Putian Lychees

Putian Lychees

Putian Lychees are a protected geographical indication product.

Putian Lychees are a certified geographical indication trademark.

　　Fujian’s cultivation of lychees began in the Tang Dynasty, and by the Song Dynasty, the trend had flourished significantly. The lychees of Fujian are renowned nationwide for their exceptional color and taste, and among them, those from Putian are considered the finest.

　　　　During the Qing Dynasty’s Qianlong era, the Putian native Liao Biqi praised his hometown’s lychees as follows: “Who has bestowed such a fragrant name upon them? Both the Fanghong and Chenzi varieties are worthy of praise. In the groves, the jade-like nectar nourishes sweet dew, and beyond the mundane world, immortal silks scatter like rosy clouds. Their rich flavor surpasses even that of the two Guangs, and their unique aroma overwhelms the Three Ba regions. Among Fujian’s lychees, those of Putian are the best, and among Putian’s, those grown in front of Black Stone Mountain are particularly fine.” Additionally, in Putian—the land of lychees—Liao Biqi recorded that a peculiar variety was once discovered in his ancestor’s estate, with green flesh yet sweet taste. He wrote a poem in praise: “How can the fame of the Song Dynasty be surpassed? My family’s lychees form their own grove. Had Cai Mo added this to his records today, he would have noted this new verse in his brocade pouch.” The poem laments that Cai Xiang (courtesy name Junmo), when writing the Treatise on Lychees, did not document this variety.

　　　　Lychee trees possess remarkable vitality, capable of living for hundreds or even thousands of years. Across Fujian, many ancient lychee trees that have endured the test of time remain preserved, the most famous of which is the “Songjiaxiang” (“Fragrance of the Song Family”) in the courtyard of the Song Clan Ancestral Hall in central Putian. With a history of over a thousand years, it still bears fruit annually, yielding small seeds, thick flesh, and fragrant stems and fruits.

　　　 The lychees of Putian originated in the Tang Dynasty. They boast a sweet and fragrant taste, along with a high kernel-bearing rate, and are known for their thirst-quenching and nourishing properties. During the Song Dynasty, Cai Xiang authored the world’s first Treatise on Lychees, praising the Xinghua lychees as the most extraordinary. Later, the lychee tree was designated as the city tree of Putian. In the early 1960s, during an inspection trip to Putian, Mr. Guo Moruo penned the verse “In Lychee City, lychees are everywhere,” expressing high praise for Putian’s lychees.

　　　　 Putian lychees are celebrated for their perfect blend of color, fragrance, and taste, having captivated people since ancient times. Cao Xuequan wrote in his Ode to Lychees: “If one were to crown a king of all fruits in the land, fresh lychees would undoubtedly claim the title.” Putian is also known as “Lychee City,” famed for its diverse varieties, high yield, and premium quality. Local cultivars such as “Chenzhi,” “Songjiaxiang,” and “Zhuangyuanhong” are all premium types. Among these, “Chenzhi” is regarded as the finest of lychees, exuding a delicate fragrance upon ripening that refreshes the senses. Early in the 20th century, it was introduced overseas, making its way to southern U.S. states and countries like Cuba.

　　　　 Lychees can also be processed into dried lychees, lychee canned goods, lychee preserves, lychee wine, and more, and they have medicinal uses. According to Compendium of Materia Medica, the fruit “quenches thirst, enhances complexion... aids digestion, boosts intelligence, and invigorates qi”; the peel treats “measles eruptions that are not smooth... and also alleviates lychee fever”; the seed remedies “persistent stomach pain, women’s blood issues, hernia swelling, swelling and pain in the Yin and kidneys, and kidney swellings as large as a bucket”; while the flowers and roots treat “sore throat and swelling.” The peel and roots can also be used to extract tannin; the wood is sturdy and suitable for furniture. The saying that every part of the lychee tree is precious is well founded. There is also a local legend in Putian that eating lychees on the day of Major Heat provides nutritional benefits equal to consuming ginseng.

　　The production area of Putian Lychees covers fifteen towns and subdistricts within the administrative region of Putian City, Fujian Province, including: Xitianwei Town, Xindu Town, Huangshi Town, and Gongchen Subdistrict Office in Licheng District; Huating Town, Fenghuangshan Subdistrict Office, Lingchuan Town, Donghai Town, and Xialin Subdistrict Office in Chengxiang District; Wutang Town, Baitang Town, Hanxi Subdistrict Office, and Handong Subdistrict Office in Hanjiang District; as well as Jiaowei Town and Fengting Town in Xianyou County.