When was the watermelon introduced to China?
The watermelon is an annual climbing vine of the genus Citrullus in the gourd family (Cucurbitaceae), and can be called the “king of midsummer”: refreshing and thirst-quenching, sweet and juicy in taste, and rich in nutrients. Aside from containing no fat or cholesterol, it contains large amounts of glucose, malic acid, fructose, amino acids, lycopene, and abundant vitamin C and other substances. Now let us take a look together at when the watermelon was introduced to China!
When was the watermelon introduced to China?
China is the largest watermelon-producing region in the world, but there are differing accounts of the watermelon's origin. The more popular view holds that the watermelon's native home is Africa, where it was originally a wild plant of the gourd family and was later cultivated by humans into the edible watermelon. As early as four thousand years ago, the Egyptians were already growing watermelons; afterward it gradually moved northward, first spreading from the Mediterranean coast to Northern Europe, then southward into the Middle East, India and other places, and in the 4th to 5th centuries it was introduced to China from the Western Regions.
Why is the watermelon called xigua?
The watermelon was introduced to China from the Western Regions in the 4th to 5th centuries, and so it is called “xigua” (western melon). According to the Ming dynasty scientist Xu Guangqi's Complete Treatise on Agricultural Administration, “the watermelon, its seed comes from the Western Regions, hence the name”; the Ming dynasty Li Shizhen recorded in the Compendium of Materia Medica that “according to Hu Jiao, who obtained melon seeds in the Uyghur region, it was named xigua. Thus the watermelon first entered China in the Five Dynasties period, and today it is found in both north and south,” which shows that the cultivation of watermelons in China already has a long history.
What are the benefits of eating watermelon?
1. Reduces heat and relieves summer heat: the watermelon has the effect of clearing heat and relieving summer heat, and of purging fire and dispelling restlessness; eating watermelon in summer can promote fluid production and quench thirst, and clear heat and relieve summer heat.
2. Hydrating and sun-protecting: the watermelon's water content is second to none among fruits, so it is especially suitable for replenishing the body's water loss in summer.
3. Keeps the bowels regular: after eating watermelon, urine output increases noticeably, which can reduce the content of bile pigments and has a certain effect on treating jaundice.
4. Slows aging: watermelon juice and the fresh tender rind can increase skin elasticity, making a person look younger, reducing wrinkles and adding luster.
5. Treats nephritis: the watermelon contains a certain amount of sugar and salt, so it has a relatively good therapeutic effect on mild kidney inflammation.
6. Sobering effect: the watermelon has the effect of counteracting alcohol; eaten raw or with watermelon juice drunk frequently, it makes a drunken person feel clear and refreshed, reviving the spirit and counteracting the alcohol.