The Introduction and Spread of Pumpkin in China

Pumpkin is native to the Americas.According to local gazetteers,it was introduced to China’s southeastern coastal areas and southwestern frontiers in the early sixteenth century,and rapidly spread nationwide as a crop serving as both vegetable and staple.By the end of the Ming dynasty it had spread to most provinces of China,reaching nationwide distribution during the Qing.During the Republic of China in the first half of the twentieth century,high-caliber breeds became more widely known,with cultivation particularly flourishing in Sichuan Province and across North China.It had significant impact on the rural economy,resulting in changes in the planting system,the relief of famine,and the enrichment of the practice of traditional Chinese medicine.