Chenggong Baozhu Pear

Chenggong Baozhu Pear

The Chenggong Baozhu Pear is a protected geographical indication product.

The Chenggong Baozhu Pear is a certified geographical indication trademark.

The Chenggong Baozhu Pear is an agricultural geographical indication product.

　　The Chenggong Baozhu Pear is a well-known specialty fruit in Yunnan Province. In September 2005, "Chenggong Baozhu Pear" was successfully registered with the Trademark Office of the State Administration for Industry and Commerce, becoming one of the five key brands promoted by Chenggong County. The fruit is round, typically weighing between 200–330 grams, with some as large as 500 grams. It has a thin, pale yellowish-green skin, snow-white flesh that is crisp, tender, juicy, sweet with a mild fragrance, and leaves no residue after eating.

　　The Baozhu Pear stands out among the many types of pears in Yunnan and is a premium variety of pear tree in China. It belongs to the genus Pyrus, a deciduous tree of the Rosaceae family, and is a temperate fruit tree. Originally from Chenggong County in Yunnan Province, it is a cultivated species of the Eastern pear group, specifically the sand pear variety. Historical records suggest that its cultivation dates back to the Ming Dynasty at the earliest. It thrives in warm, humid climates and has an open tree structure. The fruit is nearly spherical with a yellowish-green skin and deciduous calyx. The fruit can be eaten fresh without full ripening, offering a sweet, crisp taste with a moderate amount of stone cells. In 1994, the planted area in Chenggong was 4.5 hectares, yielding 7,000 tons. Minor cultivation also occurs in counties and cities such as Jinning, Huize, and Xuanwei. The cultivation of Baozhu Pears has a history of several hundred years. Legend has it that during the Dali Kingdom, a high monk named Baozhu came to Shanchan City (now Kunming) to preach. He brought pear saplings from Dali, which were then grafted with superior local pear varieties from Chenggong, eventually becoming this famous fruit. To honor the monk who brought the fruit, it was named “Baozhu Pear.” Due to its excellent quality, it was once offered as a tribute to the capital, and the place where it is grown thus earned the name “Chenggong” (meaning “offering”).

　　The average elevation of the new Chenggong District is 1,900 meters, with red soil or paddy soil. The area experiences abundant rainfall in summer and drought in winter, with an average annual precipitation of 800–1,200 mm, an average annual temperature of 14.9–15.3°C, an average annual sunshine duration of 2,232 hours, and a frost-free period of 285 days. Baozhu Pears prefer cool temperatures and have strict requirements for water quality, soil, and climate, making their suitable cultivation area relatively narrow. Within Chenggong County, they are mainly distributed along two mountain ranges facing Dianchi Lake: from Zaoshan Mountain–Duangjiaying Songshan–Fenghuang Mountain–Liwang Mountain–Xiaojian Mountain–Xiaoguan Mountain–Taiban Mountain, and from Majinchim Mountain–Zhaojia Mountain–Mopan Mountain–Xiaoshi Stone Mountain–Wu Mountain–Jianfeng Mountain–Ma’an Mountain–Liangwang Mountain. Among these, old trees aged 50–100 years account for 50%–70%, primarily in Miujiaying Village, Wanxichong Village, Langjiaying Village, Duangjiaying Village, and Zhaojiashan Village in Wujia Ying Township, which together account for 1/3 of both the county’s cultivation area and production. Majinpud Township and Qidian Township are newer cultivation areas, with trees mostly aged 10–15 years.

　　In September 2011, the "Chenggong Baozhu Pear," known as the "Gentleman of Fruits and the King of Pears in Central Yunnan," passed the national geographical indication product certification by the Ministry of Agriculture.

　　Quality and Technical Requirements for Chenggong Baozhu Pear

　　I. Variety

　　Baozhu Pear.

　　II. Growing Conditions

　　Planted in gently sloping hilly areas at elevations between 1,950 m and 2,200 m within the production area, with soil type being red soil, organic matter content ≥ 2.0%, and soil pH value between 5.5 and 6.5.

　　III. Cultivation Management

　　1. Seedlings: Grafted seedlings using wild pear (Tangli) as rootstock.

　　2. Planting:

　　(1) Planting Time: Late November to January of the following year.

　　(2) Planting Density: 40 to 45 trees per 667 m² (1 mu).

　　3. Thinning Flowers and Fruits: One fruit is retained for every 40 to 45 leaves, with a maximum fruit yield of ≤ 3,000 kg per 667 m² (1 mu).

　　4. Water and Fertilizer Management:

　　(1) Soil Management: Plow the soil 1 to 2 times per year to maintain looseness and eliminate weeds.

　　(2) Water Management: Irrigate 1 to 2 times each during bud sprouting to pre-flowering stage and fruit enlargement period.

　　(3) Fertilizer Management: During the peak fruiting period, dig circular or strip trenches around each tree in November and apply 50 to 100 kg of well-rotted organic fertilizer per tree.

　　5. Environmental and Safety Requirements: The use of pesticides, fertilizers, and other inputs must comply with national regulations, and environmental pollution must be avoided.

　　IV. Harvesting and Storage

　　1. Harvesting: Manual harvesting begins in mid-to-late September when the skin is green and the flesh is white.

　　2. Storage: For storage exceeding three months, keep at 2°C to 5°C and 70% to 80% relative humidity.

　　V. Quality Characteristics

　　1. Sensory characteristics: The fruit is nearly round with a short, thick stem. Its skin is greenish-blue, and after harvesting, a waxy layer appears on the surface, giving it a glossy appearance. Pitting is clearly visible. Individual fruit weighs between 200g and 500g. The flesh is snow-white, crisp, tender, juicy, and free of residue, with a pleasant sweet-and-sour taste.

　　2. Physicochemical indicators: The fruit has a hardness of 4.0kg/cm² to 7.5kg/cm², soluble solids content of ≥10.5%, total sugar ≥6.0%, and total amino acids ≥0.19%.

　　3. Safety and other quality technical requirements: Product safety and other quality technical requirements must comply with relevant national regulations.

　　An excellent variety of pear tree in China. A deciduous tree of the rose family, pear genus. A temperate fruit tree. Originally from Chenggong County, Yunnan Province, it is an economically cultivated species belonging to the sand pear category of the Oriental pear group. Historical records indicate that its cultivation dates back to the Ming Dynasty. It thrives in warm, humid climates and has an open tree posture. The fruit is nearly spherical, with yellow-green skin and sepals that fall off. The fruit can be eaten fresh without full ripening, offering a sweet and crisp taste with slightly more stone cells. In 1994, the cultivated area in Chenggong was 4.5 hectares, yielding 7,000 tons. It is also cultivated in small quantities in counties and cities such as Jinning, Huize, and Xuanwei.

　　Geographical scope

　　Chenggong Baozhu Pear is produced in the hilly areas of Wujia Ying and Majinpu subdistricts within Chenggong County, Yunnan Province. This includes ten villages and communities: Wanxichong, Qianweiyying, Duanjiaying, Langjiaying, Miujiaying in Wujia Ying Subdistrict, and Hengchong, Zhuangzi, Qiumqi, Xiaoying, and Daying in Majinpu Subdistrict. The geographical coordinates of the Chenggong Baozhu Pear production area are: 102°48′–102°53′ east longitude and 24°45′–24°52′ north latitude. The area stretches approximately 11 kilometers from north to south and about 5 kilometers from east to west, covering an area of around 50 square kilometers. The planting altitude ranges between 1,950 and 2,200 meters, with slopes of 0–15 degrees. The total planting area of Baozhu Pear is 1,146.84 hectares, with an annual yield of 8,613 tons.

　　Product quality characteristic features

　　1. Appearance quality: Chenggong Baozhu Pear is round or oval in shape, exhibiting the inherent characteristics of the variety. The stem is intact, the skin is greenish-blue, and when stored post-harvest, the fruit surface has a thin layer of wax with a glossy finish. The pitting is large and distinct. Individual fruit weighs between 200–500 grams. 2. Internal quality: The peel of Chenggong Baozhu Pear is of medium thickness, with snow-white flesh that is crisp, tender, juicy, and free of residue. It has a pleasant sweet-and-sour taste and is rich in nutrients, offering benefits such as nourishing yin, clearing heat, and moisturizing the lungs. The fruit has a hardness of 2.5–5.0 kgf/cm², soluble solids content of ≥9.5%, total sugar ≥5.5%, and is abundant in various amino acids, vitamins, and elements such as iron and calcium. 3. Safety requirements: Chenggong Baozhu Pear adheres to the safety indicators outlined in the "Agricultural Product Safety Quality – Safety Requirements for Fruits (GB 18406.2)". The pesticide residue standards for the fruit comply with China’s maximum residue limits for pesticides in fruits. Market entry follows the relevant provisions of the "Agricultural Product Quality and Safety Law".