Mentougou Paper-shell Walnuts

Last updated 2026-11-09 — Mentougou walnuts are a local specialty of Beijing. Among the 271 villages in this district, 268 grow walnut trees. Not only are there many walnut trees and a large walnut yield in Mentougou, but the history of walnut cultivation here is also very long — records show it dates back approximately 1,200 years. The walnuts produced here have thin shells, plump kernels, large size, and a fat content of up to about 45%. Since exports began in 1964, the volume has increased year by year, reaching a peak of 3.24 million jin in the highest-output year, accounting for about 5% of the national total export volume. Today, Mentougou District has become one of China’s important walnut export bases. Through centuries of careful cultivation by the people of Mentougou, many distinctive walnut varieties have been developed. These include “smooth-shelled walnuts,” which have glossy exteriors and easily removable kernels; “open-kernel walnuts,” whose shells have natural holes exposing the nutmeat; “paper-shell walnuts,” with shells as thin as paper that can be cracked by hand; and “cluster walnuts,” which grow in bunches resembling grapes.