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Written by Wei Shuihua Header Image | Who is the most Chinese? There is an intriguing scene in "Dream of Red Mansions". Xiangling was playing with a group of maids and accidentally soiled her "pomegranate red silk" skirt. The maids were frightened and ran away. Jia Baoyu, a "friend of women", stayed and gave Xiangling the same skirt as Xiren. "(Xiangling) took the skirt, unfolded it and saw that it was indeed the same as her own. She ordered Baoyu to turn his face away, and she crossed her hands to untie it and tie this one. Xiangling pulled his hand and laughed: "What is this called? No wonder everyone says you are good at sneaky and disgusting things. " "When adults read this, they always smile like aunts. What is Xiren's identity? A maid who had experienced "cloud and rain" with Jia Baoyu. Jia Baoyu took Xiren's skirt and gave it to Xiangling. Not only did Xiangling not avoid suspicion, but she also changed her skirt in front of the man. After changing, the two held hands and talked with a smile, scolding each other for being "disgusting". Comrade Cao Xueqin was just short of writing the three words "sexual suggestion" on paper.
The pomegranate skirt is a key prop in this story. In fact, in the Chinese language, the three words "pomegranate skirt" carry a strong peachy flavor in most contexts. It hides the Chinese people's subtle concept that sex can only be understood but not expressed in words, as well as their contradictory attitude towards the pomegranate fruit, which is both full of yearning and casually playing with it. As an alien species, the pomegranate may not be the fruit that gets along best in China, but it must be the fruit that can best integrate into Chinese culture.
No.1 According to the "Records of Natural History" by Zhang Hua of the Western Jin Dynasty, pomegranates were plants brought back from the Stone Kingdom by Zhang Qian during his mission to the Western Regions. The so-called "Stone Kingdom" may be an ancient country located in the southern Xinjiang to Central Asia. Today, many local place names, such as Kashgar, Kashmir, and Tashkent, still contain many syllables with "shi" (sh). Although it is impossible to verify whether pomegranates were plants brought back by Zhang Qian, it is certain that they originated from the Western Regions. In the tenth century BC, King Solomon planted pomegranates in the fertile crescent and loved to drink fragrant wine squeezed from pomegranate juice. The Song of Songs even used pomegranates to describe the girl King Solomon loved: "Your cheeks are wrapped in a veil, like a pomegranate."
Archaeologists are still struggling to explore the ruins of King Solomon's Temple, which has been lost for two thousand years, and there are almost no traces on the ground. But what no one expected was that it crossed mountains and seas to come to China and left a deep mark in Chinese culture.
The three characters "留", "肿", and "榴" are homophones and cognate in Chinese characters. "榴" is also written as "橊" in ancient Chinese. The earliest Chinese character dictionary "Er Ya" does not include this character, proving that it appeared later than "留" and "肿". In the slightly later "Guang Ya", it is explained as: "Red fruit hangs down like a tumor." The Chinese call the growths that stay on the body for a long time and cannot be removed "tumors", which are incurable diseases that everyone is afraid of. And the plants and fruits that look like tumors and have dense appearances are called "榴" by the Chinese. For example, the thorny durian and the multi-seeded pomegranate. According to the Chinese character creation method, the delicious pomegranate may have been an ominous thing that aroused the Chinese people's intensive phobia at the beginning.
This perception may be related to the strong output of Chinese civilization during the Han Dynasty and the confidence that "all nations would come to pay tribute"; it may also be related to the fact that the appearance of pomegranates is very different from the customs of the Central Plains; more likely, it is related to the fact that the introduction and domestication of pomegranates was not mature at the time and most people had never seen a pomegranate. People are always naturally wary of things they have never seen before - as evidence, there was no poetry or literature in Chinese that praised pomegranates before the Han and Wei dynasties. Its social treatment may not be as good as the pepper introduced to China in the middle and late Ming Dynasty, at least the latter was quickly spread as a beautiful ornamental plant.
Xinjiang, as the first place where pomegranates were introduced, took the lead in this context. It was the first place in China to plant pomegranates, and it is also the largest pomegranate production and consumption area in China today. Pomegranates are called "Anar" in Uyghur, and many girls are named "Anarguli" (pomegranate flower) and "Anarhan", which sounds beautiful in music and color. In Uyghur literature, "Anar" is used to describe the graceful beauty of women and to metaphorically describe the pure beauty of people's hearts; in daily life, there is also a custom of giving Xinjiang Yecheng pomegranates as gifts to each other.
The pomegranates from Yecheng and Pishan County, Hotan, Xinjiang are the best in Xinjiang. Due to the special geographical and climatic conditions, the pomegranates from southern Xinjiang are generally larger and sweeter than those from the mainland, and can be stored for a longer time, until March or April of the following year. This is related to the dry climate and inactive microorganisms in the local area, and also to the fact that the pomegranates have evolved a stronger ability to retain water in the arid geographical environment. This is why Xinjiang tourists can eat Xinjiang pomegranates all year round.
No.2 2 From the end of the Han Dynasty to the Three Kingdoms, and all the way to the Wei, Jin, Southern and Northern Dynasties, the social status of pomegranates began to undergo a major reversal. Pomegranates are planted in the front yard. The green leaves sway in the sky. The red flowers are blazing. The colors are glorious. They are waiting for frost and dew. Why must they grow in spring and summer? Late harvest is the best fruit. May you be at peace. This may be the first poem describing pomegranates in Chinese history, and its author is none other than the famous talent Cao Zhi. The content of this poem reveals at least three pieces of information: at the latest by the end of the Han Dynasty, pomegranates had become domesticated plants in mainland China; the leaves, flowers and fruits of pomegranates had great ornamental value for people at that time; considering Cao Zhi's identity and hometown, the value of pomegranates in the Central Plains was not low.
The reason for this change may be related to the widespread popularity of Confucianism in China and the simple wish of agricultural civilization to pray for many children and good fortune; it may be related to the improvement of the domestication level of agricultural technology in a unified country; it may also be related to the increasing tolerance of foreign products after ethnic integration events such as the submission of the Southern Xiongnu and the Western Qiang War. Although there is no evidence that pomegranates in the late Han Dynasty had been domesticated to the point where they could be eaten, it is certain that the Central Plains was the soil for the birth of Chinese pomegranate culture. Pomegranates, which were feared by people before the Han Dynasty, finally made a comeback and became a prominent subject in the aesthetics of Han culture.
Today, the Central Plains is still the main production area of pomegranates in China. Many places, including Lintong in Shaanxi, Heyin in Henan, and Yicheng in Shandong, have famous pomegranate varieties and a long history of cultivation. Together, they have supported the great achievements of pomegranates in China. They are also the first places to domesticate and cultivate the Chinese native variety "hard-seeded pomegranate". If history had continued to develop in this way, pomegranates might have become a good fruit in Han culture, similar to peaches, plums, citrus, dates, and persimmons, full of auspicious meanings and beautiful expectations. But facts have proved that the history of smooth development has always been accidental, and the curve full of variables is the norm.
No.3 The Five Barbarians' invasion of China and the migration of the nobles to the south in the late Western Jin Dynasty tore apart Chinese society, planted the seeds of cultural differences and misunderstandings between the north and the south of China, and created conditions for the unique development of pomegranate culture. The Five Barbarians and Sixteen Kingdoms in the north took turns to take the stage, believing in the jungle law that whoever has the bigger fist will win. There, the bloodiness and masculinity of the Chinese nation were strengthened. But for pomegranates, which were mainly used as ornamental plants at that time, the meaning of planting and reproduction was lost. But the spirit of the southern scenery was completely different. The seclusion and the atmosphere of pure discussion of metaphysics from the Eastern Jin Dynasty gentry lasted for most of the Southern Dynasties. Pomegranates, as a beautiful fruit with good meaning, were treated with great favor.
In the "Crow's Nest Song" by Emperor Xiao Yi of Liang, there is a line "Dragons intertwined to form a brocade with phoenix patterns, lotus is the belt and pomegranate skirt", which is used to describe the charming charm of a beautiful woman. Perhaps it also carries a hint of the unspoken expectations of the patriarchal class for women in the agricultural society. This is the first time that the two things "pomegranate" and "skirt" were linked together. It was the first time that the Chinese personified the pomegranate, and it also laid the foundation for the feminine image of the pomegranate. This trend intensified after the unification of the Northern and Southern Dynasties. Although the rulers of the Sui and Tang dynasties inherited the martial and pioneering tradition of the Northern Dynasties in terms of state governance, when it comes to personal life, they yearn for the Jiangnan region after the great development of the South.
The pomegranate population in the Yangtze River Basin in the southern hills has made great strides in promotion and evolution during this period. For example, the Huili pomegranate in Liangshan, Sichuan, has been a tribute to the emperor since the Tang Dynasty. People describe the Huili pomegranate as follows: thin skin and bright color, like colorful clouds, large and smooth fruit, dense and soft seeds and strong flavor, with a slight fragrance and a long aftertaste. For example, the Huaiyuan pomegranate in Anhui is divided into white pomegranate and red pomegranate. The white pomegranate has a thin skin, large fruit, crystal clear and full seeds, rich juice, and a sweet and mellow taste; the red pomegranate has seeds as clear as crystal, fat flesh and fine core, rich juice and sweet taste.
The aesthetic appreciation of the feminine orientation of pomegranates reached its peak after Wu Zetian, the first female emperor in China, came to power. The poem written by Wu Zetian herself: "Seeing the red turn into green, my thoughts are in a tangle. I am haggard and emaciated because I miss you. If you don't believe me, I've been crying for a long time. Open the box and check the pomegranate skirt" is still the most famous chapter about pomegranates in the history of Chinese poetry. Legend has it that the Tang Dynasty pomegranate red skirt unearthed in Famen Temple in Shaanxi at the end of the last century was Wu Zetian's own boudoir. From then on, beauties were nothing more than pomegranate skirts, and nothing more colorful than pomegranate flowers; pomegranates for sacrifices bring many children; pomegranates for guests bring good fortune; painters love pomegranates because they are plump and rich; poets love pomegranates because they are auspicious.
No.4 Ironically, Wu Zetian's own personality collapsed after the Li Tang family regained power. There is a tradition of not being presentable in Chinese feudal society. Attacks on men often start from "big principles" such as loyalty, filial piety, benevolence and righteousness. Attacks on women are accustomed to starting from small personal morality. Not to mention the various notes cited in the new and old "Book of Tang" that vilify Wu Zetian's personal lifestyle. Wu Zetian did not like peonies, but Li Longji insisted on putting peonies on the throne of national beauty and fragrance, and named it "Luoyang Red". As for the pomegranates that Wu Zetian praised highly, she regarded them as alternatives. This subtle change in attitude can be clearly detected in the poem "Watching Prostitutes in May" by Wan Chu, an official during the Xuanzong period. Wan Chu's original sentence was: "The eyebrows and black ink take the color of daylilies, and the red skirt kills the pomegranate flowers with jealousy."
Pomegranates were transferred from the skirts of empresses to the skirts of prostitutes. From being a gorgeous thing that could only be admired from a distance, they became a tool for casual play. This concept continued until after the Song Dynasty, and the sexual innuendos in "Dream of Red Mansions" were inherited from this. However, the common people and ethnic minorities in the southwest region, far away from the Central Plains Dynasty, did not have such a fuss.
With the integration of the southwest region during the Yuan and Ming dynasties, more and more Chinese products have reached the most unlikely and distant south of the colorful clouds. The Qiaojia and Mengzi pomegranates in Yunnan are the most popular pomegranate varieties in the domestic fresh food market today. The reason is that the three-dimensional climate and rich soil humus of the Hengduan Mountains in Yunnan nourished the western visitors from this distant land.
"Glutinous pomegranate" is a local variety in Qiaojia. The "Draft Chronicles of Qiaojia County in the Republic of China" records that "Qiaojiaying is 30 miles north of the county and is suitable for growing fruit trees, with pomegranates as a specialty. The fruit is large and tastes sweet and delicious, and people from far and near compete to buy it. Residents plant gardens extensively as a livelihood, so they plant a lot of pomegranates. When the pomegranate flowers are in full bloom, they are like brocade and clouds." This kind of glutinous pomegranate has a flat and round fruit with clear edges and corners. The fruit is large, the skin is thin, the seeds are large, the core is soft and juicy, and the taste is sweet and refreshing.
The pomegranates from Mengzi are much smaller in shape. This is the latest pomegranate production area in China and the place where the most soft-seeded pomegranates are planted today. Together, they fill the last gap in the map of Chinese pomegranates and more or less save the Chinese people from their subtle misunderstanding of pomegranates.
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On January 9, 1964, Zhou Enlai visited Tunisia and held talks with then-President Bourguiba. At that time, China and Tunisia had not yet established diplomatic relations. President Bourguiba did not know much about China and even made some criticisms. But Premier Zhou played the skill of a mature diplomat, and the famous "seeking common ground while reserving differences" played an important role here. On the second day of the visit, Bourguiba decided to establish diplomatic relations with China, and the joint communiqué of the visit became the communiqué on the establishment of diplomatic relations.
This is of course an ordinary page in the turbulent diplomatic history of the Republic. But for Chinese pomegranates, it is of great significance. More than a decade later, in an event commemorating the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries, Tunisia presented six pomegranate seedlings to China. Unlike the hard-seeded pomegranates that have been in China for more than a thousand years, the seeds of Tunisian pomegranates have a soft and glutinous taste and can be chewed directly. It is what we often call "soft-seeded pomegranates". After decades of research and cultivation, the agate-red Tunisian pomegranates were successfully "landed" in Henan and officially named. After the new century, people discovered that the dry and hot valley in Mengzi, Yunnan, has a natural environment similar to that of its country of origin, Tunisia. The Luzi pomegranates cultivated there have thin skins, small fruits, thick flesh, and rich juice. They are sweet and refreshing, with small and crystal seeds in pink, which are extremely soft and edible. Today, it has become the most popular pomegranate variety among Chinese people. This is another new leap forward for pomegranates after thousands of years of introduction to China. From one side, this epitomizes that generation of great men and reconstructed a new worldview and values for the Chinese people. This is the epitome of China, a country that has grown from small to large, and has been constantly tolerant and absorbing since ancient times. The sweet taste of pomegranates is exactly the taste of China today. |
