Fuchsia Dunlop

Chilli con carnage: the red hot pepper and communism

He who can’t endure chilli is also unable to fight, declared Mao, ensuring the spice’s revolutionary symbolism throughout China

The Chinese flag made from chillies and corn cobs. Credit: Alamy
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  • The Chile Pepper in China: A Cultural Biography

    Brian R. Dott

    Colombia University Press, pp. 296, £28

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