Wangyin Watermelon

Last updated 2026-11-10 — “Wangyin watermelons are big and sweet,” a reputation that has long been established, earning widespread praise in this region as early as the late Qing Dynasty and early Republican period. Among Wangyin watermelons, those from Shahe Village are the most renowned. In the old days, the watermelons here were celebrated as the king of melons for their large size, sandy flesh, high sugar content, and deliciously sweet and pleasant taste. According to elders, during the 1920s and 1930s, Shahe watermelons became a “hot commodity” among people in Yanzhou and surrounding counties and districts. Thanks to the village’s proximity to the alluvial plain of the Si River, the sandy soil naturally lends the watermelons their “sandy flesh” characteristic. When fertilizing the watermelon plants, locals often used pit soil along with soybean cake or wood ash, further enhancing the flavor of these “green fruits,” making them juicy, sweet, and delightfully tender. “Shahe watermelons are filling enough to be a meal” is the most vivid way locals describe the Wangyin—Shahe watermelons.