The crop met great demand in Sichuan, on the other side of the mountains. To get there, burdened with the spice, Kou's father had to spend over 20 hours on the road, transferring from bus to train.

Quality Sichuan pepper produced in Longnan's Wudu district was sold for up to 8 yuan (about $1.15) per kilogram 30 years ago, twice the average daily salary of most workers in west China in the same period.

For Kou's family, Sichuan pepper has brought them fortune, and even a taste of the unknown. Once, his father bought peanuts from Sichuan after he sold his pepper in the province.

"It was the first time that I'd ever seen or eaten peanuts. I ate too much and suffered from diarrhea and vomiting for days," Kou recalled. "But Sichuan pepper gave me a glimpse at the outside world."

Despite these humble beginnings, the younger generation have spiced up the narrative in recent years, taking advantage of improved logistics and introducing fresh ideas, aided by favorable government policies.

Kou set up a Sichuan pepper cooperative in 2003 after completing military service. So far, his cooperative has pulled over 90 households out of poverty.