Tong oil from Songtao

Tong oil from Songtao

　　Tong oil is a traditional specialty of Songtao and has been a major product for export over the years. Historically, Songtao’s tong oil enjoyed a high reputation. As a key industrial raw material, it is one of the best drying oils. It dries quickly, has a low specific gravity, high gloss, strong adhesion, acid and alkali resistance, anti-corrosion and anti-rust properties, as well as excellent insulation capabilities, making it directly or indirectly used as a raw material in over a thousand applications in the national economy. In the era of underdeveloped industry, most tong oil was used for coating farm tools, furniture, fishing gear, and for making oil putty to caulk ship seams. With the progress of time and the development of industry, the uses of tong oil have become increasingly widespread. It is indispensable in the paint industry, printing industry, electrical industry, chemical industry, defense machinery industry, and medical sector.

　　　　Thanks to the county’s favorable geographical conditions, which are suitable for the growth of tung trees, the people of Songtao have long had the habit of planting them. According to the “Guizhou Provincial Annals · Products Volume,” tung trees were already being planted within Songtao as early as the 25th year of the Kangxi reign (1686), with fruits “shaped like peaches.” By the 15th year of the Daoguang reign (1835), tung trees were widely cultivated in Songtao County. During the Republican period, the total area of tung tree plantations in the county reached 162,155 mu. Tung oil production was a major source of economic income in the forested areas at the time, giving rise to the saying, “A family with a thousand tung trees will never know poverty.” Between the 2nd and 13th years of the Republic of China (1913–1924), there were over 700 oil pressing workshops across the county. Due to poor land transportation, tung oil exports relied entirely on waterways, which spurred the development of the shipbuilding industry—capable of constructing large wooden boats with a load capacity of 35 tons at the time. In the past, the market volume of tung oil in Songtao was very large. For example, in the 17th year of the Republic of China (1928), the Lianggao market saw a daily tung oil supply of about 500 dan or more, with annual transactions reaching around 3 million jin. In 1950, according to statistics from industrial and commercial departments, there were 41 merchants dealing in tung oil in the county town alone. After the liberation, tung oil production received significant attention. Starting in 1955, efforts began to update and develop new tung tree forests. By 1985, the county had planted a total of 222,802 mu of new tung tree forests, with both Pingtou and Niulang townships having accumulated over 10,000 mu each. Due to factors such as indiscriminate logging, the county's tung tree forest area decreased to 126,855 mu by 1985, and has largely remained at that level in recent years.

　　　　Tung trees are grown in every township across the county, but those with concentrated, contiguous plantations and higher yields are mainly found in more than ten townships including Niulang, Shaba, Pingtou, Miaokou, Lengshui, Jiujiang, and Huangban. Tung trees flower before bearing fruit, and when spring arrives, places like Niulang, Shaba, and Pingtou are covered by brilliant blooms spanning hundreds of square kilometers—a spectacular sight. Standing amid this ocean of flowers, you can’t help but feel a wave of pure springtime beauty in your heart. These vast tung forests, which have benefited the people of Songtao for generations, are also a famous scenic spot for tourism.