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Lisa Cam

Walnuts have been setting social media ablaze – no, really.
TikTok and Instagram users have been trying to “turn walnuts into jade” by rhythmically twirling two walnuts in one hand until the nuts take on a polished, jade-like texture.
An Instagram reel shared on March 31 by Jessie Jacobson (@growithjessie), who is experimenting with hand-rolling her walnuts and putting another two in a rock tumbler, has more than 8 million views to date.
It is the latest iteration of the “Chinamaxxing” or “Becoming Chinese” trend, where Western users adopt – ironically or sincerely – Chinese lifestyle habits, fashion and wellness practices.












View this post on Instagram























A post shared by Jessie Jacobson (@growithjessie)



The nuts in question are called Wenwan walnuts (“play walnuts” in Chinese), or collectable walnuts, a cherished artefact with Chinese roots dating back to the Han dynasty (206BC-AD220).
While technically edible, Wenwan walnuts are not cultivated for eating. Instead, with their hard shell and negligible kernel size, the focus is on creating high-density, thick shells.
After a deep clean, the nuts – always in a pair – are rotated in the palm to generate friction. Over months of play, they absorb the skin’s natural oils, and they change colour from brown to a deep crimson.
With dedication, the surface of the walnuts can gain a glossy, jade-like patina. This effect can take one to two years to achieve, and it requires constant maintenance.
According to historians, the act of rotating walnuts was first popular among court musicians to strengthen and train their finger dexterity, before it entered the mainstream as something of a wellness tool.
Eventually, the walnuts themselves were regarded as hard-earned works of art and, by the Qing dynasty (1644-1912), nobles and courtiers meticulously selected the most symmetrical, finely textured pairs as tribute to the country’s ruling emperor.

There are tangible health benefits to the hand movement, rooted in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM). A 2019 study in the medical journal Annals of Translational Medicine found that rotating round objects like walnuts, for just 30 minutes, three times daily, significantly improved hand strength and dexterity.
Using diffusion tensor imaging, researchers observed increased nerve fibres in the corticospinal tract – the brain’s direct line to hand muscles – confirming that this simple exercise actively stimulates neuroplasticity.
A 2025 report in the Global Advances in Integrative Medicine and Health journal further noted that such manual stimulation targets the laogong acupoint, in the palm, used in TCM to calm the mind and reduce anxiety.
The sight is not a foreign one in modern-day Asia, where senior citizens are still seen in parks or at home moving weighty metallic spheres, or meditation balls – in place of walnuts – around in their palms.

Authentic Wenwan walnuts are prized for specific characteristics: a hard shell, a metallic clack when tapped, deep colour and symmetry.
The most coveted varieties include the White Lion, known for its quick colour transition, and the Millstone Lion Head, renowned for its sheen, traditionally sourced from mountainous regions near Beijing, Tianjin and Hebei provinces.
The finest antiquated walnuts, which embody the epitome of dedication, can fetch a pretty penny.
Several factors can raise the price of Wenwan walnuts: the rarity of identically sized pairs, the aesthetic value of their natural ridges and the time invested in producing their signature gleam. Sometimes, unusual patterns and shapes can also add value.
In a December 2025 auction at Sotheby’s, a pair of Wenwan walnuts from “an old Hong Kong family collection” sold for HK$20,160 (US$2,570), more than double the presale valuation.
In 2019, four of these walnuts, dating back to the Qing dynasty, went under the hammer at Christie’s, another auction house, for HK$25,000.

Thanks to the demand for instant gratification on social media, there is plenty of advice on platforms like TikTok and Instagram on how to speed up the polishing process and how to achieve the desired translucent shine.
While these may be effective to a certain extent, they run counter to the doctrine of consistency and the time it takes to achieve the desired results naturally, not to mention negating the palm exercises that could, with prolonged use, improve the user’s health and wellness.
So, while TikTok may promise faster results, the true reward is something more subtle: you will not end up with a true gemstone, but you might gain stronger hands, a quieter mind, and a tangible link to a centuries-old Chinese tradition.


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A social media trend takes on an ancient Chinese tradition in the form of rolling a pair of walnuts around in your hand until they turn into “jade”. Photo: YouTube/ growithjessie

A 2019 study found that rotating round objects like walnuts, for just 30 minutes, three times daily, significantly improved hand strength and dexterity. Photo: Getty Images

Some people will move metallic spheres, or meditation balls, in place of walnuts around in their palms. Photo: Shutterstock 

In a December 2025 auction at Sotheby’s, a pair of Wenwan walnuts sold for HK$20,160. Photo: Sotheby’s

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Jessie Chan, assistant director of Chuan Spa at Cordis, Hong Kong. Photo: Karma Lo

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Frog buttons are seen on Adidas’ limited-edition “Tang-style” jacket during Shanghai Fashion Week in October 2025.

An example of the pankou or frog button used as fasteners on clothing. 

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Lifestyle

You will not actually make jade by rolling walnuts around in your palm, but this Chinese tradition can boost hand strength and calm anxiety


You will not actually make jade by rolling walnuts around in your palm, but this Chinese tradition can boost hand strength and calm anxiety.


Turning walnuts into ‘jade’? TikTok, Instagram go nuts over ancient Chinese tradition

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}You will not actually make jade by rolling walnuts around in your palm, but this Chinese tradition can boost hand strength and calm anxiety

You will not actually make jade by rolling walnuts around in your palm, but this Chinese tradition can boost hand strength and calm anxiety