Ripe persimmons bring back joyful childhood memories
Shanghai has entered late autumn since the 17th solar term in Chinese traditional calendar, hanlu, or cold dew, fell on October 8.
In suburban Qingpu District, it is the season of really pretty views, for persimmons are hanging high on branches along the roadside or in some private yards, each a bright orange or even red globe sparkling in the sunshine.
Besides its delightful color, persimmon is a favorite of the locals because of its pronunciation. The orange and round ripened fruit represents a joyful event or good luck.
Persimmons aren't just pretty. They have plenty of nutritional value as well.
For some Qingpu residents, it is a treasured memory, linked to folklore treats from their childhood.
In Anzhuang Village of Zhujiajiao Town, Lu Fengyan, 35, told the reporter that when she was young, her grandparents often took her to pick ripened persimmons in autumn.
"After I grew up and left home, my grandparents would pick them and have them delivered to me every year," Lu said. "It is really nice to experience my old memories again this year with the ripening of the persimmons in my place."
Persimmon is a native plant to Asia and widely cultivated in China. The fruit contains a large number of beta carotene and lutein and is rich in vitamin C, vitamin B6, dietary fiber and other nutrients. Therefore, it is known as the "fruit of the nature treasure."
However, as it is also full of tannin, it should not be eaten with high-protein foods such as crab, yogurt and milk.
