Tainan poet Tsai Bi-yin captured this perfectly in "Summer Village Musings": "Watermelon's coolness pierces between the teeth, they say not even honey's sweetness can compare." In one elegant verse, she evokes that moment when Taiwanese people bite into watermelon on a sweltering summer day—the rush of sweetness, the refreshing chill, the heat melting away.

Taiwanese watermelon was already a sensation during the Qing Dynasty's Kangxi era. The Zhuluo County Gazetteer by Zhou Zhongxuan recounts how officials stationed in Taiwan were struck by the fruit's jade-green rind and crimson flesh—that bold pairing of red and green symbolizing joy and good fortune. They sent Taiwanese watermelons to the Forbidden City as birthday gifts for Emperor Kangxi. From then on, watermelon earned the auspicious nickname Wanshou Guo (Fruit of Longevity).

A New Premium Variety: The Happy Melon

Refreshing watermelon ranks among Taiwan's most beloved summer fruits, cultivated primarily along the western coast and in eastern regions like Hualien County. Taiwanese watermelons fall into two main categories: red-fleshed and yellow-fleshed varieties. Around 1971, Known-You Seed Company, which built its reputation on watermelon breeding, developed the world's first seedless watermelon. Those brilliant red seedless melons became export darlings—a true point of pride in Taiwan's fruit industry.

In late 2024, Known-You Seed launched a new black-skinned watermelon variety, whose name plays on the Taiwanese pronunciation of "black-skinned". The star cultivar, Macaron, boasts a plump, deep green rind and delicate red flesh, marketed as "alluring as a French macaron." Weighing one to two kilograms each and priced at NT$250-300, these petite melons have captured considerable market attention.

With 92% water content—the highest among fruits—watermelon is typically enjoyed fresh or juiced. The white flesh between the rind and red fruit can be transformed into watermelon preserve, a beloved Taiwanese dish. Beyond the table, watermelon also finds its way into traditional Chinese medicine.