Zaoshan Winter Snow Jujube Picking and Sightseeing Garden

　　The picking and entertainment activities centered around winter jujubes have made this place a well-known tourist destination. The best time to pick winter jujubes is early October each year, when the winter snow jujubes on the mountain are ripe. Faced with the crystal-clear, abundant fruits on the trees, urban children find them irresistible.

　　The winter snow jujubes in the picking garden were developed by local villagers using scientific techniques—they grafted winter snow jujubes onto wild jujube trees. These jujube trees grow on mineral-rich slopes and are nourished by the sweet spring water of Longquan. The resulting winter and snow jujubes are large, with thin skins, tender flesh, juicy pulp, and a sweet, fragrant taste that is truly exceptional.

　　During the jujube ripening season, the trees in the orchard are laden with fruit. Upon closer inspection, you’ll notice that the branches and leaves are quite dry, the twigs very thin, and in some cases, the leaves on the fruit-bearing branches are wilted, curled inward, and lack vibrancy—as if they can hardly support the weight of the abundant winter jujubes. Yet, the winter jujubes themselves are a striking contrast. Among all types of jujubes, they are relatively large, perfectly round, and those exposed to direct sunlight take on a red hue, while most remain green with a touch of crimson.

　　Winter jujubes are also known as frozen jujubes, apple jujubes, or spirit jujubes. According to authoritative analysis, winter jujubes contain essential amino acids such as aspartic acid, threonine, and serine. They are also rich in vitamins A, B, C, and E, as well as various trace elements like potassium, sodium, iron, and copper. With the highest nutritional value among all fruits, they are hailed as the “King of Fruits.” Their vitamin C content is over 80 times that of apples and more than 100 times that of pears, earning them the title of “living vitamin pill.” As for their medicinal properties, traditional Chinese medicine has long documented that winter jujubes contain cyclophosphamide, an anti-cancer compound, which has strong inhibitory effects on cancer cells along with other health benefits.

　　Strolling through the picking garden, the sightseeing walking path serves as the garden’s main vein. By ascending the steps, you can reach the highest point of the Zaoshan Sightseeing Garden. Venturing deep into the cypress forest and pausing here, take a deep breath—don’t you feel refreshed? These are cypress trees. Traditional Chinese medicine believes that the fragrant aroma emitted by cypress trees has heat-clearing, detoxifying, dampness-drying, and insecticidal effects. It can help ward off illness, strengthen the body’s vital energy. Tests have shown that the main components of this fragrance are sabinene and limonene. These natural substances not only kill bacteria and viruses, purify the air, but also have relaxing and mood-stabilizing effects. Inhaling the scent of cypress can lower blood pressure, reduce cerebral blood flow, and alleviate depressive moods. Some countries even use forest therapy, encouraging cancer patients to relax and enjoy recreational activities in cypress forests. Most patients experience improved mental states, and some even overcome nausea and vomiting caused by chemotherapy. Additionally, the abundant negative oxygen ions in the mountain forest can enhance the body’s immune function, regulate respiratory and central nervous system functions, and are often referred to as the “vitamin of the air.”

　　Every part of the cypress tree is valuable—the resin, tree oil, fruit, branches, and leaves can all be used medicinally. Among these, the seeds of the oriental arborvitae (known as cypress seeds or *Bai Zi Ren*) and cypress leaves are the most widely used in clinical settings. *Bai Zi Ren* is sweet and neutral in nature, with the effects of nourishing the heart, calming the spirit, and moistening the intestines to relieve constipation. When combined with other herbs such as wild jujube seed, poria, rehmannia, angelica, schisandra, polygala, and ginseng, *Bai Zi Ren* can treat palpitations and insomnia. An equal mixture of ground *Bai Zi Ren*, apricot kernel, and pine nut, taken orally, can treat constipation in the elderly or postpartum women.