Listening to the stories of ancient trees, erecting monuments for them

Ancient trees, rooted in the earth for hundreds and thousands of years, have witnessed the vicissitudes of life. They never compare themselves to the sky; they are living relics. Erecting monuments for ancient trees is a sign of respect for nature and history, and a way to preserve the passage of time for flora. As an independent painting subject, ancient trees date back to the Tang Dynasty at the latest. The aesthetic pursuit of twisted and gnarled forms has been passed down in ancient tree paintings ever since. Su Shi and Wen Tong of the Song Dynasty were skilled at painting withered trees, while Shen Zhou of the Ming Dynasty depicted the Seven Cypresses of the Star Altar, one of the Eighteen Views of Yushan, as a local scenic spot through live sketches. Subsequently, visiting ancient trees became a hobby among the intellectual class in Wuzhong, sparking a trend of travel paintings in the Wu School of painting. In the late Qing Dynasty, Wu Guxiang could only rely on the records of his predecessors to imagine and complete the Seven Cypresses of the Star Altar, one of the Eighteen Views of Yushan. During the Tang and Song Dynasties, many temples and monasteries in Suzhou planted cypress trees. The "Bai Gong Cypress" recorded by Fan Chengda is an early example of cypress trees being planted in private gardens in Suzhou. The oldest ancient cypress trees in Suzhou are the four "Clear, Strange, Ancient, and Peculiar" Han cypresses at the Guangfu Situ Temple, each 1900 years old. They are said to have been planted by Deng Yu, the Grand Situ of the Eastern Han Dynasty, and were named by Emperor Qianlong. Every year on the 28th day of the third lunar month, the Taiping Mengjiang Hall holds the "Heavenly King Liu Mengjiang's Parade." The Mengjiang belief, similar to that in the Taihu Basin, may hint at the possible true identity of the Taiping Wang clan's ancestors. At the Foji Temple in Changmen, Suzhou, there is a custom called "Crushing Immortals." Legend has it that on the 14th day of the fourth lunar month, the birthday of Lü Dongbin, he would transform into a beggar in the mortal world to save the suffering, which gradually evolved into a blessing activity. On the southern slope of Tianping Mountain, there are 121 ancient sweetgum trees from the Ming Dynasty, each over 420 years old, planted by Fan Yunlin, the 17th-generation descendant of Fan Zhongyan, during the Wanli period of the Ming Dynasty. The ancient town of Luzhi has been prosperous since ancient times and is known as the "Hall of Five Lakes." At its peak, Baosheng Temple occupied half of Luzhi, with the Tang Dynasty scripture pillar behind the Hall of Heavenly Kings. The Arhats of Baosheng Temple are famously known as "Two and a Half Halls of Arhats in the World." The ancient white magnolia tree in the Zhen Temple on Qionglong Mountain in Suzhou is said to have been planted by Emperor Qianlong during his southern tours, and it is over 200 years old. Each flowering tree is a product of time. The white pines in Suzhou gardens often appear crooked, known locally as "bent heads," and they complement the lake stones, curved bridges, and flowing water, presenting a literati painting style. The white pine in Chunxi Hall is 200 years old. During the Southern Ming Dynasty, Wang Xijue, the chief minister during the Wanli period, built the Southern Garden. On the Frost Crane Mound stands an ancient plum tree known as the "Dancing Thin Crane." The tea tree on the yellow stone rockery in front of the Grass Hall in the Couple's Retreat Garden once starred in "Dream of the Red Chamber." The crape myrtle in Qu Garden, about 210 years old, was a spiritual solace for Yu Yue when he retired to Suzhou. The only century-old banyan in Suzhou is in the Tianci Zhuang campus of Suzhou University, and the 320-year-old ginkgo outside the north gate, along with the Wenxing Pavilion on campus, are relics of the old Changzhou County School. The thousand-year-old ginkgo in Tinglin Garden is considered a relic of Huiju Temple. With ancient ginkgo and other historical sites, Yufeng Mountain remains a cultural and historical highland in Kunshan. The 310-year-old ancient Qionghua tree is one of the three treasures of Kunshan, renowned in Jiangnan. Wenxing Pavilion in the ancient town of Jinxi is a landmark. The 852-year-old luohan pine in front of the pavilion invites one to step into the spiritual space of ancient trees, feeling the "photosynthesis of the soul" and transforming the love for art and nature into the sweetness of a happy life.