One of my lasting memories of the journey between Guilin and Yangshuo were the villages that seem to specialize in just one thing. There is the village that makes cane/bamboo furniture, with chairs being the most popular item on display. Then there was what I called “pomelo town”, clusters of pomelo pyramids neatly arranged at roadside stalls. Sometimes just a few metres from each other they lasted the whole one kilometer or so drive through town.
Also known as a Shaddock, these giant citrus fruits are abundant in Yangshuo when in season. A little like an overgrown grapefruit the flesh can range in taste from sweet to sour all at the same time. They hang like Christmas baubles from trees getting bigger and bigger over the summer months until harvest time which commences around late September, early October.
In addition to being an interesting fruit to eat the humble pomelo also plays its part in tradition.
Pork with pomelo skin has long been a famous specialty of the region and was said to be a favourite of Tang Dynasty (618 AD – 907 AD) concubine, Yang Guifei who hailed from the Guilin area.
For a more spiritual use, apparently using pomelo leaves to splash water around the home or land or workplace is said to help get rid of bad luck.
So, if you happen to get the opportunity to drive through “pomelo town” on your way to Yangshuo hopefully it will serve as a reminder to give one of these citrus bowling balls a try.
