Leading the world for 30 consecutive years, why is Chinese watermelon more and more delicious?丨 Share before going to bed

China is the largest country of watermelon production and consumption in the world. According to statistics, Chinese people can eat 70%of the world's watermelon each year. However, watermelon is not native to China. The earliest watermelon is neither delicious, and its output is limited.

So, do you know how watermelon has been domesticated by humans? What is the process of planting and development of watermelon in China? Why do foreigners rarely eat watermelon, and the Chinese not only "eat melon", but also "eat good melon"?

Where does it come from?

In the summer and autumn of 1995, the villagers of the four Zijiazi Town of Aohan Banner, Aohan, Chifeng City, Inner Mongolia did not want to work, but did not want to dig into three ancient tombs.

After exploration and excavation, archeologists found more than 40 square meters of Liao Tomb murals here. One of the tombs was painted with a banquet picture of the owner, and the three oval watermelons were clearly visible in the painting. It is this "watermelon map" that makes the origin and spread of watermelon in China.

"Watermelon Picture" in the murals of Liao Tomb, Aohan Banner. (Information picture)

Sweet watermelon originated in northeastern Africa. People have cultivated it from about 4000 years ago, and after being initially domesticated, they have gradually promoted planting. Before being domesticated by humans, although wild watermelon is rich in moisture, the texture is harder, white and tasteless, and even bitter.

Archaeologists have discovered the ancient "watermelon seeds" about 5,000 years ago in northeastern Africa. There are also many depictions related to watermelon in ancient Egyptian tombs. Striped oval fruits are placed on the tray, which is considered by archeologists to be the "originator" of modern watermelon.

However, when the watermelon was introduced into China, it was a difficult mystery.

The term "watermelon" was first seen in the Five Dynasties, Hu Yan's "Sedu", which recorded the historical process of "Khitan breaking back and giving this (watermelon) species. It is inferred that in the middle of the 9th century, the watermelon was passed from Central Asia to Xinjiang, my country, and then spread south to Shanxi and Henan, and north to the female true tribe near Songhua River.

However, due to the lack of exchanges among various nations at that time, after the Yuan Dynasty, various claims about the origin of watermelon in my country appeared. Some people thought that watermelon had to be introduced from the Western Regions until the Golden or Yuan Dynasty. In the Central Plains, some people think that watermelon originally originated in China ... With the discovery of the Chifeng murals in 1995 and the emergence of more archeological evidence in the future, these assertions have gradually been broken.

From extravagance to frugality, entering millions of households

In the early years, watermelon belonged to the luxury goods consumed by nobles. Through the exchange of envoys and businessmen from various countries, as tribute or luxury goods, it became a scarce resource for trade exchanges.

At that time, during the long -distance transportation of Central Asia, watermelon was packaged by lead boxes, and ice cubes were also needed. A watermelon can be sold at 700 Dram (about 1280 yuan) in Baghdad, which is very expensive.

Ordinary people eat watermelon and go to the Southern Song Dynasty. At that time, Hong Hao, an official of the Southern Song Dynasty, came out of the Jin Dynasty, but was detained by the other party for 15 years. When he returned to the Southern Song Dynasty, he obtained watermelon seeds from the golden man and was planted in the royal nursery. From this as the starting point, watermelon gradually spread to the entire Jiangnan area.

Fan Chengda, a poet in the Southern Song Dynasty, wrote in "Watermelon Garden": "Biman Ling Cream is lying soft sand, and watermelon has been eaten everywhere for the years. Multi -liquid. It can be seen that the scale of watermelon planting at that time was large, but the taste of melon was not too sweet.

Zhang Daqian watermelon map

However, people at the time had begun further cultivation of watermelon.

The "Southern Song Dynasty Sending Watermelon Cross -Celers and Stone Carvings" discovered in Enshi, Hubei described the condition of cultivating watermelon: "Five years of Xianchun (1269 AD). Greatly, the species also spread throughout the countryside. "Through the selection of experiments, the planting technology of watermelon has gradually upgraded, the taste is better, and the output is richer.

Wen Tianxiang wrote in "Watermelon Yin": "Thousands of red cherries, a group of yellow crystals." The red and yellow cricket varieties were described at the time.

Qing Dingfu watermelon

In the Yuan Dynasty, watermelon cultivation technology was very mature. In the early years of the Yuan Dynasty, the "Nong Mulberry Collection" first recorded watermelon cultivation technology. At that time, it had a giant watermelon that weighed about 30 pounds.

During the Ming and Qing Dynasties, the planting area expanded to the whole country, and many provinces had their own watermelon species. There are already special gardens that have tribute to the royal family in the Daxing area in southern Beijing.

Out of his love for watermelon, Emperor Kangxi also specially selected high -quality watermelon seeds and sent it to Taiwan to just eat a "anti -season" watermelon. In addition, during the Guangxu period, according to the "Guangzhou Prefecture" records: "In mid -July every year, the villagers played watermelon, and those who produced Panyu Pond were also good." Ceremony to pray for watermelon production.

Scientific and technological innovation, start "eating melon" freedom

Since the introduction of watermelons, the Chinese exploration has never stopped.

In 1938, the War of Resistance Against Japan entered a stage of comprehensive stalemate. At this time, Huang Changxian was studying for a doctorate in the United States. He was in the fate of his motherland. He successfully used plant hormone to cultivate a sub -watermelon for the first time, which made a sensation in the biology community.

Huang Changxian in his youth

At the beginning of the founding of New China, the total area of ​​watermelon and melon nationwide in the country was less than one million mu. The production level was low, the output was low, and the variety was small. However, since the 1970s, with the increase in policy support, the number of researchers engaged in watermelon research in my country has increased significantly, and more than 60 fine new varieties have been cultivated. In 1984, Wu Mingzhu, a watermelon breeding expert, cultivated a sweet and crispy watermelon variety in the twenty -fourth group of seeds, so she named this watermelon "Early Jia 8424". Since then, 8424 watermelon with quality and low price has taken root in various places.

In addition to cultivating good breeds, Wu Mingzhu also allowed watermelon to achieve the same year and three seasons, accelerating China to become the world's largest watermelon producer and consumer country. China has become the largest country with the largest watermelon and melon planting area, the most cultivated varieties and output in the world for more than 30 consecutive years, and has the most popular watermelon and melon professional technology team in the world.

However, it is curious that at the same time as the Chinese watermelon industry is developing rapidly, foreigners do not seem to have much interest in watermelon.

According to industry insiders, foreigners eat less watermelon because there are few varieties, high prices, and uneven quality. During only the "Thirteenth Five -Year Plan" period in my country, there are more than 50 new varieties selected. They have improved in all aspects of appearance quality, sugar content, and storage and transportation. The choice space of the person is greater.

As for the future, will we eat better watermelon? let us wait and see.

Liberation Daily · Shangguan News Original manuscript, reprinting without permission

Author: Xiao Yawen

WeChat editor: nano

School pair: Xiaochuan

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