Zhangjiajie Specialty: Chestnuts
Chestnuts and pointed chestnuts (commonly called "xuanli"), of the beech family, are woody plants mainly containing starch and sugars, widely distributed across the scenic areas of Wulingyuan District. They are perennial deciduous trees, generally 3 to 5 meters tall, up to about 10 meters. Chestnut trees bloom in late spring and early summer, grow through summer, and bear fruit in autumn. The fruit is spherical with a spiky shell, containing the chestnut inside...
This article has been compiled from historical materials on 'Zhangjiajie Tour Guide Network' (33519.com · Specialty Foods / Cuisine / Customs section). Prices, business hours, administrative divisions, and statistical data mentioned in the text may already be outdated. Before traveling, please refer to the latest announcements from merchants, scenic areas, and local competent authorities; the parts involving folk legends and folk customs are local historical and cultural anecdotes, provided for cultural reference.
Chestnuts and pointed chestnuts (commonly known as 'xuanli'), of the beech family, are woody plants mainly containing starch, sugar, and so on, and are widely distributed in the scenic areas of Wulingyuan District. They are perennial deciduous trees, generally 3 to 5 meters to about 10 meters tall. Chestnut trees bloom in late spring and early summer, grow in summer, and bear fruit in autumn. The fruit is spherical, with a prickly outer shell, while the chestnut inside is smooth and purple, so farming families have the riddle 'Mother wears a thousand-needle shirt, child wears a purple dragon robe.' After the chestnuts mature, the outer shell opens naturally, and the chestnuts fall off with the wind. After 'White Dew,' chestnuts mature in large quantities, and the chestnut burrs all over the trees open their smiling mouths. When the rustling autumn wind blows, the chestnuts fall with a swish and swash, rolling into mountain gullies or low-lying places. If you are lucky, you can pick up one nest after another of chestnuts, and sometimes you can pick up dozens of jin in a day.