Chi-Chien

Chi-Chien, also written Chi Chien, is a Chinese Capsicum annuum heirloom chilli known for its upright, clustered pods. Plants are commonly described as compact, around 18–24 inches tall, with midseason maturity usually listed at about 70–80 days.

Pods are upright and slender, typically about 2.5–3 inches long and 0.25–0.375 inches wide, ripening from green to dark red with thin flesh. The upward-facing pod habit has led to it being described as a “Facing Heaven” type, though that term is also used for other similar Chinese chillies, which causes some blending of information online.

Chi-Chien is widely associated with Chinese cooking and is often linked to Sichuan and Hunan cuisines. It is used fresh, dried, and processed into flakes or powder.

Heat reporting varies widely across sources. Some listings place it as low as around 15,000 SHU, while several independent seed sellers and articles describe it at or near 70,000 SHU. Because a single value is required, 70000 SHU is used here, reflecting the higher cluster of published figures and common descriptions of it as very hot.