Shitang Water Chestnuts

Shitang Water Chestnuts

　　Water chestnuts, scientifically known as Eleocharis dulcis, thrive in warm and humid conditions and are commonly found in watery regions of provinces such as Jiangsu, Anhui, Zhejiang, and Guangdong. In Renhua, they are commonly referred to as "water chestnuts" and are cultivated in plain areas such as Shitang, Dongtang, and Danxia. Among these, the water chestnuts from Shangzhongben Village in Shitang are particularly renowned—almost every household grows them. There is also the Xiazhongben Water Chestnut Professional Cooperative, with an annual planting area of over 2,000 mu and a yield of more than 1,000 tons. The water chestnuts here are large, bright-skinned, thin-shelled, thick-fleshed, and highly nutritious. Eaten raw, they are famed for being crisp, tender, sweet, and refreshing, and are believed to have heat-clearing and throat-soothing properties. As a result, there is a local custom: when guests visit, water chestnuts are always the first fresh food served.