Yuanling Chestnuts

Yuanling Chestnuts

　　Yuanling chestnuts are a specialty of Yuanling County, Huaihua City, Hunan Province. The hilly and mountainous areas of Yuanling are rich in chestnut production, making it a traditional major chestnut-producing county with a renowned reputation across China. Among them, “Yuan You No. 1” is considered a premium variety of chestnuts.

　　Yuanling is situated in the middle reaches of the Yuan River, on the southeastern edge of the Wuling Mountain Range, and is one of the key chestnut-producing counties in Hunan. Yuanling’s gray chestnuts, hairy chestnuts (maoli hong), and large-fruited oil chestnuts enjoy a high reputation in the international market. “Yuan You No. 1” is a premium variety of chestnuts, developed by selecting superior trees from over 3,500 acres of large-fruited oil chestnut forests and then grafting and cultivating them into an improved cultivar. At the 1978 Hunan Provincial Research Collaboration Conference on Woody Oil and Grain Crops, “Yuan You No. 1” received high praise from attending experts and was later promoted and planted in several southwestern provinces. According to statistics, the current chestnut planting area in the county has reached 182,000 mu, of which 81,000 mu are bearing chestnut forests, yielding an annual production of 2 million kilograms of chestnuts.

　　Chestnut trees are deciduous, and their fruit—chestnuts—are highly nutritious, containing abundant starch, protein, fat, and sugar. They are a beloved dried fruit. Sweet and delicious, chestnuts can be eaten raw, roasted, boiled, or used in cooking, all with appealing results. Sugar-roasted chestnuts, chicken braised with chestnuts, and meat braised with chestnuts are among the favorites of the people of Yuanling and also make excellent seasonal gifts. Ground chestnuts can also be used to make a variety of delicate pastries.