Damingshan Apricots

Damingshan Tribute Apricots

　　The area around Damingshan Village in Matoujian Town, Long'an District, is renowned for its apricots. During the Chenghua era of the Ming Dynasty, they were selected as tribute fruit for the imperial court and bestowed the title "Damingshan Tribute Apricots." In ancient times, stretching two to three li from Biandan Pit south of Nandamingshan Village to Dadong Bridge, the area was blanketed with apricot blossoms in spring and fragrant with ripe apricots in summer, earning it the nickname "Apricot Tree Valley." At that time, this single village alone had nearly a thousand ancient apricot trees, making it a veritable "apricot tree haven."

　　The varieties of Damingshan apricots include Shuiju Apricot, Guanyan Lian, Maihuang Apricot, Baihua Apricot, October Green, and Yangfen Dan. Their ripening periods vary too—the earliest to mature is the Maihuang Apricot, ready to eat when the wheat turns yellow. The latest to ripen is the October Green, which remains green even in October. The true Damingshan apricot is the Shuiju Apricot, which is deep purplish-red, large like an orange, and bursting with juice. Soft to the touch and sweet to the bite, it fills the air with fragrance and aids digestion...

　　Source: Anyang Daily via Anyang Net