Heaven Pillar Mountain Stone Ear

Heaven Pillar Mountain Stone Ear

　　Qianshan County’s Heaven Pillar Mountain boasts not only stunning scenery but also abundant local produce. Among its specialties, the stone ear found in the mountains is particularly treasured as a mountain delicacy and is a renowned product of Qianshan County. Stone ear is a perennial, cryptogamous algal plant that grows attached to granite rock faces and belongs to the family Umbilicariaceae under the division Lichens. Heaven Pillar Mountain is characterized by its numerous towering peaks that rise proudly into the sky, all formed from granite. The region enjoys plentiful rainfall and a moist climate, with year-round mist and fog, making it highly suitable for the growth of stone ear. However, because stone ear mostly grows on high cliffs and in remote, rarely visited areas, harvesting it is extremely difficult. As a result, the Heaven Pillar Mountain area produces only about 300 kilograms of stone ear annually. Because it is so rare, locals consider stone ear to be condensed from the essence of heaven and earth, ranking it among the finest of mountain delicacies.