Ancient walnut-rolling pastime finds new admirers

When Italian content creator Carolina Di Condio first met her future husband, who is Chinese, in Milan eight years ago, she noticed something unusual. He was constantly rolling two walnuts around in his palm.

Fascinated by the movement and the clicking sound, she tried it herself, only to discover it was not as easy as it looked.

But one question kept bothering her. "Can I just crack them open and eat them?" she finally asked.

Her husband's expression was unforgettable — somewhere between amusement and horror.

That was Di Condio's introduction to wenwan walnuts — literally "plaything walnuts" — which are not meant to be eaten but specially cultivated and selected for handling in a centuries-old Chinese pastime, in which people roll the walnuts in their palms, gradually polishing the shells to create treasured personal possessions.

Years later, a Dior invitation featuring a pair of wenwan walnuts caught her attention. Drawing on her background in fashion, Di Condio saw the connection between the Chinese tradition and luxury craftsmanship.

"Just as the walnuts gradually develop their own patina over years of polishing and care, I believe that the value of beautiful things often lies in the time, craftsmanship and attention invested in them," Di Condio said.

For some collectors in China, the investment begins long before the walnuts are actually bought by wenwan enthusiasts.

Wang Hongduo, 36, a walnut dealer in Laishui county, Hebei province, knows this firsthand.

About five years ago, Wang, who specializes in rare wenwan walnuts, acquired an unusual specimen with nine distinct ridges.

"A good walnut should have a well-balanced shape and evenly arranged ridges. To make a pair, the two walnuts must also closely resemble each other," he said.

In September 2025, a matching nine-ridged walnut surfaced through another dealer, and Wang was finally able to complete the pair.

His patience paid off at a local competition on Oct 16 this year, where the pair won the top award in the unusual shape category.

Wang later turned down an offer of 450,000 yuan ($67,670) for the unique pair.

The offer price was exceptional, but for those who want to give the pastime a try, a pair can cost just tens or hundreds of yuan.

The appeal of wenwan walnuts as collectibles is not new. The tradition flourished during the Ming (1368-1644) and Qing (1644-1911) dynasties, when scholars and wealthy collectors prized them for their distinctive shapes, intricate patterns and the glossy patina they developed over time.

Today, Laishui is one of China's major production centers of wenwan walnuts. More than 80,000 farming households benefit from the industry, which generates over 2.2 billion yuan annually, according to local authorities.

Wider reach

The customers walking into shops like Wang's are not necessarily older collectors traditionally associated with the pastime.

Wang estimates that more than 90 percent of buyers in his high-end specialty walnut business were born in the 1990s or 2000s.

Among the younger enthusiasts is Song Yuxuan, 26, who works in the finance industry and has been collecting wenwan walnuts for four years.

His interest began with a chance encounter in a park, where he spotted elderly men rolling walnuts in their palms. Curious, he went home and practiced with ordinary edible walnuts for two or three months before purchasing a proper pair.

It was at a time when Song had just begun working.

"When I first started working, I hardly knew anyone. I took up wenwan walnuts around that time and found it helped me relax whenever work got stressful," he said.

What began as a small hobby is now a part of his daily routine. He owns 20 to 30 pairs and sometimes visits Wang and other dealers to meet fellow enthusiasts, exchange experiences and look for new additions to his collection.

But the pleasure is not simply in acquiring more walnuts.

"I think some young people enjoy watching the walnuts change color, from their original pale appearance to a deep reddish shade. Seeing that transformation gives you a sense of achievement," he said.

Song has also introduced the pastime to his girlfriend, who now enjoys using a pair of her own.

The fascination has also spread beyond China. Videos of people playing with Chinese walnuts have attracted millions of views on TikTok and Instagram, introducing the unfamiliar tradition to viewers around the world.

Di Condio, the Italian content creator, occasionally rolls her husband's wenwan walnuts, although she jokes that she needs a pair of hazelnuts instead, because her hands are smaller.

What resonates with her is the connection to the Italian idea of la dolce vita, which celebrates life's simple pleasures.

In an age of constant phone notifications and endless to-do lists, she believes the pastime offers an alternative to the rush of modern life.

"They invite us to slow down and enjoy a moment without having to achieve anything," she said.