Xinping Lychees

Xinping Lychees

　　Xinping lychees are a specialty of Xinping County, Yuxi City, Yunnan Province.

　　The Huayao Dai region of Xinping is abundant in lychees. The Red River valley where they live has a typical subtropical climate — ample sunshine, abundant rainfall, and fertile valley soil. Moreover, there is no industrial pollution within hundreds of miles, and the environmental quality is close to that of a primeval forest. The beautiful mountains and clean waters nurture premium-quality Huayao Dai lychees. During May and June, the Dai villages are ablaze with red — it’s the season when the Dai people’s lychees ripen.

　　Among Xinping’s lychees, those from Yaodian Town — particularly the “Feizixiao,” “Dahongpao,” and “Sanyuehong” varieties — are the most famous. The locally grown Feizixiao is also known as the Jade Pouch. The legend behind the name “Feizixiao” comes from the Tang Dynasty poet Du Mu’s verse: “A rider kicks up a cloud of dust, the imperial concubine smiles; none know it’s lychees coming.” Its fruit is emerald green tinged with red, with thick flesh and a small seed. The pulp is tender, crisp, sweet, and lightly fragrant, making it a high-quality variety best enjoyed fresh.

　　The Dahongpao lychee boasts a bright, eye-catching red peel that makes you love it before even tasting it. It is celebrated for being fragrant, refreshing, smooth, and sweet, leaving a lingering aftertaste. The Sanyuehong is an early-maturing variety, typically ripening in early May. The fruits are relatively large, with bright red skin and thick flesh. The flesh is white-waxy in color, slightly coarse and firm in texture, very juicy, and has a sweet with a hint of sour flavor, making it especially delicious and refreshing.

　　In 2012, the planted area of lychees in Xinping was nearly 10,000 mu, predominantly early-maturing Shuidong variety, accounting for about 85%. The yield was approximately 2 million kilograms, marking a year of abundant harvest.