Qin Chu Wind News (Shiyan Media Reporters Lu Wei and Liu Kun) At the summit of Wudang Mountain, the Golden Summit, which stands at an altitude of 1,612 meters, not only boasts the fairy-like mountain of clouds and ancient architectural treasures, but also hides a little-known "long-lived family". They are rooted on the cliff, accompanied by rocks. The oldest one has been silently guarding for 621 years. Today, Let's follow the reporter's footsteps to get to know these "living fossils" on the Golden Summit and listen to the legendary stories of the interweaving of nature and humanity.

At the summit of the Golden Summit of Wudang Mountain, which is 1,612 meters above sea level, clouds and mists often entwine like gossamer. Here, there is not only a grand ancient architectural complex that was first built in the Ming Dynasty, but also a community of ancient trees that have weathered a hundred years of wind and rain.

Among them, the oldest has been rooted for 621 years, and the shortest is over a hundred years old. More than ten kinds of ancient trees, such as the oak, the 梾, the euonymus alatus, and the masson pine, either stand tall on the cliffs or take root in the crevices of rocks, leaning against the ancient buildings with red walls and black tiles. They not only bear witness to the changes of Wudang mountain over the years but also write the miracle of natural life blooming in extreme environments.

A group of century-old trees at the summit of the Golden Summit

On March 10th, while the cold of spring had not yet completely dissipated, a group of journalists, led by Ming Tingxue and Wang Dajin, members of the Wudang Mountain Forest Protection Team, set out on an exploration journey. Climbing up the steps along the Golden Summit Trail, the rustling sound of the mountain wind passing through the branches and leaves fills the ears, and beneath the feet are the stone steps that have been softened by the passage of time.

Climbing along the Nine steps, passing through the Golden Hall complex, and slowly reaching the summit of Wudang Mountain, a tall and straight oak tree first catches the eye - this is the oldest tree on the Golden Summit, the "longevity star", with 621 years of time having left a deep mark on it.

The tree is over ten meters tall, with a canopy spreading out like an umbrella, covering an area of nearly 20 square meters. Its dark green leaves shine with a lustrous sheen in the sunlight, and its fine branches extend in all directions, as if embracing this fairyland. The trunk is thick and sturdy, requiring two people to embrace each other to encircle it. The bark is thick and cracked, with crisscrossing cracks several centimeters deep, resembling the patterns on tortoise shells, each bearing the test of wind, frost, rain and snow.

Many tourists stopped here to take photos. The branches were hung with red ribbons and blessing plaques. The red blessing words complemented the lush green leaves, adding a touch of vitality to this ancient tree.

On the summit of Tianzhu Peak, there grows 621-year-old oak trees.

Continuing down the staircase, three oak trees are lined up in sequence, with ages of 480 years, 475 years and 362 years respectively. Among them, the most astonishing one is the 475-year-old oak tree. Its root system is completely exposed outside the rock, like countless thick arms, deeply embedded in the crevices of the rock. Some of the root systems have a diameter of up to 10 centimeters, twisting and coiling, demonstrating an astonishing adhesion. The trunk splits into two at the bottom, with the two main trunks growing side by side upwards. The branches and leaves are luxuriant, showing no sign of decay at all.

Oak trees growing on rocks.

This tree grows in the harshest environment. It is surrounded by rocks and has no soil at all. It survives entirely on rainwater and nutrients in the air. Ming Tingxue stroked the tree trunk, his tone brimming with admiration. "The oak tree, commonly known as the 'iron Oak', has a material as hard as iron and extremely strong vitality. It can grow tenaciously even in poor and dry environments."

Further down, on a cliff, four more than 200-year-old hairy 梾 trees grow in a staggered manner. Unlike the upright and straight oak trees, they lie horizontally in mid-air, with gnarled and vigorous branches. Some stretch out towards the cliff, while others climb upwards, resembling gnarled dragons flying into the sky, presenting a myriad of postures.

On Tianzhu Peak, there are communities of 200 to 300-year-old Mullet trees.

May of each year is the flowering period of 梾. Four pure white petals surround the slender filaments, with pale yellow anthers dotted among them. The style is in the shape of a stick. From a distance, the tree is full of flowers like snow and clouds, with a delicate fragrance. In late September, the fruits ripen. The drupes gradually change from green to purple-black, resembling black gems the size of sorghum grains, hanging on the branches.

Stepping out of the city gate of Zijin City, a 555-year-old Masson pine and a 422-year-old Euonymus alatus come into view. The Masson pine is tall and straight, with a trunk that can reach up to 15 meters. Its needles are slender and emerald green. When a gentle breeze blows, the needles sway slightly, making a rustling sound. The southwest Euonymus is relatively thick and sturdy, with its trunk covered in greenish-blue moss, complementing the Masson pine and forming a unique landscape.

The 422-year-old Euonymus alatus (left) and the 555-year-old Masson pine (middle) grow alternately.

A 422-year-old Euonymus alatus.

In addition, the Golden Summit area is dotted with 530-year-old cork oaks, 239-year-old golden elm trees, 110-year-old Ailanthus altissima, and several horse chestnut trees. They either stand alone in a corner or grow in clusters, together forming this unique ancient tree community.

The dual code of natural selection and humanistic protection

Why can the Golden Summit, with its high altitude, low temperature, strong wind and poor soil, give birth to so many century-old ancient trees? The reporter found the answer by visiting forestry experts and scholars of Wudang culture.

These ancient trees are all naturally scattered and not artificially planted. Forestry workers introduced that Quercus aculea and 梾 are the main tree species in this ancient tree group, and they both have unique habits for adapting to high-altitude environments.

The gnarled and vigorous hairs on the branches 梾.

Neither of these two types of trees is picky about soil. Even in the crevices of rocks, as long as there is a little water and sunlight, they can take root and grow. Experts explain that the rocks in the Golden Summit area are mainly granite. Although the soil is scarce, the humus accumulated in the crevices of the rocks can provide a small amount of nutrients for the ancient trees. In addition, Wudang Mountain is often shrouded in clouds and mist, and the air humidity is high, which can meet the water requirements for the growth of the ancient trees.

Apart from the favor of natural selection, the humanistic protection of Wudang Mountain throughout the ages is the key to the continuation of the ancient tree cluster. Yang Lizhi, director and professor of the Wudang Culture Research and Dissemination Center, a key research base of humanities and social sciences in Hubei Province, interpreted that the ecological protection practices of ancient Wudang Mountain contain profound Taoist concepts.

In architectural planning, the ancients emphasized adapting to the terrain and local conditions, avoiding large-scale excavation of mountains and minimizing damage to the natural environment to the greatest extent. All the large trees needed for the construction of the temple were transported from other places, and no local forest vegetation was cut down. The idea of protecting nature was demonstrated by the construction of the black tiger Temple, the Crow temple, the 樃 mei Xianweng shrine, etc.

In the Zijin City of Tianzhu Peak on Wudang Mountain, the 555-year-old Masson pine trees complement the ancient buildings.

Yang Lizhi introduced that the Ming Dynasty was the peak period for ecological protection of Wudang Mountain. The emperor, deeply influenced by ecological concepts, issued imperial edicts specifically to protect the Wudang Mountain area, prohibiting the felling of trees and the destruction of the mountain body. At the same time, more than 5,000 remaining soldiers of the main army of the Junzhou Garrison of the Thousand Households were dispatched to station on Wudang Mountain. They were exempted from various military duties and grains for farming, and were entrusted with the responsibility of "repairing the mountain". These military remnants not only repaired palaces, roads and Bridges, but also built stone retaining walls in deep mountains and canyons to prevent landslides and soil erosion. At the same time, they carried out afforestation to conserve water and soil.

It is precisely this dual guarantee of "natural adaptation + humanistic protection" that has enabled the ancient trees on the Golden Summit to grow peacefully through hundreds of years of wind and rain, becoming a living fossil of the coexistence of ecology and culture in Wudang Mountain." Yang Lizhi said.

Nowadays, the Wudang Mountain Forest Protection Team has taken over the baton of safeguarding the ancient trees. Ming Tingxue and Wang Dajin have been engaged in forest protection work for over 20 years. Every day, they patrol the ancient trees along the footpath to check for any pests or diseases and whether the branches are damaged. In case of extreme weather, they also promptly clear the fallen branches, add soil to the ancient trees and water them. These ancient trees are the treasures of Wudang Mountain. We should protect them as if they were our own children, allowing them to continue to witness the legend of the immortal mountain. The theory of the Ming court.

Members of the Wudang Mountain Forest Protection Team are inspecting the growth of ancient trees.

Standing on the summit of the Golden Summit, one can gaze into the distance at the continuous mountains and the misty clouds swirling around. A close look reveals that the ancient trees are vigorous and their branches and leaves are swaying gracefully. These century-old trees are gifts from nature and carriers of culture. They take root in the crevices of rocks and stand firm in the wind and rain, telling the ecological code of Wudang Mountain with their tenacious vitality and recording the thousand-year vicissitudes of the immortal mountain with their mottled growth rings. They coexist with the ancient buildings, forming a unique humanistic and natural landscape of Wudang Mountain and becoming the most precious wealth left to future generations.

These ancient trees that have stood for a hundred years are the most loyal "guardians" of the immortal mountain Wudang. Next time you visit the Golden Summit of Wudang Mountain, don't forget to stop by them for a moment and feel that tenacity and tenderness!