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Introduction of Watermelon into China:Its Time,Origin and Route(PDF)

《南京师大学报》(社会科学版)[ISSN:1006-6977/CN:61-1281/TN]

Issue:
2017年04期
Page:
79-
Research Field:
文化史研究
Publishing date:

Info

Title:
Introduction of Watermelon into China:Its Time,Origin and Route
Author(s):
CHENG Jie
Keywords:
watermelonHuiheEmperor Taizu of the LiaoXinjiangCentral AsiaManicheism
PACS:
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DOI:
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Abstract:
The melon eaten raw in ancient China was pellicle melon. The so-called hangua 寒瓜(literallycold melon)in the medieval times was actually the white gourd. There is no evidence of cultivation orconsumption of watermelon before the Tang Dynasty,so the watermelon must be a kind of exotic species.The introduction of watermelon into China began in the Five Dynasties. According to the historical records,in the third year of Tianzan( 924 AD),Emperor Taizu (the first emperor) of the Liao Dynasty“ conqueredHuihe and got watermelon seeds” . His western expedition wasn’t likely to be going as far as the BuddhaCity of northern Xinjiang“. Conquered Huihe” means entering the former capital of Huihe in the upstream ofthe Orhon Gol in Mongolia. China’s Xinjiang and even the whole Northwest was arid,short of water resourceand sparsely populated. Hardly have any records of abundant watermelons been found. In its heydays,theUighur Nation (Huihe) of Mobei worshiped Manicheism,which advocated food like melons. Watermelonsmust have been directly brought here by Manichean missionaries from Central Asia and consequentlyintroduced into China by Khitan people,and spread in the Upper Capital of the Liao Dynasty. It was laterintroduced by the people of Southern Song and N俟zhen into the southern areas including the south of theYangtze River,Henan,and Huainan. It was then gradually spread to many other regions. The inscriptionon the stele of watermelon of the Southern Song Dynasty located in Enshi,Hubei Province,says that inthe fourth year of Emperor Yongxi( 1240 AD),the“ northern expedition” has brought back some“ huihui(Muslim nation) melon”,which might refer to the Song people’s visiting to Mongolia. Perhaps this melonalso came from the capital of Huihe.

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Last Update: 2017-08-30