemic bamboo that produces tastier shoots than other bamboo species. This sought-after delicacy is traditionally harvested by the villagers living in and around the mountain and is a major source of income for them.

The collecting season starts around the 8th lunar month every year, and lasts for a month or so. During this time, the bamboo-shoot collectors lodge in little huts (referred to as "bamboo-shoot workshops") in their allocated bamboo groves high up the mountain, which require a few hours' strenuous climb on rough paths to reach. Freshly harvested shoots are first boiled and then dried before they are carried down and sold to wholesalers. On average, 13 kilos of fresh shoots yield 1 kilo of dried ones.