Donggao Red Persimmons

Donggao Red Persimmons

　　Donggao Township in Yongjia County has long been known as the "hometown of persimmons." When golden autumn arrives and the persimmons ripen, the hillsides and slopes are covered with dense persimmon groves. The bright red fruits hang from the branches, glowing like flames or sunset clouds, adorned with golden hues that are truly intoxicating.

　　　　Yongjia persimmons come in many varieties, including flat persimmons, bull’s-heart persimmons, steamed-cake persimmons, August Red, and Long-nipple persimmons, but the seedless Long-nipple persimmons of Donggao are the best. In his poem “Ode to Seedless Red Persimmons,” the Northern Song Dynasty writer Kong Pingzhong wrote: “In the forest there is a red fruit, clustering thickly on the bough. As a persimmon it is already lovely, but oh, its flesh is tender too. ... Carried in bamboo baskets to market, they’re cheap and easy to procure. Split them open and find no pit inside, pop them in your mouth—they taste just right.” These lines capture the charm of seedless red persimmons. But how do persimmons become seedless? According to local elders, it is the result of continuous selective breeding, grafting, and improvement. As recorded in *Huajing* (*The Flower Mirror*), “Generally, after a persimmon tree has been grafted three times, it will bear no pits at all.”

　　　　The cultivation of Donggao seedless red persimmons boasts a long history, spanning over 200 years. All 11 villages in Donggao Township produce these persimmons. Currently, the township has more than 8,000 persimmon trees that bear fruit, with an annual yield of over 400,000 jin (approximately 200 metric tons). In the past, due to long-term communal management, yields declined. However, in recent years, with the implementation of a forestry production responsibility system, fruit farmers have generally placed greater emphasis on persimmon tree care—pruning, shaping, disease prevention, and pest control. This has revitalized old trees and invigorated young ones, giving the persimmon orchards a completely renewed appearance and causing yields to rebound quickly.

　　　　Donggao seedless red persimmons are large and thick-fleshed, with about seven or eight weighing one kilogram. The yield per tree ranges between 200 and 250 kilograms. In Dashandi Village, the township’s largest persimmon tree, known as the “Persimmon King,” produces over 500 kilograms annually. These persimmons are juicy and sweet, with a unique flavor—no hard bits to get stuck in your teeth or annoying pits to spit out. The dried persimmon cakes made from them are dry but not hard, soft but not mushy, rich in powdery white persimmon frost, and tender with a smooth, oily mouthfeel. They have long been renowned in the Wenzhou market. Some say, “Once you’ve eaten Donggao seedless persimmons, other persimmons just don’t taste as good.” This seedless variety is late-ripening and is typically harvested from Frost’s Descent to the Beginning of Winter. Locals often serve persimmon cake steeped in tea to guests during festivals, weddings, or other celebrations.

　　　　Persimmon trees are large, robust, long-lived, and highly productive. They yield crops reliably whether in drought or flood, and can even serve as a food staple—hence their nickname “iron crop.” Persimmons are also highly nutritious. When ripe, they contain higher levels of beta-carotene, vitamin C, and minerals such as calcium, phosphorus, and iron than other fruits like apples, pears, apricots, and peaches. Beyond their nutritional value, persimmons also have medicinal properties. It is said that “persimmons strengthen the spleen, astringe the intestines, nourish deficiency, moisten the lungs, and treat coughs and bleeding. Persimmon frost, persimmon calyxes, and persimmon leaves can all be used in medicine.” Thus, persimmons are rightfully hailed as the “king of fruits” and the “treasure among fruits.”