Longchuan Oranges

Longchuan Oranges

　　Oranges have always been a treasured fruit in China. The ancient history of orange cultivation in Longchuan is unclear. Qian Guxun, a special envoy of the Ming Dynasty sent to the Luchuan region in the 29th year of the Hongwu reign, recorded in his book *The Account of the Baiyi* that there were “oranges as large as a dou.” This is closely related to oranges. Li Shizhen’s *Compendium of Materia Medica* cites Kong Anguo as saying: “Small ones are called oranges, large ones are called pomelos, both are types of citrus.” Qian’s record of “oranges as large as a dou” is undoubtedly referring to giant pomelos, which are closely related to oranges, and the superiority of citrus fruits makes it inexplicable why they weren’t widely planted. It’s likely that the oranges of Luchuan were not much different from those commonly seen in inland areas, so Qian, the envoy, only made a curiosity-driven note about the unusually large oranges and pomelos. The Dai people say that oranges are what they brought from their ancestral home, while pomelos were gifts from relatives.

Oranges are widely grown across Longchuan—eastern areas like Manduo and Longbing, southern regions such as Mengyue, western parts including Laying and Laxian, northern spots like Husa and Manmen, as well as central areas such as Guangdeng and Jiewu, all cultivate good oranges.

In the early years after liberation, the Guangdeng Bancan oranges were the best in Longchuan. Everyone planted oranges, every family had an orchard. In good years, each tree would yield several baskets. After 1958, the overzealous procurement policies led to the decline of the once-famous Bancan oranges. The late former CPPCC member Zanghan recalled, “When the company came to collect oranges, there were 10 trees whose fruit were still too small, and I asked them to leave them for the children, selling the rest from further away. They initially agreed, but later came back to pick the ones by the house. We begged, but they wouldn’t listen. My wife, furious, used a bamboo pole to knock down all the ripe and unripe oranges. No one could enjoy them after that.” The orchards were left untended, and the Bancan oranges—once known for their thin skin, juicy flesh, fragrant aroma, and sweet taste—withered and declined, never to recover.

In the early 1960s, the production structure was adjusted to encourage the development of economic forests. In 1964, the county forestry station established two orange model plots in Guangwa Menpa and Guangdeng Longhuan, along with other successful plantings in Husa Manmen, Guangwa Gonggong (Mengyue), and Luolang Work-Study School (Manxian). The Guangwa Menpa orange model plot later became the origin of the famous Menpa oranges. The Longhuan orange model plot in Longhuan, separated from Bancan only by the Mandian River, however, despite meticulous care, only produced sickly yellowish trees with a few sour, hard fruits. It truly lived up to the ancient saying: “Oranges grown south of the Huai River are oranges, but those grown north of the Huai River are trifoliate oranges.”

Even the oranges grown in the cool plains of Husa turned out quite well. Li Dezhao from Manduan Village had around 40 autumn oranges in his private plot. By late autumn, the branches were heavy with lovely, glistening red fruits dripping with dew. In those days, when production team dividends were low, Old Man Li once proudly claimed, “What my son earns in a year of work points isn’t even worth as much as those few orange trees.”

The best local oranges were called “golden oranges.” While the golden oranges of Hunan, Guangdong, and Jiangsu—small enough to be swallowed whole—were no larger than a thumb, it wasn’t rare to find three or five Longchuan golden oranges at once, with a single large segment capable of choking even a glutton. The king of Longchuan fruits—and the king of golden oranges—is the Menpa citrus (or orange). The oranges of Menpa are probably akin to the “bright red oranges” that female writer Bing Xin could never forget in *The Little Orange Lantern*. To Zhu Ziqing, they were the “bright red” in *The Back View*. Their characteristics include thin, smooth skin; tender, plump flesh; plenty of juicy, mellow juice; a sweet and fresh taste. They are definitely a notch above those advertised as being “delicious beyond belief.” A popular rhyme goes: “When Menpa oranges ripen, the Burmese yellow fruits (Guangtian citrus) cry. When Menpa oranges hit the market, no other fruit sells.” Come the end of the year during winter, when Menpa oranges flood the markets, at the town’s market days, nine out of ten of the most crowded stalls are selling Menpa oranges. Ah, modestly displayed, like beauties in light makeup—fragrant and bountiful, these princesses need not worry about finding buyers.

The finest of Longchuan oranges are still the large golden oranges of Menpa, with a skin color like yellow oranges, glowing golden-red and aromatic, shaped somewhat like flat oranges with many segments full of juice, inside resembling honeyheart oranges with their hollow, tender centers, combined with the soft, lovely tenderness of velvet oranges—all wrapped into a golden orange. Perhaps it’s not just the eye-catching golden-yellow appearance, but more importantly, the unparalleled, supremely delicious taste.

Good oranges are no longer exclusive to Menpa. In recent years, areas like Manduo, Manxian, Longbing, and Longnuo in the mid-slopes of the Longjiang River Valley have emerged, posing strong competition and nearly sharing the spotlight with Menpa oranges.

The oranges of the Longjiang hot valley thrive especially well on the mid-slopes. Among the mid-slopes, this sun-facing slope in Longchuan stands out. And among sun-facing slopes, those near where river mist gathers are ideal. According to experts, the unique climatic and soil conditions of the western Longjiang hot valley’s sun-facing slopes—derived from ancient forests—create fine, acidic, yellow-brown fertile soil that is loose, thick, rich, and well-drained. There’s long sunshine exposure paired with a gentle river breeze that prevents dryness; adequate rainfall, yet slopes that don’t retain water to harm roots; and no cold waves or frost in deep winter, ensuring young trees remain unharmed year after year. It's a naturally perfect paradise, ideal not only for oranges but also for other tropical cash crops.

Oranges native to Longchuan can generally be divided into two types: natural varieties and grafted (improved) ones. Manduo, Bancan, and the large golden oranges of Menpa all fall under the natural variety, almost all cultivated using traditional methods. There are also some that look stunted, either sour or astringent like the “nursery oranges” or “oil oranges” described in *The Orange Catalog*, mostly due to poor adaptation to the local environment, pests (like aphids), or old age. Teacher Huang from the Luolang Work-Study School once bought 25 kilograms of ordinary, mildly sweet-and-sour oranges from Chengzi Street in 1964 to plant—and they thrived mightily. The large golden oranges come in bright yellow and orange-red hues. The early yellow oranges, slightly sour when freshly watered, turn richly golden-yellow, sweet, mellow, and honey-scented when properly ripened by frost. As the song goes: “Once you’ve tasted a Menpa orange, you’ll forget all other delicacies.”