The 14th Jingzhou Waxberry Festival kicked off on June 2 in Jingzhou Miao and Dong Autonomous County, Hunan Province. Jingzhou is known as the "Hometown of Waxberries in China." The festival deeply integrates a vast expanse of ecological waxberry forest, cultural heritage of the Miao and Dong peoples, and sweet marriage culture, creating an immersive cultural tourism experience. It comprehensively showcases Jingzhou's specialty industries, ethnic culture, and the new look of rural revitalization, inviting guests from near and far to a sweet summer rendezvous.

The 14th Jingzhou Waxberry Festival kicks off in Jingzhou Miao and Dong Autonomous County. (Photo/Shu Shaobing)

Jingzhou waxberry has a cultivation history of over 2,000 years. The area is one of China's four main waxberry producing regions, and Jingzhou waxberry has been recognized as a national agricultural geographical indication product and a national protected eco-origin product. The waxberry industry is promoted as a key specialty industry for prospering the people and strengthening the county. The planting area reaches 100,000 mu (approximately 6,666 hectares), with an annual output of over 40,000 tonnes of fresh waxberries. An entire industry chain integrating planting, scientific research, processing, and cultural tourism has been established, with an annual output value exceeding 1.5 billion CNY, driving stable income growth for over 70,000 people.

To safeguard the golden brand of "Jingzhou Waxberry," Jingzhou is committed to preserving the fruit's natural flavor and quality. The region uses natural farming methods and eco-friendly cultivation practices to maintain the fruit's authentic taste, while achieving exceptional quality through pesticide-free farming and comprehensive quality control throughout the entire production process. At the same time, focusing on technology empowerment and industry standards, Jingzhou formulated Hunan's first group standard titled "Geographical Indication Certification Trademark: Jingzhou Waxberry," which covers the entire production cycle from variety selection and cultivation to harvesting, storage, and transportation.

People pick waxberries at a plantation in Jingzhou Miao and Dong Autonomous County. (Photo provided by Jingzhou County Convergence Media Center)

The harvest season for waxberries is short, and the sales period is brief compared to other agricultural products. To address this, Jingzhou has built a high-standard intelligent cold chain storage and logistics park. By utilizing dehumidification and pre-cooling technologies, as well as vacuum-sealed cold-chain storage to preserve freshness at every stage, the park ensures direct delivery nationwide within 24 hours. The park also strictly cracks down on production and sale of counterfeit or substandard goods, and short-weighting to safeguard food safety, allowing people to buy with confidence and eat safely.

This year's festival is packed with highlights, including picking tours, intangible cultural heritage displays, Miao and Dong cultural and artistic performances, and economic and trade matchmaking activities. Jingzhou waxberries have early, mid, and late-season varieties, with staggered ripening to fully meet market needs and tourist experience requirements. Before the festival, Jingzhou hosted the Hunan (Jingzhou) Matchmaking Event, where 33 couples successfully matched. The sweet-and-sour flavor of the waxberries was used as a metaphor for romantic connections, adding warmth and joy to the festival.

A farmer displays waxberries featuring a bright, vibrant red color. (Photo provided by Jingzhou County Convergence Media Center)

On the same day, the waxberry picking activity kicked off simultaneously. Six picking sites across the county offered immersive "picking + interaction + experience" events, allowing visitors to pick and savor the sweet fruit while experiencing Jingzhou's ecological beauty and the joy of farming. At the Wanjia Garden Waxberry Plantation in Sanhe Village, lush waxberry trees covered the hillsides, with their branches heavy with fruit. Visitors wandered through the groves to experience the fun of picking, and took out their phones to capture the leisurely, idyllic moments in the countryside.

Since its inception in 2013, the Jingzhou Waxberry Festival has developed from a simple waxberry-tasting event into a comprehensive festival brand integrating agriculture, culture, tourism, and commerce. The festival has become an important platform for showcasing Jingzhou's image, driving industrial upgrading, and boosting residents' incomes. Leveraging the festival's effect, Jingzhou waxberries are sold far across the country, with brand influence and market competitiveness continuously growing. Its reputation as "The Finest Waxberry in Jiangnan (south of the Yangtze River)" has spread far and wide.

This article is from Hunan Provincial Government. www.enghunan.gov.cn.  

Translator: Xiao Juan

Chinese source: Chinanews