Huishui Golden Tangerine

Huishui Golden Tangerine

　　Huishui County is known as the "Land of Tangerines," and the Golden Tangerine is one of its most famous specialties. Nearly all of Huishui’s tangerines come from the Lianjiang Plain, especially the Golden Tangerine. Therefore, in a more precise geographical sense, the "hometown of the Golden Tangerine" refers only to the Lianjiang Basin area. The Golden Tangerine gets its name from its small size, resembling ancient copper coins. It enjoys a reputation both within and outside the province for its thin skin, bright color, and sweet taste. Its tree canopy is tall, its trees have long lifespans, and they bear abundant fruit. A mature Golden Tangerine tree can produce hundreds of pounds of fruit in a peak year, with some yielding up to a thousand pounds — an output that other types of tangerines can hardly match. Moreover, the growing environment of the Golden Tangerine is rather unique. In Huishui, it is mainly distributed in the narrow strips along both banks of the Lianjiang River. If transplanted elsewhere, not only is survival difficult, but the taste and properties also change significantly. This may be one of the main reasons why Huishui has long enjoyed the exclusive title of the "hometown of the Golden Tangerine."

　　　　Along the river, one can see patches of tangerine orchards everywhere — some spanning thousands of acres, others just tens of acres. Especially from Sandu Town downstream to Longbaiwei in Maojiayuan Township, these orchards form a ribbon-like belt stretching for dozens of miles, creating a unique landscape along both sides of the Lianjiang River. Among them, the Golden Tangerines produced in Huiyan Village, Hao花红 Township, are considered the finest. Huiyan Village currently has 256 farming households and over 250 acres of tangerine orchards. The cultivation of Golden Tangerines in this village has a history of over 300 years. The tangerines produced here have thin skins, bright red color, and a refreshing sweet taste. During the Qing Dynasty, they were even tribute fruits for the imperial court. Later, through grafting and improvement by county and provincial agricultural experts, the premium variety “Beef Red” Golden Tangerine was developed. It sells well both within and outside the province, and is also exported to Southeast Asia. Its fame continues to grow, with demand outstripping supply. Now, Huiyan Village has over ten thousand tangerine trees, averaging 50 trees per household, generating annual sales revenue of more than 500,000 yuan.

　　　　As winter fades and spring arrives, new buds emerge, covering the landscape with bright tender green. When flowers bloom in full splendor, fragrant breezes waft along the Lianjiang Riverbanks — jasmine-like yet even fresher and more intense, intoxicating to all who breathe it in. What a feeling that must be at such times. But nothing is more thrilling and delightful than the arrival of autumn and winter, when the tangerines ripen. Among the green leaves, clusters of bright red fruits hang, tempting and glistening, filling the air with fragrance and making mouths water. In such scenes, you can’t help but feel what Su Dongpo described: “Eating three hundred lychees a day, I’d never refuse to be a man of Lingnan.” And wandering among the trees and groves, you’ll find yourself unable to resist picking a couple to taste fresh.