Qinzhou Walnuts

Qinzhou Walnuts

Qinzhou Walnuts are a product with a geographical indication.

　　In the 11th century BC, Jia Shui County was established in Nan Ni Shui Village of what is now Niusi Township. The surrounding areas, including Wang Quan Mountain, Tao Yuan, and Nan Niusi, were abundant in walnut production. These walnuts were a prized tribute to the emperor, who took great interest in this delicacy. One day, while enjoying the walnuts and chatting, the conversation turned to the Buddha, Sakyamuni. The emperor then instructed his ministers to accompany local officials to Jia Shui County, where they gathered stonemasons from across the country to embark on a large-scale stone carving campaign. The project depicted the life of Sakyamuni from embryo formation in the womb until his passing, with each sculpture illustrating a story of the Buddha. These carvings were unearthed in the early 1950s from Nan Ni Shui Village and are now housed in the “Nan Ni Shui Stone Carving Exhibition Hall” on Erlang Mountain in the county seat. They are hailed as the “foremost folk stone carvings in China.” Since then, the area around Jia Shui County has developed an industry centered on walnuts. Historical records state that in 1698 during the Qing Dynasty, a man named Wu Dian from Xu Village in Guxian Town, Qinxian County, served as Grand Secretary of the Baohe Hall and Minister of Justice. In 1703, during a visit home, he selected the most nutritious and delicious pumpkin seeds, walnuts, and millet from Qinxian to bring back to the capital as tribute for Emperor Kangxi. Upon tasting them, the emperor was delighted and composed a poem: “Three Treasures of Qinzhou: walnuts, melon seeds, and Old Wu (referring to Qinzhou Yellow Millet).” From then on, Qinzhou Pumpkin Seeds, Qinzhou Walnuts, and Qinzhou Yellow Millet became three of the county’s most treasured local products. Each year, these items were sent to the imperial palace as tributes, gaining widespread fame as regional specialties. The people of Qinzhou greatly valued Wu Dian for introducing their pumpkin seeds, walnuts, and millet to Emperor Kangxi, which significantly increased their worth and boosted local incomes. Out of gratitude, they respectfully referred to him as “Old Wu” (阁老), and the phrase “Three Treasures of Qinzhou—Qinzhou Walnuts, Qinzhou Pumpkin Seeds, and Old Wu (indicating Qinzhou Yellow Millet)” was recorded in historical texts as part of Qinxian’s cultural heritage.

　　Geographical Scope

　　Qinxian County is located in the northern part of Changzhi City, Shanxi Province, nestled between the Taihang and Taiyue mountain ranges. It is a hilly and semi-hilly region, often described as “a lump of earth.” To the east lies Wuxiang County, to the west Qinyuan County, to the south Xiangyuan County, and to the north Wuxiang County again. The county governs six towns and seven townships, including Dingchang, Zhangyuan, Guocun, Ce’cun, Guxian, Xindian, Niusi, Songcun, Cicun, Nanli, Nanquan, Yang’an, and Duanliu, encompassing 306 administrative villages. The geographical protection area for Qinzhou Walnuts is located in the northeastern part of Qinxian County, covering six townships and 132 villages. It stretches from Songcun in Songcun Township in the east to Shipianshang Village in Guocun Township in the west, from Dongcun in Xindian Township in the south to Wangquan Village in Niusi Township in the north. The geographic coordinates are between 112°26′06″ to 112°41′12″ east longitude and 36°35′25″ to 36°42′32″ north latitude. The elevation ranges from 916 to 1236 meters, predominantly consisting of medium-constructed denuded and eroded hillsides, as well as semi-hilly terrain. The northern region features mostly gentle slopes and hills, the eastern area has hills and semi-hills, while the central and southern parts are relatively flat.

　　Product Quality Characteristics

　　1. External Sensory Features: Qinzhou Walnuts come in both round and oval shapes, with well-formed, smooth exteriors. Individual nuts weigh between 14–18.2g, with an average of three diameters at 3.72cm. The shell thickness, whether paper-thin or thick, generally ranges from 0.7–2mm. The shells are clean and uniform, easily cracked by hand. The suture line is narrow and flat, tightly joined, with a slightly convex apex and a protruding base, making it easy to extract whole or half kernels. The kernel pieces are large and plump, with a light yellow color, a sweet and fragrant flavor, and are suitable for both raw consumption and processing. 2. Internal Quality Indicators: Due to Qinxian’s unique natural oxygen-rich ecological environment and soil conditions, Qinzhou Walnuts are pollution-free, all-natural, and extremely nutritious. According to comprehensive test results from PONY Testing International Group (Beijing) Co., Ltd., Qinzhou Walnuts are rich in protein, fat, carbohydrates, cellulose, calcium, phosphorus, iron, carotene, and various vitamins. Locals in Qinxian often say: eating 1 kilogram of walnut kernels is equivalent to drinking 9.5 kilograms of milk or eating 5 kilograms of eggs in terms of nutrition. Qinzhou Walnuts are produced strictly in accordance with the green food standard system issued by the National Ministry of Agriculture. The specific standards include NY/T391-2000 Technical Specifications for Green Food Production Environment, NY/T393-2000 Guidelines for Pesticide Use in Green Food, and NY/T394-2000 Guidelines for Fertilizer Use in Green Food.