Chinese and foreign ancient trees

Songyang Academy is one of the earliest and most influential academies in China. Together with Bailudong Academy in Lushan, Jiangxi, Yuelu Academy in Changsha, Hunan, and Suiyang Academy in Shangqiu, Henan, it is also called the "Four Great Academies" in ancient China. Rich in cultural relics, it is famous in ancient and modern times. This is a scenic spot for domestic tourists. In particular, according to experts' research, the two ancient cypresses in the hospital have a history of more than 4,500 years (primitive cypresses), and Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty named them "General cypresses".

General Cedar is12m high and has a bust of 5.4m.. Crown width16m. The tree leans to the south against the convex wall. The canopy is thick, broad and lush, covering the clear sky like a big umbrella.

The second general cypress is located 70 meters north of the general cypress, with a height of 20 meters, a bust 13 meters and a crown 19 meters. Although the bark is mottled and the trunk is bell-shaped, it is vibrant and the branches are tall and straight. The lower part of the trunk is rotten, and the north and south are connected, which can accommodate five or six people. At the top of the trunk, the Guanyin statue facing east naturally forms, which is lifelike and lifelike. Two huge branches bend like wings, stretch left and right, and are shaped like eagles, spreading their wings and flying. The majestic General Bai added a strong historical color to Songyang Academy, reminding people of its long historical story. In the first year of Yuanfeng in the Western Han Dynasty (1 10 BC), Liu Che, Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty, visited Songshan Mountain and saw a tall cypress tree with dense branches and leaves, towering into the sky. He exclaimed, "I have never seen such a big cypress tree in the world, so I'll call you General!" " General Feng went on walking, but not far away, he saw another cypress tree bigger than the newly sealed general. Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty thought, "This tree is much bigger than the previous one. How can I seal it? " You are the son of heaven, you can't just change your tune. After thinking for a while, he pointed to the cypress tree in front of him and said, "I call this cypress tree the Second General. "Some officials wanted to remind the emperor that Feng was against common sense, but they were afraid to say it, so they had to say," This cypress tree is much bigger than the last one. "What he meant was to remind the Emperor that he had made a mistake and changed his seal. Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty also understood the official's meaning in his heart, but in order to safeguard his dignity, he knew that he was wrong and simply did not change. He angered the official and said, "What's big and small? First come, first served. " The frightened official repeatedly said "Yes". No one dares to reply again. After sealing the "Second General", he walked on and saw a higher and bigger cypress tree. Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty said helplessly, "No matter how tall you are, I can only make you the' Three Generals'.

After Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty sealed it, he went to other places to play. Although these three cypress trees have their own titles, they are in different moods because of the unreasonable titles of Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty. "General" Parker is the youngest and the oldest, and he feels ashamed. He bowed his head in shame and bent down. Now he is a crooked tree. The "Second General" Bai thought he was bigger than the "General", and he was so dissatisfied and angry that he burst into a belly and became the hollow tree he saw today. The "three generals" were angry and annoyed. They think they are the biggest cypress and the smallest. They were angry and unfair, and set themselves on fire in a rage. So our descendants can't see anything now. Later, tourists left poems to ridicule this matter: the big seal is small, the little seal is big, and "preconceptions" became a joke. The "three generals" burned to death in a rage, the "two generals" were furious with their bellies, and the "generals" bowed their heads in shame. Who commented on the "golden words and jade words"?

Where would the all-powerful and ingenious Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty have thought of it? This casual "first come first, then arrive" has become a historical witness to the jokes of future generations.

Millennium Ginkgo Tree in Wuduhe Town

In Wuduhe Town, Yiling, Yichang, Hubei Province, a thousand-year-old ginkgo tree was reborn from the fire and has been listed as a protected object by the relevant departments. According to legend, in the Song Dynasty, when Zongshen succeeded to the throne, natural disasters occurred all over the country. When Wang Anshi introduced the new law, he levied taxes on young crops, markets and farmland. In order to pray for nectar and abundant grain, Shi Tian, a Taoist priest, was asked to plant a ginkgo tree on the driest mountain on the ridge. It is said that ginkgo trees can keep one side quiet, especially against wind and thunder. Later, regardless of drought or flood, this place can maintain a bumper harvest. It is said that in the Qing Dynasty, there was a very rich landlord in Sichuan. In 2000, he was hit by a typhoon, and the landlord suffered heavy losses and wanted to find a way out. One morning, the landlord was washing his face in the washbasin when he suddenly saw a strange ginkgo tree with a straw shoe hanging from its branch. I don't know what prompted the landlord to go out for a stroll, inquired about it and found it. The landlord really found this ginkgo tree exactly the same as what he saw in the washbasin. There is really a straw sandal hanging on the branch of ginkgo tree facing west. The landlord stayed in a tent 0/00 meter away from Ginkgo Tree/KLOC-for three days and three nights. Every morning, he bowed down to the ginkgo tree devoutly, and the landlord went back contentedly. Later, many people who went out to do business worshipped this ginkgo tree. It is said that offering sacrifices can bring good luck. In the Spring Festival of 2008, a big fire burned this ginkgo tree for a day and a night. This thousand-year-old ginkgo tree is going to die, which is regrettable. Later, this ancient tree miraculously revived, and now it has been protected by relevant departments.

Ginkgo tree is commonly known as ginkgo tree and gongsun tree. After thousands of years of wind and rain, the Millennium ginkgo tree is more qualified than anyone now, and the people admire it and protect it. He is not only a rare and famous ancient tree in Hubei Province, but also one of the five largest ginkgo trees in China, and is known as the "living fossil of plants in China".

Some of the oldest trees had survived for hundreds of years before the Babylonian kingdom began to record time. Not only that, they also witnessed the rise and fall of the Greek and Roman empires, and the birth of religions such as Christianity and Islam, which have continued to this day.

There are many long-lived ancient trees on the earth, the oldest of which is called methuselah Tree. It is a 4,800-year-old great basin foxtail pine, which grows in methuselah Lane, Nevada, USA. There is an older tree here, its name is Prometheus, but it was cut down in 1964 because of its serious decay. People think this kind of tree has the longest life, but there are many other older tree species on the earth. Abaku tree in Yi Sai is a cypress tree with a history of 4,000 years, which grows in Abaku. It is also called Suo Luoya Desai. This tree has a special position in the minds of all Iranians, and it has strong religious significance. Another example of an ancient tree is the Llangernyw yew which grows in Wales. Taxus trees are common in cemeteries and are famous for their longevity, but this is only an extreme example.

Judging from fossils, another ancient tree with a history of about 35 million years is Patagonia cypress, also known as sandalwood. At present, the oldest tree is 3600 years old, and it is called Taxus lanigerum. For the local people in Chile, the wood of this tree is very precious. They use it to make roof tiles and then sell them for money.

It is estimated that this deciduous pine tree in Florida, USA, also known as "Senator Tree", is 3,400 to 3,500 years old and is the fifth oldest tree in the world. In 2006, a survey conducted by the Native Tree Association in the East of the United States showed that its volume exceeded 65,438+044.42 cubic meters, which was the largest of its kind in the United States and the largest ancient tree east of the Mississippi River.

Jardine Juniper can be found in Logan, Utah, USA. It has a history of 3,200 years and is the oldest Jardine Juniper in the world. Giant sequoia, native to California. This tree has been common for thousands of years. In order to participate in the World Expo, the "Chicago stump" was cut down and finally determined to be 3200 years old by calculating the annual rings.

Patria Ka Floresta is a legal Carlin Euryale, estimated to be 3000 years old, and is the oldest non-coniferous tree in Brazil. It is regarded as a sacred tree, but this tree faces a great threat of extinction. One of the important reasons is deforestation in Brazil, Colombia and Venezuela.

The sacred tree in Alishan, Taiwan Province Province, China may be 3000 years old, but unfortunately, it was blown down by a big storm in 1997. This kind of tree grows slowly, but it has a long life. They are often very big, 55 to 60 meters high and 7 meters in diameter. This tree is of special significance to local Buddhists.

At present, the oldest known chestnut tree in the world is the "Hundred Horses Tree", which can be seen on the slopes of Mount Etna in Saint Dahl and Sicily. The white horse tree is the largest such tree found in the world. It is reported that it has a history of 2,000 to 4,000 years.

General Sherman is a giant redwood tree with a height of 83.82 meters and a base circumference of 3 1.09 meters. It grows in Sequoia National Park in California, USA. The measurement results in 2002 showed that its volume was about 1487 cubic meters, and it was considered as the largest tree in the world. It may have a history of 2300 to 2700 years.

Jhomon Sugi tree in Japan is a relatively young tree. Due to the serious corrosion of the tree core, it is difficult to know its exact age. This kind of tree grows in Yakushima, Japan, and its name is Jhomon Sugi. It may be only 2 170 years old, or it may be 7200 years old. If it is the latter, it will be the oldest tree so far. Its circumference is 16.4m, which is obviously long for many years.