Persimmon Mooncakes

Persimmon Mooncakes

　　Persimmons are one of the important fruit crops in southern China, with over two thousand years of cultivation history. They are mainly grown in provinces such as Guangxi, Hunan, Guangdong, and Fujian. The persimmons—and the resulting persimmon mooncakes—from Guangxi, especially from areas like Pingle County, Gongcheng County, and Yangshuo County, benefit from superior geographical conditions, producing high-quality fruits and mooncakes that have long enjoyed fame both at home and abroad.

　　Pingle County currently has over 6,000 hectares dedicated to persimmon cultivation, yielding more than 86,000 tons of persimmons annually, with about 18,000 tons of fresh fruit sold per year and over 67,000 tons processed into persimmon mooncakes. The peak season for fresh fruit sales is from August to September, while October to December is the main period for processing and selling persimmon mooncakes, though some fresh fruit is also sold during this time.

　　Er’tang Town in Pingle County is the primary hub for persimmon mooncake sales in the region. Every year from October to December, the processing and selling of persimmon mooncakes reach their busiest period. During these months, from the evening until the next morning, the streets and roadsides are lined with mooncakes, attracting hundreds or even thousands of buyers from across the country. The products are exported to regions and countries including Hong Kong, Macau, South Korea, Southeast Asia, Europe, and the Americas. The locally registered trademarks “Ancient Banyan” and “Ben’s” brand persimmon mooncakes are even directly exported to South Korea.

　　The persimmon tree is a treasure trove of useful parts, with every component—from the leaves to the fruit—having high value. Persimmon leaves can be eaten and also used medicinally; they offer antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, heat-clearing, and blood-pressure-lowering effects. Medically, they can help treat issues such as qi stagnation in the spleen and stomach, abdominal distension and pain, vomiting and nausea, indigestion, excessive cough with phlegm, and skin itching, and are often consumed as a daily tea. Persimmon calyxes can help relieve hiccups. The fruit, when combined with other ingredients, is used to treat tuberculosis. After debittering, the fresh fruit becomes crispy and sweet, suitable for eating around the Mid-Autumn Festival on August 15th, and is also a traditional fruit offered during moon worship during the festival. Persimmon mooncakes made from the fruit are rich in sugar, delicious in taste, not only highly nutritious but also offering significant health and medicinal benefits. Clinical evidence shows that infants eating them can help treat diarrhea, while adults may boost immunity and prevent illness. In regions like Hong Kong, Macau, and elsewhere, effective components extracted from persimmon mooncakes are made into pills to treat hair loss, premature graying, and are also used in anti-aging treatments.