Haining Watermelon

Haining Watermelon

　　   Haining watermelon is a specialty of Haining City, Jiaxing, Zhejiang Province. With a long history and widespread fame, Haining watermelons are known for their sunken centers, slender stems, well-developed fruit bodies, thin rinds, deep red flesh, and juicy, delicious taste.

　　   Besides Chengan Temple and Fengshi Temple, Haining watermelons are also produced in large quantities in Xieqiao, Zhouwangmiao, Chang’an, and other areas. The "Haining Prefecture Records Draft" states: “Recently, fine varieties from the nearby sea region have been cultivated, with small seeds and deep red flesh, which sell much better when grown.” “Currently, those from Chengan Temple are considered the best, along with two other types—white-fleshed and yellow-fleshed—that come from around Fengtu Temple. Traders from afar all refer to them as Haining watermelons.” Legend has it that when Emperor Qianlong traveled to the south of the Yangtze River, he passed by the Wenyuan Pavilion in Haining, where the Grand Secretary Chen Yuanlong presented him with watermelons grown in Chengan Temple of Shuangyang Township. After tasting them, the emperor praised them highly and designated them as an imperial tribute, greatly enhancing the reputation of Haining watermelons. After the 1930s, the main watermelon-growing regions gradually shifted eastward to areas like Huangwan.

　　   After the founding of the People’s Republic of China, the aforementioned major production areas nearly disappeared, and “Huangwan Watermelon” rose to prominence, becoming widely renowned. In 1990, the entire Huangwan Township planted 4,008 mu of watermelons, yielding over 80,000 dan annually. Varieties included Xincheng No. 1, Julong, and Xin Hongbao, which were sold to cities such as Hangzhou, Deqing, Jiaxing, Suzhou, and Wuxi.