Basic Introduction to Fangshan Millstone Persimmon
The Zhangfang Town of Fangshan District covers a total area of 152.4 square kilometers, with a total of 7,138 households and 21,031 people. The advantageous conditions of the warm area at the foot of the mountains have created ideal natural conditions for the development of the local forestry and fruit industry. As the leading town of China's millstone persimmon industry and Beijing's only specialized millstone persimmon town, Zhangfang Town has the largest area, highest yield, and best quality of persimmons, epitomizing the achievements of industrialized development in China's millstone persimmon homeland. Since 1998, it has been approved by the Ministry of Agriculture and the Ministry of Finance as a millstone persimmon production base. Subsequently, it was named by higher-level departments as Beijing's millstone persimmon specialized town, standardized millstone persimmon production base, and advanced unit of agricultural standardization in Fangshan District. The persimmon products were rated as green food by the National Green Food Center and recognized as “Famous Fruit of China” by the China Fruit Products Circulation Association.
According to the Beijing Fruit Tree History (Fangshan District), it is recorded that the local residents of Dayugou Village passed down the tradition that there were persimmon trees cultivated in the area during the Ming Dynasty (Hongwu period, 1368-1399 AD). Zhangfang can be considered the birthplace of the millstone persimmon; after Emperor Chengzu Zhu Di moved the capital to Beijing, Zhangfang's millstone persimmons were always presented as tribute to the imperial palace. To this day, within the village of Dayugou, there remains an ancient orchard of century-old trees, bearing witness to the passage of time and carrying the hopes of the persimmon farmers.
Fangshan's millstone persimmons sprout earlier and are harvested later than those in other suburban districts of Beijing, resulting in a higher sugar content, firmer texture, and better transportability, thereby showcasing the unique superior qualities of the region. The fruit is beautifully colored, orange-yellow in hue, with a sweet taste, regular shape, smooth surface, few defects, and conforms to the standards of high-quality appearance grading. Since ancient times, Fangshan's millstone persimmons have received praise, earning the accolade of having “a color surpassing gold and a sweetness exceeding nectar.”
Nutritional Value
Fangshan's millstone persimmons are rich in seven essential amino acids, large amounts of vitamins, carotene, minerals, and flavonoids.
Tests show that per hundred grams of fresh fruit contains 0.7 grams of protein, which is 3.5 times more than apples and 7 times more than pears; it also contains 0.16 mg of vitamin A, twice as much as apples and 16 times more than pears; it contains 4.16 mg of vitamin C, three times more than apples and five times more than pears. In addition, it also contains 0.2 mg of vitamin PP.
Throughout history, medical practitioners have written about the medicinal value of persimmons. According to “The Catalogue of Famous Physicians” compiled by Tao Hongjing of the Liang Dynasty: “Persimmons have the effects of clearing heat, moistening the lungs, transforming phlegm, and stopping cough.” According to “Compendium of Materia Medica,” “Persimmons are the fruits of the spleen and lung meridians. Their taste is sweet and their nature is neutral. They are astringent and can tonify, thus they have the functions of strengthening the spleen, astringing the intestines, and stopping bleeding.” Modern medical literature records that every part of the persimmon tree is valuable. The fruits can be eaten fresh, made into wine, vinegar, dried persimmons, or persimmon juice. Persimmon fruits have the effects of tonifying the spleen, strengthening the stomach, moistening the intestines, lowering blood pressure, relieving constipation, stopping bleeding, and detoxifying alcohol. Persimmon calyxes can treat hiccups and nocturia; persimmon hoarfrost can treat sore throat, mouth ulcers, and dry throat; persimmon leaf tea can prevent arteriosclerosis and treat insomnia.
Product Characteristics
Fangshan's millstone persimmons are named after their distinct constrictions, located around the fruit's midsection, dividing the flesh into upper and lower parts resembling a millstone. Fangshan's millstone persimmons have a beautiful color, orange-yellow in hue, and a sweet taste, receiving praise since ancient times, earning the accolade of having “a color surpassing gold and a sweetness exceeding nectar.” In the poem “Eulogy to Persimmons” by Zhang Zhongsu, he praised them with “Their taste surpasses the sweetest flower buds, their color humbly outshines the sunken vermilion, lightly and evenly wrapped like wax-coated balls of suet, incomparable to the sweetness found on earth.”
Historical Folklore
Persimmons originated in China and have a cultivation history of over three thousand years, with the earliest written record appearing in “Etiquette and Rituals of the Inner House” compiled during the early Han Dynasty. China is the world's largest producer of persimmons, accounting for over 70% of global production. There are over 40 species of persimmon plants in China, with more than 800 varieties, of which only the sweet persimmons from Luotian and Macheng regions in Hubei Province are sweet, while the rest are astringent persimmons.
The cultivation history of Fangshan's millstone persimmons dates back over 600 years.
Historical records indicate that the cultivation of millstone persimmons in the Fangshan area began as early as the Hongwu period of the Ming Dynasty, due to their “distinct constrictions located around the fruit's midsection, dividing the flesh into upper and lower parts, resembling a millstone.” After Emperor Chengzu established Beijing as the capital, millstone persimmons were presented as annual tributes to the imperial palace. In the “Fangshan County Annals” compiled during the Wanli period of the Ming Dynasty, it is recorded: “Persimmons are the main produce of our region. In the northwest river valley and southwest Zhangfang valley, there is no village without persimmon trees. Among the persimmons sold in Beijing, those from Fangshan are the most numerous. They are as big as fists and as sweet as honey.”
Awards and Honors for Fangshan Millstone Persimmons
In 1990, the Ministry of Agriculture and the Ministry of Finance designated Fangshan as a “Millstone Persimmon Commodity Base.”
In 2001, Fangshan District was designated as “China's Millstone Persimmon Homeland” by the State Forestry Administration.
In 2001, the Zhangfang Millstone Persimmons of Fangshan District won the title of “Famous Fruit of China” at the national fruit exhibition.
In 2004, at the “Beijing Famous Fruits Evaluation” persimmon special competition, Fangshan's millstone persimmons won first, second, and third place awards.
In 2005, Zhangfang Town in Fangshan District was designated as the leading town for the development of millstone persimmons by the Beijing municipal government. Its fruits were determined to be safe food by the edible agricultural product inspection department and were rated as “Famous Fruit of China” by the China Fruit Products Circulation Association.
In 2006, Zhangfang Town in Fangshan District was approved as a national agricultural standardization demonstration zone by the Standardization Administration of China.
In 2007, Zhangfang's millstone persimmons obtained “non-polluted” and “organic” food certifications and were approved by the General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine for implementation of geographical indication protection.
In 2008, Zhangfang Town received the certification as a standard millstone persimmon production base in China.