Xinglong Red Dates

Xinglong Red Dates

　　Visiting Xinglong in October, you’ll find the mountains ablaze with red dates.

　　Red dates, also known as hawthorn, mountain hawthorn, or rouge fruit, are beloved for their small, bright red, and charming appearance—earning them many endearing nicknames. Nestled in the Yanshan Mountain range at the foot of the Great Wall, Xinglong County features undulating peaks, winding valleys, a mild and humid climate, and acidic soil. Since ancient times, it has been famous for producing red dates. Historical records indicate that Xinglong’s red date production has a long history. As early as the Jiajing era of the Ming Dynasty, the red dates from this region were transported by merchants and herbal medicine traders to regions such as Shunyi, Baoding, Hejian, Zhengding, Daming, Kaifeng, Qingde, and Huaiqing. They were consumed as food or used for medicinal purposes, eventually becoming a local specialty.

　　Xinglong red dates are of excellent quality, characterized by their deep red color, large size, thick and tender flesh, and pleasantly tangy and sweet taste. In addition to containing protein, fat, carbohydrates, and minerals such as calcium, phosphorus, potassium, and iron, they are also rich in various vitamins including carotene, thiamine, riboflavin, niacin, and ascorbic acid. Red dates are suitable for both fresh consumption and as raw materials for food processing. Thanks to their red pigments and pectin content, they store and process very well, making them ideal for creating a wide range of products such as snowflake slices (also called haw flakes or haw slices), fruit leather, hawthorn cake (golden cake), hawthorn preserves, hawthorn canned goods, hawthorn jam, fruit syrup, candied haws, hawthorn wine, hawthorn sparkling wine, candied haw skewers, juices, cold desserts, cold drinks, and various delicate pastries. These products are not only vibrant in color and delicious in flavor but also boast a unique fruity aroma that stimulates the appetite, making them highly popular among consumers. The refreshing beverages made from Xinglong red dates serve as excellent health foods for those working in high temperatures or at high altitudes. Moreover, red dates hold significant medicinal value. The fruit and its products can help disperse blood stasis, reduce accumulation, resolve phlegm, detoxify, stop bleeding, prevent heatstroke, refresh the mind, soothe the stomach, clear the head, and stimulate appetite. In recent years, research conducted by relevant departments in Beijing and Hebei Province on the active components, pharmacology, formulations, and clinical applications of Xinglong red dates suggests that they can enhance myocardial contractility, increase the amplitude of ventricular and atrial movements, boost coronary blood flow, prevent arrhythmias caused by electrolyte imbalance, lower serum cholesterol levels, and have blood pressure-lowering, diuretic, and sedative effects. Among the flavonoid compounds found in red dates, one has been identified as having anti-cancer properties. Therefore, regular consumption of red dates may also offer certain benefits in cancer prevention.

　　Xinglong leads the nation in red date production. The red date trees have neat crowns, lush branches and leaves, white flowers, and red fruits—making them beautiful and lovely. They are cold-resistant, wind-resistant, easy to manage, have few pests and diseases, are highly adaptable, bear fruit early, and are prone to high yields. As a result, they are also an excellent tree species for garden greening and environmental beautification. When visiting Xinglong, you’ll see red date trees scattered across the mountains and valleys, as well as in front of and behind homes throughout the region. During the winter and spring seasons, in the markets of towns and villages, you can always find seasonal delicacies—candied haw skewers. The precursor to candied haw skewers was the “sugar pile”—individual hawthorns dipped in sugar sold in food markets during the Song and Ming dynasties. It wasn’t until the early Qing Dynasty that they evolved into the skewered version we know today. During the reign of Emperor Qianlong in the Qing Dynasty, a literati visiting the area was so inspired that he penned a poem praising the candied haw skewers: “Three feet sway as if about to break in the wind, a string of skewers dipped in crystal sugar.”