Qidong Water Chestnuts

Last updated 2026-11-10 — Water chestnuts, also known as earth chestnuts, earth pears, or horse hooves, and referred to as black taro, temple mushrooms, or dark temple, are mainly produced in Qidong, with a cultivation history of about 200 years. Their corms are crisp and tender in texture, sweet and juicy in taste, and rich in nutrients, containing protein, carbohydrates, fats, and a large amount of starch. They can be used as vegetables or fruits, suitable for both raw and cooked consumption; they can also be processed into canned goods and sold to other regions. They are also used medicinally, with a sweet taste and cold nature, possessing functions such as breaking up accumulations, stopping bleeding and treating dysentery, detoxifying, promoting eruptions, and clearing heat while relieving intoxication. Before 1949, the county planted 333 hectares annually, yielding 15,000–22,500 kilograms per hectare. By 1981, the area had expanded to 1,333 hectares, with a yield of 37,500 kilograms per hectare. In addition to supplying major cities such as Shanghai, Guangzhou, Wuhan, and Changsha, they were also exported to the Hong Kong and Macau markets.