Yanqing Guoguang Apples

Yanqing Guoguang Apples

Yanqing Guoguang Apples were designated as a geographical indication agricultural product.

　　The unique climate conditions and superior geographical location of Yanqing County produce Guoguang apples that, compared to those from other regions, have firmer flesh, a crisp texture, a distinctive flavor that is sweet and tangy, and excellent storability. Notably, their color is particularly outstanding, with most fruits being entirely red—something unmatched elsewhere. In 1985, Yanqing Guoguang Apples won the honorary title of "First Place in National Quality Fruits" for their unique and superior fruit quality, and were awarded a gold medal by the former Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Husbandry, and Fisheries. As a result, Yanqing Guoguang Apples gained favor among a wider audience and secured a broader and more prosperous market. In November 2009, they were awarded the title of "China Famous Fruit" by the China Fruit Marketing Association.

　　Yanqing County is a national ecological demonstration county, featuring unique natural conditions such as high altitude, abundant sunlight, and large diurnal temperature variations, making it an optimal production area for Guoguang apples. With a sugar content of up to 16%, Yanqing Guoguang Apples exceed Beijing’s standard by 2.5 percentage points. Their flavor is well-balanced between sweet and sour, with a pleasant aroma, small cores, fine flesh, crisp texture, high hardness, and good storability, making them highly popular with consumers. The biggest difference between Yanqing Guoguang Apples and those from other regions is their high coloring rate. While Guoguang apples from other areas are mostly green, first-grade Yanqing Guoguang Apples have a coloring rate of 75%.

　　The 1980s marked the golden era for Yanqing Guoguang Apples, with cultivation covering over 30,000 acres. In 1985, during a national fruit competition organized by the former Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Husbandry, and Fisheries, Yanqing Guoguang Apples won a gold medal. From then on, their reputation soared, prices skyrocketed, and demand outstripped supply. Driven by profit, some merchants transported Guoguang apples from surrounding areas to Yanqing, passing them off as locals. Within just a few years, this practice ruined the once-prestigious reputation of Yanqing Guoguang Apples.

　　In the 1990s, Fuji apples became the market dominators. Many Yanqing fruit growers cut down their Guoguang trees and grafted them with Fuji varieties. The county’s Guoguang apple acreage shrank to just 3,000 acres. The relatively small-sized and less economically rewarding Guoguang apples quickly became marginalized, struggling to survive amid the overwhelming presence of Fuji apples.

　　In 2006, a new turning point emerged for Yanqing Guoguang Apples. The county launched the “Revival Project for Unique Traditional Fruit Varieties,” and Guoguang apples were included for protection. Currently, there are still 10 Guoguang apple trees aged 50 years growing within the county. These precious and rare historical specimens add an air of mystery and ancient heritage to the uniqueness of Yanqing Guoguang Apples. On one hand, the Yanqing Fruit Center implements scientific management to improve tree quality; on the other, it engages in seedling propagation to expand cultivation scale. Now, Yanqing Guoguang Apple cultivation has expanded to 6,000 acres, yielding an annual production of 1 million kilograms.

　　In November 2006, Yanqing Guoguang Apples won the Excellent Exhibited Product Award at the China International Forestry Industry Expo; in December 2007, they were awarded the Gold Award at the same expo. With improved quality, Guoguang apples have once again become a consumer favorite, with their price increasing by about one yuan per jin (500g) annually. In 2007, the market price was 2 yuan/jin, rising to 3 yuan/jin in 2008, and 4 yuan/jin in 2009. Moreover, for the past two years, Guoguang apples have been fully pre-booked before even being harvested, with first-grade fruits priced at over 8 yuan/kg—surpassing Fuji apples.

　　In 2009, Yanqing Guoguang Apples received a Geographical Indication Agricultural Product Certificate issued by the Ministry of Agriculture, becoming a powerful “business card” for the product. It is projected that by 2012, the cultivation area of Yanqing Guoguang Apples will stabilize at 10,000 acres, generating an annual output value of 100 million yuan.

　　Geographic Scope

　　Yanqing County is located in the northwest of Beijing, 80 kilometers from the city center, between 115°44′–116°34′ east longitude and 40°16′–40°47′ north latitude, with altitudes above 500 meters. The Yanqing Basin is bordered by Beijing’s second-highest peak, Haituo Mountain, to the north, and the Jundu Mountains (home to the Badaling section of the Great Wall) to the south, forming a small basin surrounded by mountains on the south, north, and east, and adjacent to the Guanting Reservoir to the southwest. The formation of the basin dates back to the early Tertiary period when the continental collision with the Pacific Plate and the Yanshan Movement created the initial contours of the Yanqing Mountains. By the Quaternary period, intense shifts in high mountains and plateaus caused a collapse between Haituo and Jundu Mountains, forming today’s Yanqing Basin. The Guoguang apple planting area spans approximately 200 hectares, with an annual yield of 1 million kilograms. The apples are mainly distributed along the northern mountain range, including Zhangshanying Village and Xiaying Village in Zhangshanying Town, Huangyukou, Baiyangyu, Yanzhuang, and Sanlimiao Villages in Jiuxian Town, as well as Heiyukou and Qujiayao Villages in Xiangying Township. Smaller pockets are also found near Lipao and Bangshuiyu Villages in Badaling Town, as well as parts of Kangzhuang, Yongning, and Jingzhuang Towns.

　　Natural Ecological Environment and Humanistic Historical Factors

　　(1) Soil and Topography: The Yanqing Basin, situated within Yanqing County, features a complex variety of landforms, including mid-level and low mountains, hills, terraces, river valleys, and drylands. Rolling mountains dominate the landscape, enclosing a V-shaped basin that stretches from southwest to northeast, facing the Guanting Reservoir. The terrain slopes gradually from northeast to southwest, with the Gucheng River flowing westward through the basin toward Guanting Lake. Soils include carbonate brown earth, fluvo-aquic soil, paddy soil, meadow soil, and sandy soil, with carbonate brown earth being the most widespread, accounting for 67.68% of total soil area. The soils are predominantly brown earth and loam, with a pH of around 7.0. Mountainous and hilly areas consist of gneiss-derived soils rich in minerals such as iron, manganese, and zinc, with organic matter content of ≥1%.

　　The soil is rich in minerals such as iron, manganese, and zinc, with an organic matter content of ≥1%.

　　(2) Hydrology: Yanqing boasts abundant water resources of high quality. Located upstream of the Yongding and Chaobai River systems, it forms an independent hydrological network. There are 18 rivers of Grade 4 or higher and two Grade 3 rivers within the county. The Gucheng River, the largest in Yanqing, covers a drainage area of 1,064.3 square kilometers. The county’s total water resources amount to 780 million cubic meters, comprising 564 million cubic meters of surface water and 223 million cubic meters of groundwater. Per capita water availability reaches 2,088 cubic meters—five times that of Beijing’s average. Water quality meets national drinking water Class II standards, while air quality attains national Class I standards. These factors provide an unparalleled natural growth environment for Yanqing Guoguang Apples, ensuring reliable production of premium-quality fruits.

　　(3) Climate: The Yanqing Basin lies in a mid-latitude region at high elevation (above 500 meters), characterized by significant diurnal temperature variation. The mean annual temperature is 8.5°C, with an extreme minimum of -27.3°C. The January average is -7.2°C, while July averages 24.2°C, resulting in a mean daily temperature range of 12.6°C—about 2–3°C greater than Beijing’s urban areas. Annual precipitation averages 441.8 mm, with July and August together contributing 295.5 mm. Winter and spring precipitation totals only 19 mm. The frost-free period lasts 165 days. Atmospheric transparency is high, and solar energy is abundant, with an annual total solar radiation of 134.1 kcal/m²—the highest in Beijing. The peak occurs in June (15.9 kcal/cm²), and the lowest in December (6.2 kcal/cm²). Average annual sunshine hours reach 2,826.3, with a sunshine rate of 64%. Sunshine distribution peaks from March to October, hitting 292.5 hours in May, while November to February sees fewer hours (197.4 in November). During the growing season (April–October), average sunshine stands at 216.8 hours monthly, peaking in June with 9.75 hours daily—sufficient to meet the light-energy needs for Guoguang apple growth and coloring.

　　(4) Humanistic and Historical Background: Historical Origins: According to the *Jiajing Longqing Annals*, cotton apples and small apples (crabapples, fragrant apples, etc.) have been cultivated in the county for at least 480 years, predating the Jiajing reign of the Ming Dynasty.

　　Industry Development: Yanqing introduced Guoguang apple varieties in the 1950s. As market demand grew, cultivation expanded steadily, and by the 1980s, Guoguang had become the dominant late-maturing apple variety in the county. At its peak, over 30,000 acres were planted, accounting for 70% of the county’s total apple orchards. However, in the late 1980s, the introduction of Red Fuji apples—with their larger size, higher sugar content, and brighter color—led to a decline in Guoguang’s popularity. Most growers in Yanqing replaced their Guoguang trees with Fuji via high-grafting to stay competitive, causing Guoguang to fall out of favor. Today, fewer than 3,000 acres remain under Guoguang cultivation, less than one-tenth of the county’s total apple acreage. Other regions grow even fewer.

　　In recent years, shifting consumer preferences have revived interest in Guoguang apples. In 2007, the Beijing Municipal Bureau of Pomology, promoting premium agriculture and biodiversity conservation, organized a “Beijing Unique Fruits” application campaign. Guoguang apples—among Yanqing’s unique offerings—were included. The county still cultivates 10 50-year-old Guoguang trees, whose rare historical legacy adds further mystique and heritage to the fruit’s uniqueness.

　　With increased government attention and improved management, Guoguang apple quality has steadily risen. The fruits are more uniformly sized, better colored (most now fully red), vibrantly hued, and offer a balanced sweet-tart flavor. In November 2006, they earned the “2006 Second China International Forestry Industry Expo Excellent Exhibited Product Award”; in December 2007, they won the “2007 China International Forestry Industry Expo Gold Award.” At the Sixth China International Agricultural Products Fair, Yanqing Guoguang apples were warmly welcomed by attendees. Despite their premium pricing, many consumers deemed them worth the cost, leading to brisk sales.