Tuesday, March 25, 2025 On March 12, celebrating China’s 47th Arbor Day, the “Shu Road Cuiyun Corridor Ancient Cypress Conservation Handover Ceremony” took place in Jian’ge County, Guangyuan City, Sichuan Province. Over a hundred local officials, forest rangers, and residents gathered for this significant event, marking the official transfer of responsibility for preserving over 12,000 ancient and notable trees. Among them, the oldest tree is estimated to be around 2,300 years old.
Since the Ming Dynasty, Jian’ge County has maintained a long-standing tradition of holding handover ceremonies for ancient cypresses along its trade routes whenever officials are reassigned. During these ceremonies, the outgoing and incoming officials carefully assess the number of ancient cypresses and document their health and growth. This practice continues today, with the handover of these venerable trees serving as a symbol of the county’s ongoing commitment to their preservation across generations.
Nestled in the northern part of Sichuan, Jian’ge County is a key landmark along an ancient trade route that has been in use for over 2,000 years. Famed for its wealth of transportation relics and cultural landmarks that showcase its deep historical significance, the county has earned the title of “a living fossil of ancient land transportation.” As early as 2015, the ancient Shu Road was already added to the UNESCO World Heritage Tentative List, and has since been nominated as a c.
