King Walnut Park

　　King Walnut Park was rated as a National AAA-level Tourist Attraction in December 2007 and is recognized as a National Agricultural Tourism Demonstration Site. It is located in Qialewaxi Village, Baghchi Town, Hotan County, approximately 7 kilometers from the nearest urban hub, Hotan City. The site is categorized as a National Agricultural Tourism Demonstration Site.

　　Historical records indicate that the King Walnut tree was planted during the Tang Dynasty in 644 AD, making it over 1,365 years old — truly an ancient giant among fruit trees. Despite its age, the walnut tree stands tall and proud, lush and vigorous, displaying a majestic and enduring presence that offers visitors a sense of timelessness and vitality. It is the sole surviving witness to the ancient Buddhist kingdom of Yotkan, once a glorious capital. The tree lies just 1,000 meters from the center of the Yotkan ruins (the site was discovered in 1866 when Niyaz Aqim Bek was digging an irrigation canal near Yotkan during his rule over Hotan).

　　King Walnut Park spans 41 mu, with the walnut tree itself covering an area of one mu. The tree stands 16.7 meters tall, with a crown diameter of 20.6 meters, and has a roughly “Y”-shaped form. Its massive trunk is so wide that it would take more than five adults holding hands to encircle it. Over centuries, the central trunk has hollowed out, forming a naturally connected “Immortal’s Cave” large enough to accommodate four people standing at its base. The tree yields over 6,000 walnuts annually. These walnuts are renowned for their large size, thin shells, and plump kernels. They are believed to have health benefits such as boosting strength and kidney function, nourishing the liver and lungs, improving digestion and spleen health, and promoting longevity. Legend says that during his return journey to China after obtaining Buddhist scriptures, Master Xuanzang fainted from hunger and thirst. Upon awakening, he found a barren desert transformed into a grove of leafy trees. A gentle breeze caused their fruits to fall, revealing smooth, glistening flesh inside the hard shells. After eating them, he felt refreshed and energized. He packed some to eat one per day, which sustained him on his travels. When he reached Hotan, he gave the last three walnuts to the hospitable local people. The industrious locals planted these sacred seeds, and after generations of cultivation, they grew into the towering tree we see today. Another legend from the Ming Dynasty tells of a couple from the Central Plains who were both extremely ugly and childless despite being over fifty. One night, they dreamed of a silver-haired, youthful-looking elder who said, “In the western deserts, there is a sacred tree — eat its fruit, and you will have a child.” Upon waking, they spent three years searching for this tree. After eating its fruit, the woman became beautiful and bore a child within months. That child later achieved the highest academic honor, becoming the top scholar in the imperial examinations. Hence, the tree was also called the “Number One Scholar Tree.” Having stood for a thousand years, the King Walnut seems to have absorbed the essence of heaven and earth, and is regarded by locals as a “sacred tree” or “longevity tree.” Locals pay homage to the tree once or twice a year, silently praying for a long life like the tree. Coincidentally — or perhaps not — the village (Qialewaxi Village, Baghchi Town) boasts many elderly residents; among its 200-plus seniors, eighty to ninety are over 80 years old.

　　The King Walnut not only blesses the local people with wonder but is also said to bring luck to merchants and travelers along the ancient Silk Road. Legend has it that in 1877, General Zuo Zongtang of the Qing Dynasty, while leading a military campaign westward, paused here and, upon seeing the tree, dismounted in awe, declaring, “This is the greatest tree under heaven!” He rode around the tree three times. His journey back to the capital thereafter went incredibly smoothly, and upon returning, he earned the imperial court’s great trust. His official career flourished from then on. To this day, notable figures from around the world visiting Hotan make it a point to see the tree, seeking good fortune.

　　This agricultural tourism demonstration site centers on the King Walnut and features six main attractions: the Thousand-Meter Grape Corridor, Folk Culture Street, Farmer’s Square Park, King Walnut Tree, Gourd Corridor, and Walnut Exhibition Hall. The park is distinctive and picturesque. With a deep exploration of walnut culture, it showcases a rich variety of walnut wood and walnut handicrafts, forming a distinctive line of travel souvenirs based on walnut and walnut wood processing.

　　Nowadays, notable individuals from home and abroad make it a point to visit the tree when passing through Hotan, hoping to gain some good luck.