Tianzhu Mountain Chestnuts

Tianzhu Mountain Chestnuts

　　Tianzhu Mountain chestnuts are a specialty of Tianzhu Mountain in Qianshan County, Anqing City, Anhui Province. In addition to being eaten raw, Tianzhu Mountain chestnuts can also be roasted, ground, and processed into pastries, canned goods, and more. Braised Pork with Chestnuts is a delicious dish. Chestnuts also have numerous medicinal benefits, such as aiding digestion and nourishing the kidneys.

　　Qianshan County has a long history of cultivating chestnuts, and local foresters are highly motivated to develop the industry. From 1990 to 2000, a total of 100,000 mu of chestnut orchards were developed, yielding 1 million kilograms of fresh chestnuts. There has been significant improvement in the varieties of chestnut trees, with various high-quality strains introduced annually from the provincial forestry research institute for grafting—100,000 trees were grafted in the spring of 2000 alone. Technical training on pruning, pest and disease control, and other practices was also provided, alongside the renovation of older chestnut orchards. In Baishui Village, Tianzhushan Town, the highest yield per tree reached 150 kilograms. Fresh chestnuts are the main product for sale, priced at around 6 yuan per kilogram. SenTai Company processes chestnuts into chestnut juice, which has also become a popular product.

　　Chestnuts belong to the Fagaceae family of deciduous trees. They are highly nutritious, sweet, and aromatic, containing 51–60% starch, 5.7–10.7% protein, 2–7.4% fat, as well as vitamins A, B1, B2, C, and minerals such as calcium, phosphorus, and potassium. They are widely used in food processing, cooking, banquets, and side dishes. Chestnuts can be eaten raw or roasted; sugar-roasted chestnuts and braised chicken with chestnuts are both fragrant and delicious. They can also be ground into powder or made into various dishes, pastries, and canned foods. Chestnuts can be stored to extend their market availability. Mostly grown on hillsides, they are known abroad as a “health food” and are considered an excellent fruit for aiding digestion, nourishing the kidneys, and promoting longevity.