Heishui Melon Village

　　Traveling 15 kilometers south from the ancient city along the Changbai Highway or the Pingqi Railway, you’ll arrive at Heishui Town—China’s nationally renowned Melon Capital. Every summer and autumn, the area is draped in lush greenery, and the air fills with the mysterious fragrance of melons. Melon stands by the roadside tempt passing travelers to stop for a refreshing bite, while melon merchants from all over gather here to purchase. Soon, hundreds of trucks loaded with watermelons converge at the roadside melon market, creating a unique spectacle that defines China’s Melon Capital.

　　The history of Heishui Melon Village stretches back over a thousand years, to when watermelons were first cultivated during the Liao Dynasty’s rule over the north. According to the *Records of the Khitans*: “The Khitans obtained this fruit after defeating the Uyghurs, and grew it under sheds covered with cow dung. It grew as large as China’s winter melon but tasted sweet.” At the time, Emperor Taizu of the Liao Dynasty, Yelü Abaoji, personally led his troops on a western campaign to open trade routes to the Western Regions. Fighting in the scorching, arid desert with scarce water sources, hydration became a major challenge. Watermelons, originally from the oases of Xinjiang, could quench thirst and hunger, were portable, and preserved well—making them essential for the campaign. After the victory, Yelü Abaoji ordered the seeds to be brought back to the Liao capital, Shangjing, for cultivation. Soon, melon farming began in Heishui, on the outskirts of the Liao Dynasty’s stronghold, Taizhou. In the early Liao period, a traveler and scholar from Central China named Hu Qiao visited the north and, upon tasting watermelon for the first time in Heishui, was astonished. He studied its cultivation techniques in detail and brought seeds back to Central China.

　　Historical records from the *Tao’an Prefecture Annals* and *City Annals* also note that during the mid-to-late Qing Dynasty, Heishui watermelons and melon seeds were tributes to the imperial court. In the early Republican era, they were treasured delicacies served to cool off and entertain dignitaries such as warlords Zhang Zuolin and Wu Junsheng, as well as Mongolian prince Zasagt Khan. Only after liberation did the people truly become masters of their own destiny, allowing Heishui’s melon farmers to freely harvest and enjoy their own produce. They even frequently supplied premium cooling watermelons for central meetings and government agencies. Thanks to favorable geography, climate, and mature farming techniques, Heishui watermelons are becoming a “golden treasure” that enriches local farmers.

　　Heishui Melon Village boasts unique scenery. In spring, farmers eagerly await the early arrival of watermelons in the market. They commonly use plastic mulching to raise soil temperatures and promote early ripening, resulting in silvery ribbons across the fields. Under the sunlight, the black-and-white fields shimmer brilliantly. In peak summer, the Changbai Highway flanking the melon village is lined with melon stands and willow-lined paths. Farmers arrange emerald-green watermelons into green walls or long dragons, creating striking visual advertisements that attract countless merchants from across the country. Some slice open the melons to reveal juicy red flesh, enticing passing travelers—an irresistible draw. In autumn, trucks of all sizes carrying watermelons converge at the Heishui Melon Market, forming a sea of green. Merchants from all over the nation haggle with farmers in a medley of dialects, while rows of heavy trucks and trains wait to transport the melons nationwide once deals are struck. In winter, under sunlit greenhouses, premium watermelon seedlings begin to stretch, yielding a variety of melons: ripe fruits range from massive seedless ones to tiny fist-sized ones, even cube-shaped ones—treasures for winter hospitality or decoration...

　　Heishui Melon Village is a place you won’t want to leave and will never forget.