A "Sweet Bond" on Silk Road
Hami, in the eastern part of northwest China's Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region, has long been a key hub on the ancient Silk Road and is known as the "gateway to the Western Regions."
When Zhang Qian undertook his first diplomatic mission to the West during the Western Han Dynasty (202 BC-25 AD), Hami was a crucial stop. The Silk Road he pioneered not only fostered cultural exchanges across regions but also left behind a shared taste memory that has endured for millennia, turning "Hami" into a synonym for sweet melons.
Today, Hami's annual Melon Festival celebrates this heritage as a vibrant feast of sweetness. Interestingly, Khiva in Uzbekistan - another ancient Silk Road cultural crossroads - hosts a parallel melon festival.
Author summary: Hami city celebrates sweet melons heritage.