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Hun Hao : Sun mo ki wen (his memoirs) (d1155)
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Taken from: Laufer, Bertold, Sino-Iranica: Chinese Contributions. to the History of Civilization in Ancient Iran
The water melon is in shape like a flat Acorus (pu), but rounded. It is very green in color, almost blue green. In the course of time it will change into
yellow. This cucurbitacea (tie) resembles the sweet melon (tien kwa) and is sweet and crisp. Its interior is filled with juice which is very cold. Hun Hao,
when he went out as envoy, brought the fruit back to China (he was ambassador to the Kin or Jurci from 1129-43)(1).
At present it is found both in the imperial orchards and in village gardens. It can be kept for several months, aside from the fact that there
is nothing to prevent it from assuming a yellow hue in course of time. In Po-yan there lived a man who for a long time was
afflicted with a
disease of the eyes. Dried pieces of watermelon were applied to them and caused him relief, for the reason that cold is a property of this
fruit.
(Other books in China also attribute the arrival of the watermelon into China to Hun Hao. We see here how a plant native from the
(Other books in China also attribute the arrival of the watermelon into China to Hun Hao. We see here how a plant native from the
southern part of Africa slowly makes its way to China).
(1) Kin or Jurci: in Eastern Siberia and Manchuria.