But over time people came to feel that food "has to be hot to be good," a sentiment shared by residents of Hunan, Yunnan, Kiangsi, and Kwangsi Provinces.
四川為盆地地形，日照時間短暫、終年雲霧籠罩、濕氣濃重；而辣椒在藥理上正具有祛寒除濕的功效。吃辣原為保健，久而久之，四川人就「無辣椒則食不知味」了。除了四川，湖南、雲南、江西、廣西等省份的居民也吃辣。