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A watertown with a distinct taste for history
June 2, 2009, Tuesday
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TANGQI Town is famous for rice and fish, flowers and fruits, silk and satin. And especially famous for its sugar canes and loquats. When the loquat season arrives, the 20-year-old annual Tangqi Loquat Festival raises its curtains.
Running through next Monday, the 18-day festival attracts loquat lovers to this beautiful town. And the star is definitely the Tangqi loquat. It's a perfect time to enjoy the rich culture of the watertown, as well taste the freshest and tastiest loquats in early summer.
The ancient town of Tangqi is one of the most famous towns in Jiangnan (south of the lower reaches of Yangtze River). The town is 10 kilometers from Hangzhou's downtown, at the southern end of the Grand Canal.
In 1992, three villages Tangnan, Hongpan and Chaoshan merged to become Tangqi Town, making it the second largest town in Yuhang District, Hangzhou City.
Tangqi has a history going back centuries. The town was first built in Northern Song Dynasty (1127-1279). The commercial development in Tanqi became prosperous in the Yuan Dynasty (1271-1368), and it expanded. In the Ming (1368-1644) and Qing dynasties (1644-1911), the town was considered the leading town of the "Top Ten Famous Towns in Jiangnan," above Zhouzhuang, Wuzhen and Tongli.
Tangqi has 91,000 permanent residents and covers an area of 79 square kilometers.
There are many attractions and sightseeing spots including Plum-Blossoms in Chaoshan Mountain, the Guangji Bridge, the Guopu Ancient Well, the Qianlong Imperial Stele, the Qixi School Stele, Taishi Lane, the Shuinan Temple and the Eave Corridor of Tangqi.
The Tangqi loquat is beloved for its juicy, thin skin and small size.
"Compared with other loquats on the markets, Tangqi loquats which are as big as ping pong balls and have smooth skins, are won by their truly delicious taste," says Chen Daniu, an experienced loquat farmer in Tangqi. "As Tangqi's local saying goes 'There may be freckles on the skin, but the good is hidden inside,' definitely refers to our loquats."
In spite of their unattractive appearance, Tangqi loquats are regarded as some of the best loquats in China, and are also listed as a protected Chinese original plant.
There are almost 20 varieties of loquats in Tangqi, including Baisha, Dahongpao, Baozhu, Tangdun and Jiajiao. "The most famous kind of Tangqi loquat is Baisha. The flesh of this variety is white, and tastes juicy and sweet," says Chen.
The loquat festival has been reorganized this year and there are seven places where visitors can pick fresh loquats, including Chaoshan Farm and Hongpan Village.
At these places, local farmers will show visitors how to pick loquats correctly. And visitors of course can taste the freshest loquats possible.
There is a commercial street on Guangji Road in the town which features loquat markets, where people who want to buy good quality and reasonable priced loquats can find good deals. Local farmers say that if people want to keep their loquats longer, they should be careful and try not to shake them about or keep them in plastic bags.
Since the opening of the Loquat Festival on May 22, the town has been crowded with visitors from Shanghai and other neighboring areas. The local tourist bureau suggests that visitors should get there early before 10am or late in the afternoon to avoid the peak hours which usually start at 10am.
Running through next Monday, the 18-day festival attracts loquat lovers to this beautiful town. And the star is definitely the Tangqi loquat. It's a perfect time to enjoy the rich culture of the watertown, as well taste the freshest and tastiest loquats in early summer.
The ancient town of Tangqi is one of the most famous towns in Jiangnan (south of the lower reaches of Yangtze River). The town is 10 kilometers from Hangzhou's downtown, at the southern end of the Grand Canal.
In 1992, three villages Tangnan, Hongpan and Chaoshan merged to become Tangqi Town, making it the second largest town in Yuhang District, Hangzhou City.
Tangqi has a history going back centuries. The town was first built in Northern Song Dynasty (1127-1279). The commercial development in Tanqi became prosperous in the Yuan Dynasty (1271-1368), and it expanded. In the Ming (1368-1644) and Qing dynasties (1644-1911), the town was considered the leading town of the "Top Ten Famous Towns in Jiangnan," above Zhouzhuang, Wuzhen and Tongli.
Tangqi has 91,000 permanent residents and covers an area of 79 square kilometers.
There are many attractions and sightseeing spots including Plum-Blossoms in Chaoshan Mountain, the Guangji Bridge, the Guopu Ancient Well, the Qianlong Imperial Stele, the Qixi School Stele, Taishi Lane, the Shuinan Temple and the Eave Corridor of Tangqi.
The Tangqi loquat is beloved for its juicy, thin skin and small size.
"Compared with other loquats on the markets, Tangqi loquats which are as big as ping pong balls and have smooth skins, are won by their truly delicious taste," says Chen Daniu, an experienced loquat farmer in Tangqi. "As Tangqi's local saying goes 'There may be freckles on the skin, but the good is hidden inside,' definitely refers to our loquats."
In spite of their unattractive appearance, Tangqi loquats are regarded as some of the best loquats in China, and are also listed as a protected Chinese original plant.
There are almost 20 varieties of loquats in Tangqi, including Baisha, Dahongpao, Baozhu, Tangdun and Jiajiao. "The most famous kind of Tangqi loquat is Baisha. The flesh of this variety is white, and tastes juicy and sweet," says Chen.
The loquat festival has been reorganized this year and there are seven places where visitors can pick fresh loquats, including Chaoshan Farm and Hongpan Village.
At these places, local farmers will show visitors how to pick loquats correctly. And visitors of course can taste the freshest loquats possible.
There is a commercial street on Guangji Road in the town which features loquat markets, where people who want to buy good quality and reasonable priced loquats can find good deals. Local farmers say that if people want to keep their loquats longer, they should be careful and try not to shake them about or keep them in plastic bags.
Since the opening of the Loquat Festival on May 22, the town has been crowded with visitors from Shanghai and other neighboring areas. The local tourist bureau suggests that visitors should get there early before 10am or late in the afternoon to avoid the peak hours which usually start at 10am.
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