Pomegranates in Yunnan

While in Yunnan I enjoyed eating a few lovely pomegranates. The seeds were juicy and sweet. However it was not easy to open the fruit. I was very happy to be able to visit a few pomegranate farms and enjoyed some down time getting to know the farmers.

When we were given dinner treats, we were also served with freshly squeezed pomegranate juice. I am eternally grateful to the church sisters who took us around.


The pomegranate is one fruit not used for sacrifice.


 The reason, it is considered to be too seductive. 

 If you see a pomegranate on an old sash or cap of office in an ancient painting, the meaning has nothing to do with the seeds of this fruit, rather, it is saying or maybe praying to keep the title or rank from generation to generation in the same family.

 As in the two meanings for zi, 子what we call a homonym, only in this case it the word shi

世 - shì

 which also means generation.

The pomegranate originated in the region of modern-day Iran and has been cultivated since ancient times throughout the Mediterranean region and northern India. It is believed that pomegranate was introduced into China by Zhang Qian (張騫)(200 CBC – 113 BCE). Zhang Qian was a Chinese official and diplomat to the part of Asia west of China in the Han Dynasty (漢朝).

Pomegranates were brought to China along the route of the Silk Road.