Villagers from Chun'an county help bring in the hickory crop. [Photo/IC]

In Linqi village in Chun'an county — located in Hangzhou, capital of East China's Zhejiang province — villagers were recently busy sun-drying freshly picked hickory under clear skies.

Chun'an has 364,000 mu (24,267 hectares) of hickory trees, producing nearly 10,000 metric tons annually with an output value exceeding 800 million yuan ($112.5 million). The county accounts for more than 28 percent of China's total hickory planting area and yield.

With a history spanning several centuries, the hickory industry has become a true engine of prosperity for local residents.

A bird's-eye view of villagers sun-drying the crop on the ground. [Photo/IC]