Lansi Watermelon

Lansi Watermelon

Lansi Watermelon is a product certified with a Geographical Indication for Agricultural Products.

　　Lansi Watermelon

　　The watermelon production in Beian Township has a long history and is a well-established local brand. Each year, over 3,000 mu of early-, mid-, and late-season common watermelons are cultivated. In a normal year, the yield is around 10,000 jin per mu, with approximately 15 million kilograms of watermelons available for the market, generating a net income of about 1,500 yuan per mu. The township has the largest wholesale watermelon market in the surrounding area, covering 3,200 square meters, along with five long-distance distribution trucks, contributing to an annual fiscal revenue of over 80,000 yuan. The local farmers not only grow common watermelons for the market but also cultivate giant prize watermelons and gift watermelons for external markets, which are sold as far as Jilin, Liaoning, and Inner Mongolia. Over the past decade, growing giant watermelons has become a significant activity, with more than 200 watermelons weighing over 50 kg produced each year, the heaviest exceeding 78 kg. At “Watermelon King” competitions held across the country, farmers from this region have won awards 52 times. A particularly huge watermelon cultivated by Li Zhiguo was praised as the “Crown of Watermelons” by the former Vice Premier of China. Liu Guangju Village, renowned for its giant watermelons, is known as the “Watermelon King Village,” and Beian Township is hailed as the “Hometown of Watermelon Kings.”

　　Lansi County is located slightly northwest of Harbin, the capital of Heilongjiang Province, in the southern part of the Songnen Plain. The Huran River runs through the entire county, and it has a temperate continental monsoon climate. With suitable soil, accumulated temperature, precipitation, sunlight, and frost-free period, the area has a long history of watermelon cultivation. The watermelons produced here are known for their good quality, sweet taste, high sugar content, large size, thin rinds, and good storage and transportability. The county also has strong self-developed variety capabilities and high-yield cultivation techniques. At various national “Watermelon King” competitions, farmers have won awards 52 times. Liu Guangju Village, famous for its giant watermelons, is known as the “Watermelon King Village,” and Beian Township is hailed as the “Hometown of Watermelon Kings.”

　　From the 1950s after the founding of the People’s Republic of China until 1980, the main giant watermelon varieties exhibited at the Harbin Seed Industry Expo from Lansi County included Zaohua, Mibao, and Xinhongbao. During the 1960s–1980s, cultivation techniques such as one-row two-vine, one-row two-plants single vine, and single-plant two-vine were used. After the 1980s, plastic mulching technology was introduced, leading to rapid development in watermelon production, making it one of the main melon and vegetable products and specialties of Lansi County. In 2007, CCTV-7’s program “Getting Rich” featured a seven-minute report on the Lansi watermelon industry. Governments at all levels have placed great emphasis on the development of the watermelon industry, registering brands such as “Yulin,” “Linjiang,” and “Kangrong,” all of which have obtained pollution-free agricultural product certification. Wholesale markets for melons and vegetables have been established in Yulin Town, Kangrong Township, Beian Township, and others, effectively boosting the sales of watermelon products. Every year, a continuous stream of visitors come to Lansi to learn and observe, spurring the development of the watermelon industry both locally and in other provinces and cities across the country, truly establishing it as the “Hometown of Watermelons.” Products are sold to Beijing, Inner Mongolia, Dalian, Liaoning, Harbin, and other regions, becoming a major local industry.

　　Geographic Scope

　　Lansi County is located slightly northwest of Harbin, the capital of Heilongjiang Province, in the southern part of the Songnen Plain. The southern range of the Xiaoxing’an Mountains, including the Lahagang Ridge, extends along the western bank of the Huran River through the county from north to south. The protected geographic indication area for Lansi watermelons spans longitude 125°42′10″ to 126°38′10″ and latitude 46°02′05″ to 46°38′20″. This includes eleven townships: Linjiang Town, Beian Township, Lansi Town, Yulin Town, Kangrong Township, Hongguang Township, Fendou Township, Yuanda Township, Changgang Township, Lanhe Township, and Liaoyuan Township. The protected area borders Qinggang County and Wangkui County to the north, Anda City and Zhaodong City to the west, borders the Hulan District to the south and southeast, and neighbors Beilin District to the northeast.

　　Natural Ecological Environment and Humanistic Historical Factors

　　(1) Soil and Topography: The county features a gently sloping plain topography that is higher in the northwest and lower in the southeast, with elevations ranging from 122 to 206.8 meters. Due to its unique terrain, crops receive ample sunlight and benefit from good photosynthesis, resulting in high-quality produce. This contributes to the distinctive quality of Lansi watermelons. Within the protected area, the arable land mainly consists of fertile soils such as black soil, black calcareous soil, and meadow soil, with a pH value between 7 and 7.5 and an average organic matter content of around 3.45. The ecological environment is superior, with good soil, irrigation water, and air quality, and no industrial “three wastes” pollution.

　　(2) Hydrology: The county has the Nihe Reservoir, with a water storage capacity of 70 million cubic meters, and the Huran River carries 3.318 billion cubic meters of water annually. Through the joint efforts of the local population, a large number of irrigation, flood control, and waterlogging control projects have been constructed, forming a basic system for water diversion, storage, and extraction. There are currently eight small reservoirs, 34 ponds, 340 water storage pools, 800 drought-resistant wells, 4,500 medium wells, 110 kilometers of flood control embankments, and a total water supply capacity of 132 million cubic meters. The water sources are abundant, the water quality is good, and there is no industrial drainage pollution, which is beneficial for the growth and development of watermelons.

　　(3) Climate: Lansi County is located at a mid-to-high latitude and falls within the temperate continental monsoon climate zone. In summer, the prevailing southeast winds bring humidity and abundant rainfall; in winter, the northwest winds are dry and harsh. The annual average temperature is 2.9°C, with an annual accumulated temperature ≥10°C of 2,711°C, meeting the heat requirements of crops. The average annual precipitation is 456 mm, and the average annual sunshine duration is 2,738 hours. The average frost-free period is 132 days, making it especially suitable for watermelon growth.

　　(4) Humanistic and Historical Background: During the Qin and Han dynasties, Lansi County was part of the territory of Fuyu and was successively governed by the Han Dynasty's Xuantu Commandery and Liaodong Commandery. During the Sui and Tang dynasties, it was under the jurisdiction of the Blackwater Mohe and the Blackwater Protectorate. In the Liao Dynasty, it belonged to the Wanyan tribe and was governed by the Dongjing Circuit. In the Jin Dynasty, it was under the Shangjing Huining Prefecture. In the Yuan Dynasty, it was a grazing area of the Solon tribe, governed by the Zhaozhou Tuntian Wanhu Fu. In the Ming Dynasty, in the seventh year of the Yongle era (1409), it was under the jurisdiction of the Wuzhe Right Guard of the Nurgan Regional Military Commission. In the 12th year of the Yongzheng era of the Qing Dynasty (1734), it came under the jurisdiction of the Hulan City Guard (renamed the Deputy Commander in the fifth year of the Guangxu era). On January 29, 1905 (December 24, 30th year of the Guangxu era), Lansi County was established, with its seat at Shuangmiaozhi, named after its location on the western bank of the Huran River, and was governed by the Hulan Prefecture. During the Republic of China period, it was under the Sui-Lan Circuit of Heilongjiang.

　　Watermelon, also known as cold melon, originated in Africa. After being cultivated by ancient Sudan and Egypt, it spread to ancient Greece and the Roman Empire, where it became widespread. Around the Sui and Tang dynasties, watermelon was introduced to China’s Xinjiang region via Iraq, Iran, and Afghanistan, then brought by the Khitans from the Uyghurs, later adopted by the Jin Dynasty from the Khitans, and finally introduced to the Central Plains during the Southern Song Dynasty. The Shangjing region of the Jin Dynasty is considered the birthplace of Chinese watermelons. Lansi had been consuming watermelons as early as 1115, but due to its origins as a grazing area, watermelon cultivation likely began after the Qing government lifted the ban in 1861, when large numbers of migrants from inland areas settled and reclaimed land. This dates back over 150 years. During the Republican era and the Japanese occupation of the Northeast, watermelons were widely grown in Lansi, with an average yield of about 500 kg per mu. Most planted varieties were local types, predominantly Taiwanese watermelons and Japanese Yamato watermelons, cultivated using wide-row single-plant sparse planting methods. From the founding of New China to 1980, the main varieties included Zaohua, Mibao, and Xinhongbao. During the 1960s–1980s, cultivation techniques such as one-row one-plant two-vine, one-row two-plants single vine, and single-plant two-vine were used. After the 1980s, plastic mulching technology was introduced, leading to rapid development in watermelon production. It has since become one of the main melon and vegetable varieties and a specialty of Lansi County. Lansi watermelons embody the hard work and wisdom of generations of local growers. With continuous improvements in cultivation techniques and gradual expansion of planting areas, they have gradually developed distinct characteristics: grown in cold black soil with green cultivation methods, resulting in good quality, sweet taste, high sugar content, large size, thin rinds, and good storage and transportability. Since the 1990s, high-yield cultivation techniques have been developed, and competing watermelons have won numerous gold and silver awards at national agricultural expos. In 1998, Lansi watermelons entered in competition were honored by the former Vice Premier as the “Crown of Watermelons.” The county has strong capabilities in breeding high-quality watermelon seeds, with seeds sold widely and adaptable to various conditions. Excellent varieties such as Zhiguo No. 1 to No. 10, Zhiguo Meiguan, Disease-Resistant Shenlei, Double-Resistance Dadi Lei, and Baichen Dadi Lei are highly adaptable, and watermelon seeds sell well, driving the development of the watermelon industry in various regions and significantly increasing farmers’ incomes. The cultivation techniques are highly advanced, producing many skilled growers who have received national awards such as National Model Worker, Provincial Advanced Science and Technology Worker, and Provincial Model Worker. They have also earned accolades such as Gold Award at the National Agricultural Expo and the title of “Watermelon King.” In 2007, CCTV-7’s “Getting Rich” featured a seven-minute report on the Lansi watermelon industry. Governments at all levels have placed great emphasis on the development of the watermelon industry, registering brands such as “Yulin,” “Linjiang,” and “Kangrong,” all of which have obtained pollution-free agricultural product certification. Wholesale markets for melons and vegetables have been established in Yulin Town, Kangrong Township, Beian Township, and others, effectively boosting the sales of watermelon products. Every year, a continuous stream of visitors come to Lansi to learn and observe, spurring the development of the watermelon industry both locally and in other provinces and cities across the country, truly establishing it as the “Hometown of Watermelons.” Local watermelon brands are sold to Beijing, Inner Mongolia, Dalian, Liaoning, Harbin, and other regions, becoming a major local industry.