Sanhu Red Tangerine

Sanhu Red Tangerine

Sanhu Red Tangerine is a geographical indication agricultural product.

　　Sanhu Red Tangerine is a local specialty citrus variety from Xingan County, Jiangxi Province, named after its origin and primary production area in Sanhu Town of the county. This variety features bright red fruits, crisp and tender flesh, a well-balanced sweet and sour taste, a rich and unique flavor, and high nutritional value. It was renowned across southern China as early as the 3rd–4th centuries, and was exported to the Soviet Union and Eastern European countries in the 1950s, where it gained widespread consumer popularity and maintained strong sales. In 2001, it won the Jiangxi Province Quality Citrus Award.

　　Sanhu Red Tangerine is a type of loose-skinned citrus. The fruit matures in early November, featuring a bright red color, smooth and thin peel that is easy to peel, and an oblate shape, with each fruit weighing around 50g. The flesh is crisp and tender, with a well-balanced sweet and sour taste, a rich and unique flavor, and high nutritional value. It won the Jiangxi Province Quality Citrus Award in 2001. This variety not only offers delicious edible qualities but also has high ornamental value, symbolizing joy and good fortune, which has made it consistently popular among consumers. It is especially favored in northern, northeastern, northwestern, and Jianghuai regions of China, as well as in Eastern European and Central Asian countries. The variety is highly selective about climate and soil, requiring a mild climate, abundant rainfall, ample sunlight, a long frost-free period, and suitability for alluvial sandy loam soil. As a result, Sanhu Red Tangerine is mainly grown in the alluvial sandy loam areas along both banks of the Gan River in Xingan, and its quality cannot match that of fruits grown in this specific zone when cultivated elsewhere.

　　Historical Background

　　Sanhu Red Tangerine has a long history and enjoys fame both in China and abroad. According to the "Records of the Broad Historian" (博物志) by Zhang Hua of the Western Jin Dynasty during the 3rd–4th centuries, [Figure 2: Xingan Red Tangerine Festival]

　　- as early as over 1,700 years ago, Sanhu Red Tangerine was already famous across southern China. During the 12th–13th centuries, the Southern Song Dynasty poet Fan Chengda wrote a poem praising it: “Fragrant groves line the clear river’s bend, their reflections dye the waters green.” It was also designated as a tribute fruit by the imperial court. After the Song Dynasty, Sanhu Red Tangerine became a tribute fruit in every dynasty, and its fame spread even further after Emperor Qianlong of the Qing Dynasty in the 18th century bestowed upon it the honorable title “Da Hong Pao” (Great Red Robe). The 1936 Jiangxi Yearbook recorded that Jiangxi’s citrus production was most abundant in “Sanhu of Xinggan (Gan).” Author Zhang Henshui also wrote the citrus orchard romance novel "Wild Geese Flying South" with Sanhu Red Tangerine as the backdrop. After the liberation, Sanhu Red Tangerine gained even greater renown across Eastern Europe, Western Europe, and Southeast Asian countries. Since its first export to the former Soviet Union in 1957, overseas sales have increased year by year, accounting for 80% of Jiangxi Province’s total citrus exports by 1989.

　　Related Legend

　　Legend has it that when Emperor Qianlong traveled to southern China, he passed through Sanhu during golden October, the season when tangerines ripen. Lush green leaves set off the large red fruits, emitting a subtle, enticing fragrance that made one’s mouth water. Seeing no one around and unable to resist the temptation, Qianlong picked a tangerine and tasted it. When discovered by villagers, he claimed to be a passing traveler. Upon learning how the guest had tasted the tangerine, the villagers not only refrained from scolding him but also personally picked many tangerines to offer him. Deeply moved by the villagers’ simple hospitality and savoring the tangerine’s sweetness, Qianlong revealed his identity and bestowed upon the fruit the imperial name “Da Hong Pao” (Great Red Robe).

　　Sanhu Red Tangerine originates from Xingan County, Jiangxi Province, growing in the alluvial plain areas along both banks of the Gan River, between 115°14′48″ to 115°43′54″ east longitude and 27°30′09″ to 27°57′50″ north latitude, at altitudes ranging from 39 to 110 meters. The production region includes all 16 administrative villages under Sanhu Town, as well as Xiangkou Village, Nantou Village, Juzhou Village, Yudui Village, Guxiang Village, and Houfu Village in Hepu Township; Hudong Village, Kengkou Village, Jianbu Village, Liantang Village, Shanghao Village, Zhengjia Village, and Hutan Village in Jiebu Township; Chengjia Village, Yangjia Village, and Xinshi Village in Dayangzhou Town; Wangshan Village and Shikou Village in Lijiang Township; Banbu Village in Taoxi Township, covering a total area of 51.66 square kilometers with a protected area of 2,150 hectares. The annual yield of Sanhu Red Tangerine is 48,000 tons.