What Is Punica Granatum?

Pomegranate (Latin name: Punica granatum L. ) deciduous tree or shrub; single leaf, usually opposite or clustered, without stipules. Flowers terminal or nearly terminal, solitary or several clusters or forming cymes, nearly bell-shaped, lobes 5-9, petals 5-9, folds, imbricate; ovules numerous. The berry is spherical, with persistent calyx lobes at the top, and the peel is thick; the seeds are numerous, the berries are nearly spherical, and the ripening period is from September to October. The outer seed coat is translucent and juicy; the inner seed is leathery.

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Born on a mountain at an altitude of 300-1000 meters. It likes a warm and sunny environment, it is resistant to drought and cold, it is also resistant to infertility, it is not resistant to waterlogging and shading. The soil requirements are not strict, but it is advisable to cultivate the soil with good drainage. ^[2]

The pomegranate flower is large in color and long in flowering period. From pomegranate harvest to October, pomegranate fruit has beautiful color. Because it can enjoy flowers and eat fruit, it is loved by people, and bonsai made with pomegranate is even more popular. ^[3]

History of pomegranate

The pomegranate originated from Persia (present-day Iran) and was introduced to China in the second century BC. "He Nian An Shiguo, Wanli Gong Durian. Bring it to the edge of the river, because of the Han Dynasty." According to Jin Zhanghua's "Museum of History" contains: "Han Zhangye was sent to the Western Regions, and Tu Lin An Shiguo durian was returned. Famous pomegranate. " ^[10]

The magnificent Lintong Mountain not only left the Chinese nation extremely rich and precious cultural relics of the Qin and Tang Dynasties, but also cultivated the colorful flower of the Chinese pomegranate culture. The emergence, development, and maturity of Chinese pomegranate culture embodies the meaning of "picking foreign famous flowers and bringing domestic fruits", which shows the love and longing for beautiful and auspicious things of the Shaanxi people throughout the history, and inspired the people of Lintong to desire for modern cultural life and pursue.

Chinese authentic pomegranate is in Lintong, Lintong is the birthplace of Chinese pomegranate culture. When Premier Zhou Enlai accompanied the foreign guests to visit the Terracotta Warriors and Horses of Qin Shihuang, when he saw that there was no mercury in the mountains due to excessive mercury content, he asked why pomegranates were not grown, so the pomegranate flourished. The 18 pomegranates in front of Chairman Mao Memorial Hall were transplanted from Lintong by the elders in Shaanxi. .

In 119 BC, Zhang Huan envoyed to the Western Regions and came to Anshi. At that time, An Shiguo was facing a severe drought, thousands of miles of red land, yellow crops, and even the pomegranate tree in the imperial garden was dying. So Zhang Jian told them the experience of building water conservancy in the Han Dynasty. They saved a batch of crops and also saved the pomegranate tree. That year, the pomegranate blossom was particularly red, and the fruit was particularly large. When Zhang Jian returned to China, King Anshi gave him many gold and silver jewellery. He didn't ask for it. He only took some pomegranate seeds and brought them back as a souvenir. Since then, the pomegranate turned from Laoshan's "ruby" has begun to settle and multiply at the foot of Shanglin Garden and Laoshan in Chang'an, and has become today's Lintong pomegranate. ^[10]

Zhang Jian obtained pomegranate seeds, which were introduced into the mainland via the Silk Road. They were first planted in Shanglin Garden and Laoshan Hot Spring Palace at that time. According to Han Shanglin Ling Yuyuan's memory, Shanglin Garden planted 3,000 exotic flowers at that time, including "Twenty Ann Pomegranates". Because of the love of Emperor Hanwu, he ordered people to plant pomegranate in Laoshan Hot Spring Palace. ^[10]

Pomegranate Legend

There is also a magical legend about the origin of Lintong Pomegranate. According to legend, when Nu Wa's smelting stone made up the sky, she lost a red gem at the foot of Laoshan. One year, Prince An Shiguo (Anguo refers to today's Buhela and Shiguo refers to Tashkent) hunted and saw a golden-winged bird in the mountain forest that was about to freeze to death. He hurriedly returned it to the palace and fed it again. Healing again. After the gold-winged bird was rescued, in order to repay the prince for his life-saving benefits, he traveled a long distance to the royal garden of Anshi Kingdom at the foot of the Laoshan Mountain. The king gave it the name "Ann Pomegranate".

Pomegranate, origin Iran, Afghanistan and other places. In the crown unearthed in Iraq more than 4000 years ago, there are exquisite pomegranate patterns, which shows that its cultivation history has a long history. In the Han Dynasty, pomegranates were introduced into China via the Silk Road. They were first planted in Shanglinyuan and Laoshan Hot Springs. During the Western Jin Dynasty, pomegranates were given by Daxing Pan Yue's "Ancient Pomegranate Fu": "The durian, a wonderful tree in the world, the famous fruit of Kyushu." During the Northern and Southern Dynasties, pomegranate poems and pomegranate skirts appeared. Since ancient times, the pomegranate is a mascot, which symbolizes "many sons and blessings". In the Tang Dynasty, the etiquette of giving pomegranates for marriage was popular, and began to have the mythology of "the pomegranate fairy". In the Song Dynasty, the pomegranate reproduction worship was popular, and the pomegranate couplets began to prevail. Riddles. At the time of Jin Yuan, "Pomegranate Qu" was popular. Garden-grown pomegranates, potted pomegranates have begun to spread. The Song dynasty people also used the number of internal seeds when the pomegranate fruit was cracked to predict the number of people on the scientific test list. Over time, the word "Dushi Shike" spread, implying the title of the gold list. During the Ming and Qing dynasties, because the Mid-Autumn Festival was the season for pomegranates to be marketed, there was also the folk custom of "August 15th month round, pomegranate moon cake worships the gods". For more than 2000, pomegranates have continued to travel south and east, taking root, blooming, and bearing fruit. Modern pomegranate culture is becoming more and more developed, and Lintong has the nickname of "Pomegranate City". ^[10]

Pomegranate traditional folklore

Pomegranate painting, pomegranate bellyband, pomegranate cookie cutter, pomegranate engraving, pomegranate paper cutting, pomegranate hair embroidery, pomegranate photography, pomegranate pouch, pomegranate rug, pomegranate face, pomegranate tray, and even pomegranate tie. Ancient cooked red pomegranate juice was used as a drink , Food coloring, coloring agent. Famous pomegranate products include: Lintong's large red egg "Bingtang Pomegranate", Huaiyuan "Crystal Pomegranate", Qiaojia, Huili "Copper Pomegranate", Xichang "Bao Pomegranate", Lixian County "Soft-core pomegranate", Tongshan's "seedless pomegranate". ^[10]

Chinese people always like red, full of pomegranate flowers symbolize a prosperous, beautiful, and prosperous day, so many Chinese people like to plant one or two pomegranates in their own gardens, in order to pray for life like a pomegranate flower. . Loved by the people for thousands of years. The emergence of peony flower pomegranate adds an exotic plant to the Chinese and even world flower gardens, which can be used for planting in the field, and can be cultivated in parks, families, hotels, sidewalks, and tourist attractions to beautify the environment. The development prospect is extremely broad. ^[10]

Pomegranates have many beautiful names: wodan, Ann pomegranate, Ruo Liu, Dan Ruo, Jin Pi, Jin Pang, Tu Lin, Tianmao and so on. Dan means red. The pomegranate flower has red, peach, orange, pink, white and other colors. The most fiery red, so the color left to people is fiery red. May in the lunar calendar is the most beautiful season for pomegranate flowers. May is therefore also called "Lunar Moon". The flower god of the pomegranate flower in May is the legendary Zhong Ling, the prince of Tang Cifu Town. The pomegranate flower has also been identified as the "Xi'an City Flower" by Xi'an, Shaanxi's hometown, Liu Hai's hometown, and the folk painted Zhongyao. In the portrait, a bright red pomegranate flower is inserted into the ear, and it shows that the fire-like pomegranate god is made of Zhong Yan with a fire-like character. Although it is a poetic imagination of ancient people, it is most appropriate. In the "host and guest" theory of the flower arrangement of the Ming people, the durian was always listed as one of the flower owners, called the flower lord, supplemented by gardenia, hollyhock, baby chrysanthemum, dianthus, and crape myrtle. Or Huashiling, more like , , can be seen in the ancient people's respect for pomegranate.

Pomegranate is also closely related to Chinese clothing culture. This may be because some people say that pomegranate flowers are like skirts of dancers. Liang Yuandi's "Wu Qi" contains the words "Hibiscus is a pomegranate skirt." Allusions come for this reason. In ancient times, women wore skirts and liked garnet red. At that time, pigments dyed red skirts were mainly extracted from pomegranate flowers. Therefore, people also called red skirts "pomegranate skirts". Over time, "pomegranate skirts" became The ancient generation of young women said that when people described men as being conquered by women's beauty, they called them "bow down under the pomegranate skirt." ^[10]

Pomegranate poem

Ann pomegranate, pomegranate flower and symbolic meaning: mature beauty.

Guo Moruo's Pomegranate, Yang Wanli's Pomegranate. ^[10]

The Meaning of Pomegranate Culture

[China]: The Chinese regard pomegranate as a mascot, thinking that it is a symbol of multi-child and multi-blessing. The ancients called the pomegranate "a thousand rooms with the same film, a thousand sons like one." In folk weddings, he often cut pomegranates on the desk of a new house or he disposes of pomegranates that have been cut open and exposed berries. Common auspicious paintings include "Hundred Children", "Three Duo", "Huafeng Three Wishes", "Multiple Children and Blessing" and so on. ^[9]

[International]: There is a red pomegranate on the national emblem of Spain, which is the national flower of Spain. Pomegranate is both ornamental and edible. The pomegranate flowers bloom in early summer. In the shade of green leaves, a fiery red ignited, bright as haze, and gorgeous. After enjoying the flowers, in another two or three months, the red fruits are covered with branches again, just like "the fruit is star-hanging, the light is glassy, like the green water of Shanshan." Xiu, Hua (flower) is beautiful and beautiful. "The pomegranates that grow in China in modern times were brought back to China by Zhang Jian from the Han Dynasty. Many people use pomegranate seeds to wish their children and grandchildren to flourish and their families to flourish. The pomegranate tree is a symbol of wealth, good fortune and prosperity. In Spain, pomegranate trees can be found everywhere on 500,000 square kilometers of land, in plateau mountains, towns and villages, in front of houses, in front of houses, or in coastal parks. ^[10]