Watermelon is generally believed to have been introduced from Uighur by Qidan in the Five Dynasties. According to the recent research results, it may have been introduced earlier, probably in the Han Dynasty. There are different opinions about the origin of watermelon. At present, there are two mainstream opinions: one is that watermelon originated in Africa and came from the western regions, so it was named watermelon; Another story comes from the legend that Shennong tasted a hundred herbs. It is said that Shennong discovered it when he tasted a hundred herbs. Because there is more water and less meat, it is called a thin melon, but it has become a watermelon since it was passed down. ? Generally speaking, more people prefer the first statement.

Watermelon, Cucurbitaceae. Annual vines. The fruit is crisp, sweet and juicy, rich in minerals and vitamins. Watermelon plays an auxiliary role in treating diabetes and cystitis. The peel can be pickled and made into candied fruit or feed. The oil content of seeds reaches 50%, which can be squeezed or fried. Watermelon is the main fruit in summer, and it is a good product for clearing heat and relieving summer heat, quenching thirst and relieving summer heat. China is the largest watermelon producing area in the world.

Watermelon originated in Africa. According to the investigation, there are still a large number of native wild watermelons growing in Sudan, North Africa, so it is considered as the origin center of watermelons. Later, the ancient Egyptians began to plant watermelons widely and spread them all over the world, first from the Mediterranean coast to northern Europe, then to the Middle East, and then to China through the western regions, hence the name.

Some people quoted Ouyang Xiu as saying in the appendix of History of Four Foreigners in the New Five Dynasties in the Song Dynasty that the watermelon seeds obtained by the Khitans from the Uighurs were covered in greenhouses and irrigated with cow dung. It is inferred that watermelon was introduced to China in the Five Dynasties. However, the actual situation may be earlier. According to Li Shizhen's records in Compendium of Materia Medica in Ming Dynasty and archaeological evidence, it is believed that watermelon was introduced to China in Han Dynasty, but it was not planted on a large scale at that time.