Zhuanghang Honey Pear

Zhuanghang Honey Pear

Zhuanghang Honey Pear is a product certified with a Geographical Indication for Agricultural Products.

　　The pear trees have a long cultivation history in the Zhuanghang area of Fengxian. In the late Zhizheng era (1340) of the Yuan Dynasty, the poet Zhang Zhihan was transferred from his position as Hanlin Attendant Lecturer to become Prefect of Songjiang (now the Shanghai area). He wrote the poem "Brahma’s Chant – In Praise of the Red Pear Blossoms at Prime Minister Zhao’s Residence," which praises the pear blossoms: “An icy grace, a jade-like form, the east wind takes pains to reveal their innate charm. Delicately rouged, dressed anew in soft crimson. Good for applying rouge with delicate fingers, testing the light touch all over the face. To wash off makeup late, she wears a slight pout. Fragrant skin scented with musk. It utterly puts spring crabapple blossoms to shame. Not lingering over several cups of fragrant wine, who will comfort the dusk? Only worried upon waking, to quietly find no beloved flower-loving master. Raindrops on the branches are all traces of weeping.” According to *The Chronicles of Zhuanghang*, in the third year of the Hongwu era at the beginning of the Ming Dynasty (1370), the poet Yuan Kai from Huating County, Songjiang Prefecture (now Fengxian County, Shanghai), wrote in his poem *White Swallow Poem*: “Willow catkins in the pond waft into dreams, pear blossoms in the courtyard chill through clothes.” From this, it can be inferred that the planting of Zhuanghang Honey Pears has a history of at least 600 years. According to the Republican-era *Huating County Chronicles*: “Known as Qiubai (Autumn White), it is abundantly produced locally and regarded as the king of fruits.” The product is characterized by “thin skin, juicy flesh, sweet taste, and small core,” winning wide consumer recognition and further promoting the development of “Zhuanghang Honey Pear.” Major honors received by Zhuanghang Honey Pear include: In 2003, the Fengye-brand Zhuanghang Honey Pear passed Shanghai’s certification for “Safe, Sanitary, and High-Quality Agricultural Products”; in 2005, it obtained certification for pollution-free production areas and pollution-free products; in 2006, it won the Bronze Award in Shanghai’s High-Quality Pear Evaluation; in 2008, it earned an Excellent Award in the Shanghai High-Quality Fruit (Pear) Evaluation for the Expo; in 2009, it was designated as a Shanghai Fruit Supply Base for the Expo; in 2010, it won the Quality Award in Shanghai’s High-Quality Pear Evaluation; it has been recognized as a Shanghai Famous-Brand Product since 2008; and in 2011, it passed Green Food certification.

　　Zhuanghang Honey Pear features thin skin, juicy flesh, sweet taste, and small core. The fruit is richly juicy and sweet, with a distinctive fragrance. The flesh contains over 12% sugar, along with vitamins, free acids, pectin, protein, calcium, iron, phosphorus, and other nutrients. It offers health benefits such as promoting saliva production, relieving coughs, moistening the lungs, regulating qi, and beautifying the skin. The harvest season runs from mid-July to early September.

　　Geographic Range

　　Zhuanghang Town is known as the “Southern Garden of Shanghai.” It was formed in November 2003 through the merger of the former Zhuanghang Town and the former Wuqiao Town. It borders Hangzhou Bay, lies east of Fengxian District’s Nanqiao New Town, neighbors Jinshan District and Songjiang District to the west, and faces Minhang District across the Huangpu River to the north. It is located 50 kilometers from downtown Shanghai, with the Suburban Ring Expressway G1501 passing through the town, giving it a unique and superior geographical location. The protected geographic area for the Zhuanghang Honey Pear Geographical Indication includes nine administrative villages formerly under Zhuanghang Town: Pandi Village, Xinhua Village, Dongfeng Village, Changdi Village, Yanglou Village, Lüqiao Village, Cungu Village, Lujing Village, and Changbang Village. The protected area spans geographic coordinates between 121.3°E–121.21°E and 30.5°N–30.57°N. The pear cultivation area in this region is 6,600 mu, with a total output of 10,000 tons.