A villager hangs strings of peeled persimmons for drying. [Photo/Gansu Daily]

As early winter arrives in Jiachang village, Wen county, Longnan, Gansu province, a golden scene unfolds. Over 300 mu (20 hectares) of persimmon trees are heavy with ripe fruit, lighting up the hillsides like countless hanging lanterns. 

The air in the village is sweet with the scent of freshly peeled persimmons hanging to dry. Villagers move between the racks, shaping plump fruits into even, flat cakes.

"I have over nine mu of persimmon trees," said Lin Mi, deputy director of the village committee and a veteran of the traditional craft. "The dry weather around the start of winter is perfect for drying — it helps develop that thick, snowy bloom and soft, sweet flesh our persimmons are known for."

The process is meticulous. Under the drying racks, villagers use special rotary knives to evenly peel undamaged fruit, which must still have their stems attached. "The peeling must be even, the drying thorough, and we cover them with persimmon skins in clay jars to help develop the bloom," said Sun Yufeng, a villager in Jiachang, sharing key steps of the traditional method.

This year's harvest yielded 350 metric tons of fresh persimmons. While five tons were used to make distinctive "fermented persimmons", most were carefully processed into over 60 tons of high-quality dried persimmons. This transformation from fresh fruit into "golden cakes" significantly boosts their worth. The "Jiachang Dried Persimmon" specialty alone is estimated to generate about 3.6 million yuan ($506,710) in annual output, becoming a true "sweet engine" of rural prosperity.