Jiading honors its ginkgo treasures
11/8/2004 15:39
It can sometimes be refreshing to return to those ancient trees that have
stood the test of time.
Jiading District is home to 171 ancient trees, which
are more than 100-year-old. Among them are 118 ginkgo trees, well-known as
"living fossils."
The most famous is a 1,219-year-old ginkgo from the Tang
Dynasty (618-907 AD). It is called "the first tree in Shanghai."
Standing at
a roadside in Guangming Village, Anting Town, the old ginkgo is still in good
shape, alive and verdant, its thick leaves creating vast areas of shade.
The
imposing male ginkgo has grown to a height of 24.5 meters, with a circumference
of 6.5 meters. It has a crown of 20 meters in diameter, with green abundance
veiling the top-dwelling place for a lone crane.
The characteristic greenish
leaves are fan-shaped and composed of two or more distinctive lobes. In autumn,
the leaves of the tree turn color to emit a beautiful golden hue before falling
to the ground.
Surrounding the tree is a 7,200-square-meter mini garden
called "Old Ginkgo Tree Garden". More than 20 trees of four varieties have been
planted around the famous ginkgo to turn the garden into one of the district's
main attractions, a place where people can chill out.
The heritage tree is
said to have been planted at the front gate of "Bashi Nunnery" in 785,
witnessing many ups and downs through various feudal dynasties.
For a great
many centuries, ginkgoes have been cultivated in most Chinese Buddhist
temple-grounds and monastic gardens. They were venerated as holy trees. For a
long time, botanists have believed the ginkgo has survived because of its
religious function.
Deemed as the world's oldest living tree species, its
longevity is forever recorded in fossils from an age when dinosaurs roamed the
earth.
Chen Wei, an official from the district's Gardening Administrative
Bureau, said local people respect and revere the old ginkgoes, which explained
its survival over the centuries.
When exploring such a living monument, one
will be reminded of history and can feel the beauty and character that it brings
to the community.
Besides the oldest ginkgo, a group of 10 ginkgos from the
Qing Dynasty (1644-1911), aged some 200 years old, can be found in Ximen,
Jiading District.
"It is very rare to see 10 ginkgoes planted together in
the district," Chen said. "But they have not been well protected because of
unfavorable growing environment," she added.
In order to preserve these 10
old trees, the district government has invested more than 7 million yuan
(US$843,373) to construct another "Ginkgo Tree Garden," serving as a public park
where visitors can enjoy a peaceful place. The park, covering an area of 5,000
square meters, was open to the public at the start of this month.
The mini
garden is decorated with a main hall, a pond, a pavilion, a beautiful rockery
and plants of various strains, conjuring up serenity and beauty.
In the north
of the garden stands the park's real treasures - 10 impressive ginkgo, the
tallest reaching 20.4 meters high.
"The garden will become a relaxing meeting
place for nearby residents, especially for the elderly," Chen said. "With summer
here, the trees will provide shade for the many visitors."
Ancient trees are
a precious natural heritage and serve as graceful green landmarks in the
district. Thus, the district government is now taking measures to protect the
old trees from damage and some specific plans are being carried
out.
According to Chen, the district has set up a network to organize
protection of the trees. Each tree has its own protector who is responsible for
carrying out daily care work, including ventilating, weeding and pest
prevention.
Yang Di
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