Lanting Honey Peach

Lanting Honey Peach

　　　　Product Name: Lanting Honey Peach

　　Place of Origin: Shaoxing, Zhejiang

　　Product Features: Good color and gloss, strong aroma, delicious taste, well-proportioned shape

　　Product Composition: Vitamin B1, B2, C, phosphorus, calcium, iron, protein 0.5%, fat 0.08%, moisture 76.3%

　　Product Season: July

　　Product Function: Treats excessive sweating, purifies blood, quenches thirst, promotes saliva and moistens intestines, activates blood and benefits qi

　　Product History: During the Spring and Autumn Period, Duke Jing of Qi had three brave heroes under his command: Tian Kaifu, Gu Zhizi, and Gong Sun Jie. All three were exceptionally valiant and acted as if no one else mattered. Prime Minister Yan Zi was worried that their combined power might threaten the state of Qi, so he conspired with Duke Jing to present them with two peaches in their presence, saying, “Among you, whoever believes they have made great contributions may eat a peach—no need to be modest!” The three heroes, proud and self-important, fell right into Yan Zi’s scheme, which aimed to exploit their vanity and provoke a fight. Gong Sun Jie, a renowned tiger-hunting hero, realized it was a ploy by Yan Zi but, not wanting to lose face, quickly grabbed one of the peaches. Then, Tian Kaifu, who had commanded armies and achieved military merit, took the other. Gu Zhizi got nothing. Seeing this, he became furious and said, “When I accompanied our lord across the Yellow River, though I couldn’t swim, I dove into the water and caught a giant turtle. People praised me as the River God. I deserve the peach the most, yet you two snatched them first. This is outrageous—return them to me at once!” With that, he drew his sword. Just as a fight seemed imminent, the two who had taken the peaches first felt ashamed upon hearing Gu Zhizi’s words. They berated themselves: “We are less brave than Gu Zhizi yet took the peaches. If we don’t yield them now, we’ll be seen as greedy. If we don’t die, we’ll be seen as cowards!” So, they returned the peaches and killed themselves. Gu Zhizi, watching the scene unfold, felt deeply ashamed and said, “The other two died, yet I live on—this is inhuman. To shame others with words while boasting of my own valor—I’d be no coward if I don’t die.” Without taking the peaches, he also drew his sword and ended his life. Duke Jing buried the three heroes with full honors befitting warriors.

　　Product Introduction: The honey peach is primarily produced in Huangjiawu Village, adjacent to the famous Lanting Scenic Area in Shaoxing. It is widely praised for its unique flavor and attractive appearance, making it one of the finest peaches in the region. The cultivation of Lanting Honey Peaches began in the late 1920s, introduced from Sandiwan in Fenghua, and gradually expanded over the years into a scaled production. The 1940s marked the peak of production, with the peaches sold not only locally in Shaoxing but also shipped by boat to Hangzhou. In the 1960s, the peach orchards were temporarily converted to grow miscellaneous grain crops, leading to a decline in production. In recent years, production has gradually recovered. By 1987, the planted area had reached 150 mu, yielding 50 tons of honey peaches annually.