Tongzhou Watermelon

Tongzhou Watermelon

　　    Tongzhou watermelons are predominantly grown in Dali County, and they earned their name from being cultivated during the ancient Tongzhou era. Renowned far and wide for their large size, thin rinds, and sweet taste.

　　　　        Dali watermelons are also known as "Tongzhou Big Watermelons." In the ancient city of Xi'an, anyone who has ever tasted a watermelon knows about "Dali watermelons" — there’s no one who hasn’t heard of them. As recorded in the *Dali County Annals*: “Watermelons come from Shayuan, with a deliciously sweet taste, ranking first in the Qin region.”　

　　　　        Because of this, since ancient times, watermelon vendors have boldly boasted just like the proverbial “Wang Po selling melons and praising her own wares”: “Look, look, come, come, Tongzhou watermelons are so sweet. Cut them open, juice flows. Take a bite, juice drips from your hand. Hauled by cart, sold by me. If you don’t eat them, that’s your loss…”　　

　　　　        After 1981, Dali County strengthened technical guidance for watermelon cultivation, trained technical personnel, and carried out variety renewal, successively introducing 27 improved strains such as Xincheng hybrid first generation, Zaohua, Xiangmi, and Zhongyu. They also adopted plastic film mulching to advance the ripening period by over a month.　

　　　　        In 1984, new varieties such as Xin Hongbao, Youhong, and Zhengza were introduced, and the planting area expanded to over 30,000 mu. The growing regions extended from Luonan to the Luohui Irrigation District. Cultivation techniques evolved from partial film mulching to full coverage, with some areas even adopting double-layer coverage using both film and low tunnels. This enabled commercial watermelons to be available from May through the end of July, continuously for three months. This not only enriched people's diets but also increased farmers' incomes.

　　　　        Dali is located in the eastern part of the Guanzhong Plain, featuring flat terrain, fertile soil, and excellent irrigation conditions, giving it a natural advantage for watermelon cultivation — it is one of the best regions for growing watermelons. The local people have long had the tradition of growing watermelons. Over time, watermelons have become one of the most widely planted fruits in the county, and Tongzhou watermelons have enjoyed widespread fame for a long time. In recent years, with the optimization of watermelon varieties and changes in cultivation models, the scale of watermelon farming in the county has continued to expand. A competitive landscape has emerged, focusing on winning with early harvests, premium branding, and unique features. The watermelon industry has flourished, achieving strong production and sales.