Where is the "hometown" of bayberry? A genuine "Chinese fruit"

This summer, bayberry, a fruit produced in abundance in Zhejiang, China, shines in overseas markets. Short videos about bayberry are widely circulated on many social media platforms, winning the attention and love of many overseas friends. In Qingtian, Lishui, one of the main production areas of bayberry, local customs statistics show that this year's bayberry export volume is expected to usher in a significant increase, which is expected to double compared with last year, far exceeding last year's record of more than 20 tons.

Where does bayberry come from? What is its history of cultivation and consumption? What are the new breakthroughs in bayberry cultivation and breeding technology? We invited Song Yuanming, associate professor of the Institute of History of Science and Cultural Heritage and deputy director of the Institute of Science, Technology and Culture of the University of Science and Technology Beijing, to explain the "past and present" of bayberry to the public.

Question: Where is the “hometown” of bayberry?

Answer: Bayberry is native to China and is a genuine "Chinese product". Wild bayberry can still be found in the mountains and fields of Zhejiang, Fujian, Guangdong, Guangxi and other places. According to archaeological data, spores of the genus Bayberry have been found in the Hemudu Neolithic site in Yuyao, Zhejiang, which is about 5,000 to 7,000 years old , and the remains of bayberry trees have been unearthed in the Shi'ao site in Yuyao, Zhejiang, which is more than 4,500 years old. The cultivation and use of bayberry can be traced back to at least 2,000 years ago . The shape of the bayberry unearthed from the Mawangdui Han Tomb in Changsha is very similar to the bayberry cultivated today. The bayberry kernel unearthed from the Nanyue King Tomb in Xianggang Mountain, Guangzhou, the remains of green bayberry in the Luobowan Han Tomb in Guixian, Guangxi, and the record of bayberry in Sima Xiangru's "Shanglin Fu" in the Western Han Dynasty all show that bayberry has long been a precious fruit on the table of wealthy families.

Question: What are the records about bayberry cultivation techniques in ancient China ?

Answer: At present, the cultivation technology of bayberry recorded in ancient books is mainly grafting propagation . The Song Dynasty's "Gewu Cuotan" and "Wulei Xiangganzhi" mentioned that "bayberry grafted on mulberry will not be sour" and "scabies on trees can be removed by nailing with licorice". The emergence of this distant grafting and disease prevention technology shows that people at that time had accumulated relatively rich experience in bayberry cultivation. The Ming Dynasty's "Bianmin Tuzhuan" and "Qunfangpu" and other books gave a more detailed description of the cultivation process of bayberry. "Qunfangpu" mentioned that bayberry is suitable for mountain planting. Before planting, the bayberry kernels need to be soaked in a manure pond for a period of time, then taken out and buried in moist soil. Sow in February of the following year, and transplant the seedlings the following year after they grow to a certain height. After three or four years of growth, grafting is carried out. The grafted bayberry is transplanted to the mountain again. In the twelfth lunar month, dig trenches four or five feet away from the roots and apply fertilizer. Whenever it rains, the fertilizer water penetrates the soil, which can promote the bayberry to bear abundant fruits. It can be seen that the cultivation of bayberry at that time had formed a complete technical system, which also reflects its status in fruit tree cultivation from one aspect.

Question: Bayberry is easy to spoil . What are the good ways to deal with it in ancient times?

Answer: Bayberry is delicious and juicy, but it is also delicate and perishable. In order to extend the shelf life, the ancients created a variety of storage and processing methods, such as salted bayberry, smoked bayberry, honey-pickled bayberry, sun-dried bayberry, bayberry wine, and bayberry juice , which not only retain the flavor but also add a different taste. Taking salted bayberry as an example, "Taiping Yulan" quoted the content of "Food Classic" and recorded: "Take one hu of the complete bayberry, salt it, and dry it. Take two jin of Hangpi, boil it in salt juice, and do not add honey. The color of the bayberry is as beautiful as before, and it can be kept for several months." This "bayberry storage method" allows bayberry to maintain its bright color and flavor for a long time through salting and sun exposure, making people unable to stop eating it.

Question: What are the functions of bayberry?

Answer: As I said earlier, whether it is freshly picked or processed, bayberry is a traditional delicacy that can satisfy the taste buds. Yu Eshu of the Song Dynasty once said: "The pearls on the top of the crane's head are still wet, and the tears on the dragon's eyes are not dry. If Taizhen knew this taste, lychees would not come to Chang'an." The poet firmly believed that the small bayberry could make Yang Guifei, who "riding a horse in the red dust to make the concubine smile", abandon lychees, which shows that people are obsessed with the delicious bayberry. In addition to its food function, bayberry also entered the "pharmacy" of the ancients - it was used as a medicine at least in the Tang Dynasty. At about the same time, bayberry became a good choice for people to cultivate for ornamental purposes because of its elegant tree posture and evergreen characteristics. In the miscellaneous work "Records of Plants in Pingquan Mountain Residence" by Li Deyu, the prime minister of the Tang Dynasty, there is a record that "the strange trees include... the laurel, green and bayberry in Zhongshan."

Q : Where in China can you find the best quality bayberry?

Answer: Bayberry is widely planted in many provinces in China, including Zhejiang, Jiangsu, Fujian, Hunan, Guangdong, etc., with more than 300 cultivated varieties. According to relevant data, the annual output of bayberry in the world exceeds 1 million tons, and China accounts for 98% of it. Among them, Zhejiang Province has become the leader of the global bayberry industry with more than 60% of the country's planting area and output. As early as the Song Dynasty, bayberry in Zhejiang may have formed an industry. Bayberry in some areas was listed as a tribute due to its superior quality, and its cultivation tradition continues to this day. In November 2023, the ancient bayberry group complex breeding system in Xianju, Zhejiang was officially recognized by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations as a "Globally Important Agricultural Heritage System", becoming the first agricultural cultural heritage in the field of bayberry in the world to receive this honor, setting an example for the sustainable development of world agriculture.

Q: What breakthroughs have been made in China’s bayberry planting and cultivation technology in recent years?

A: In recent years, in order to cope with the various natural challenges encountered in the growth of bayberry, agricultural science and technology workers have effectively responded to many adverse effects such as low temperature during flowering, high temperature during growth and plum rain season during maturity through innovative integration of high-tech technologies such as " bayberry gradient cultivation ", " bayberry shelter cultivation " and "bayberry smart greenhouse". In addition, with the widespread application of biotechnology and genetic engineering technology in bayberry breeding, a number of new varieties with high yield, stable yield and high disease resistance, such as " Late Shepherd's Purse Plum ", "Zaojia" and " Zijing ", have also been put on the market one after another. It is the blessing of these scientific and technological innovations that has effectively guaranteed the substantial improvement of the quality and yield of bayberry, and the light of domestic products has gradually become popular all over the world.

Expert: Song Yuanming, Associate Professor, Institute of History of Science and Cultural Heritage, University of Science and Technology Beijing, and Deputy Director of the Institute of Science, Technology and Culture

Produced by: Science Popularization China