Zhuolu, situated on the southeast of present day Zhuolu County in north China’s Hebei Province, was the battleground of an ancient episode in which three legendary primogenitors of the Chinese people Huang Di or Yellow Emperor, Yan Di and Chi You first battled and then merged forces. Historical documents record a view that “China’s thousands of years of civilization originated in Zhuolu.” However, nowadays, visitors to Zhuolu are more impressed by the ancient and exotic trees than the years of cultural remains deposited in the area.
An ancient Chinese scholar-tree grows in Tanzhuang village of Zhuolu County. This tree has a history of some 3,000 years, a girth of around 13 meters and height of about 15. It’s difficult for even five people hand in hand to circle the circumference of the tree. The trunk and branches have taken the uncanny shape of a flying dragon.
A mulberry also grows in the village with its root system deeply imbedded into a cliff face and its foliage extending upwards alongside the mountain. Although its trunk is hollow inside, the mulberry tree is in good health flaunting vigorous branches and lavish foliage.
In Tasi, another village of Zhuolu County, a dragon spruce (Picea asperata) grows in a col. The spruce has a history of more than 2,000 years, a trunk over five meters in diameter, and stands some 20 meters in height. Parts of its root system are exposed to the atmosphere. When the wind blows, its branches swing flamboyantly in the breeze. The local villagers say that this ancient dragon spruce is ‘God’ for their village.
The Chinese flowering quince is a kind of perennial shrub, growing in hilly areas and on mountain slopes. However, in Tangjiawan village of Luanzhuang Township, there grows a Chinese flowering quince which is quite unlike any other. This quince looks like an arbor tree, and its trunk is composed of three divided parts like a tripod. It’s said this quince also has a history of more than 2,000 years.
In Chiyou village of Longwangtang, there is a twin-species tree, which combines the features of an elm and a sea buckthorn. This exotic tree has a girth of four meters and height of 17. In spring, the tree bears elm fruit, while in autumn, it bears thorn fruit. Each newly-born sprout forks into two branches, one for the elm and another for the sea buckthorn. Specialists have analysed how this exotic tree may have taken shape. It might have been birds feeding on sea buckthorn which dropped the fruits inside the elm tree, resulting in the two plants growing together.
An exotic grape vine stretching some 20 meters in length and eight cun (one cun is one thirtieth meter) in girth, grows at Waihugou village beside the Sanggan River. This grape vine has a history of more than 400 years and was honored as the “grape king.” What is even more interesting is that beside the “grape king” grows a “grape queen,” another grape vine which is just one meter shorter and one cun thinner than the “grape king.”
The simon poplar (Populus simonii) growing in the north China generally has a lifespan of less than one hundred years. However, by the side of the Huang Di Spring is a simon poplar some one thousand years old. This simon poplar stands some 40 meters in height and is growing vigorously. It is thought that the water from the Huang Di Spring nourishes the simon poplar, giving it such an extended life.
(china.org.cn by Zhang Tingting, October 23 , 2002)
