Honestly, I wish it was more of a staple if anything. It's surprisingly hard to find really good Sichuanese food. I've had mapo tofu that ends up tasting more like a poorly done Hunan dish because of an unpleasant sourness and thickened sauce, even in restaurants that claim to be Sichuanese.

By far though, one of the best Sichaunese dishes which is unfortunately (and surprisingly) overlooked is their whitefish. If you know you know.

Dried peppercorns are not necessarily Sichuan peppers, which are distinctly used in Sichuan cuisine. So while it may be a staple in Chinese pantry (and mine too) it is certainly tied to specific cuisine.

Looks like we're quickly going into semantics but I maintain that it isn't "a staple" of Chinese cuisine in general. It's very regional and many regions will not notice a shortage of them.

Bread is a staple of French (and European) cuisine, cayenne pepper is found is found in most kitchens but isn't.