Wax-skinned mulberries

Wax-skinned mulberries

　　    Wax-skinned mulberries are a specialty of Daxing District. They are found in villages such as Qianyechang, Houyechang, and Gaodian in Anding Town within the district. There are now over a thousand mulberry trees over a hundred years old that remain lush and bear abundant fruit. Daxing District has a long history of mulberry cultivation. During the Ming and Qing dynasties, wax-skinned mulberries were once an imperial tribute, with a history of six to seven hundred years. Wax-skinned mulberries are divided into two types based on fruit color: one is white, and the other is purplish-red (commonly referred to by locals as “Guan Gong’s face”). Both types of mulberries have a sugar content of over 20%. Wax-skinned mulberries ripen early and can be available around May 20th, lasting for about a month. This period coincides with the off-season for fruits in the market, helping to alleviate shortages and making them an exceptionally early and premium-quality fruit in northern China. Currently, Anding Town has over 1,000 acres of mulberry trees, yielding more than 500,000 kilograms in total. Among these, there are over 1,600 mature mulberry trees and over 3,500 young trees. Mature trees can produce 150–250 kilograms of mulberries each. The annual mulberry-picking festival enriches Anding Town’s agricultural tourism offerings and brings economic benefits to local farmers.

　　     Wax-skinned mulberries are one of Beijing’s famous fruits. They were once an “imperial tribute,” exclusively for the consumption of the royal family. Wax-skinned mulberries are one of China’s renowned fruits, which were historically served solely to the emperor as a tribute.