King of Chinese Jujubes

King of Chinese Jujubes

The Tang Jujube, located 11.5 kilometers northwest of Qingyun County, borders the Zhangwei New River to the north and the Zhangma River to the east. Planted during the late Sui and early Tang dynasties, this tree has a history of over 1,400 years and is hailed as the “King of Chinese Jujubes,” listed in the *Encyclopedia of Famous Scenic Spots in China*. Legend has it that during the late Sui Dynasty, Luo Cheng, a general of the Wagang rebel army, once tied his horse under this tree to rest and escape the heat. It was mid-autumn, and some jujubes accidentally fell into his saddlebag. Unwilling to keep them to himself, he presented them to Emperor Taizong of Tang for tasting. Due to their bright color and sweet taste, they were later honored as “Candy Jujubes” and have since been passed down as the “Tang Jujube.” Another legend says that when the Ming Dynasty's Prince of Yan swept through the north and arrived here, a sudden heavy fog appeared, shielding the villagers hiding under the tree from the war. Thus, it became known as a miraculous tree. During the Anti-Japanese War, Japanese troops attempted to cut down the tree, but local villagers risked their lives to protect it. The majestic spirit of China and the tree’s grand presence deterred the enemy.

The Tang Jujube stands 6.5 meters tall and has a girth of 4 meters. Viewed from the north, its trunk resembles intricately carved dragons and phoenixes, sturdy and graceful. From the south, its belly is swollen and hollow, large enough to shelter playful children. In early summer, it blooms with flowers that attract buzzing bees and fluttering butterflies; by mid-autumn, the leaves are lush green and the fruits ruby red, yielding over a hundred pounds of red dates annually. Next to the tree stands a Tang Jujube stele erected in 1989. The front of the stele bears the two characters “唐枣” (Tang Jujube), calligraphed by the renowned Chinese calligrapher Jiang Weisong. The seal script is elegant and vigorous, graceful and refined, making it a treasured piece of calligraphy. The reverse side of the stele is inscribed with an epitaph written by Professor Zong Weicheng from the Shandong College of Arts. When writing the inscription, Professor Zong was already 76 years old. The over 300 characters of regular script are executed with precision, balance, and strength—making it a rare masterpiece of calligraphy.