On March 15, Hope Justman (middle) and her friends strolling on the ancient Shu Road in Jiange County, Guangyuan City. Photo by Liu Ren
Since the Ming Dynasty, Jian'ge County has upheld a tradition of conducting handover ceremonies for ancient cypresses along its trade routes during the transition between incoming and outgoing officials. As part of this practice, the officials meticulously count the number of ancient cypresses and record their survival and growth conditions in the area. To this day, the handover of ancient and famous trees remains a vital aspect of transfer of duty in Jian'ge County, symbolizing the enduring commitment to safeguarding these venerable trees across generations.
Located in the northern part of Sichuan, Jian'ge County stands as a pivotal landmark along the ancient, a trade route boasting a history of more than 2,000 years. Renowned for its wealth of transportation relics and cultural landscapes that bear witness to the passage of time, it 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 candidate for both World Natural and Cultural Heritage status.
Within the ancient Shu Road, a stretch of nearly 300 kilometers lies in Guangyuan City, Sichuan Province, renowned as the section with the most abundant relics and historical narratives. Particularly notable is the Cuiyun Corridor in Jian'ge County, which boasts the world's largest, oldest, and most extensive cluster of ancient trees planted along an historic route. Currently, a total of 7,803 ancient trees remain, including 7,778 ancient cypresses with an average age of 1,050 years. The verdant trees block out sunlight, creating an ethereal atmosphere that makes walking beneath them feel like stepping into a living painting.
In recent years, the ancient Shu Road has gradually emerged as a sought-after destination among both Chinese and foreign tourists thanks to its unique charms. On March 13, 82-year-old American explorer Hope Justman, accompanied by her friends, explored iconic sites such as Jianmen Pass and the Cuiyun Corridor, immersing themselves in the rich culture of the Shu Road and the timeless grandeur of its ancient trees. This marked her 25th journey along this millennia-old historic route.
To better protect the ancient and famous trees, local authorities perform "physical check-up" for them on a regular basis, including inspections for hollowing and decay, cleaning and treating damaged areas of trunks, and performing "minimally invasive surgeries". Over the past three years, Jian'ge County has successfully restored and rescued 2,478 endangered and weakened ancient cypresses.
On March 15, China officially enacted the Regulations on the Protection of Ancient and Famous Trees, marking the first time the country has established standardized management and protection practices for these trees through administrative legislation. Notably, the Regulations drew inspiration from the ancient cypress handover system of the Cuiyun Corridor along the historic Shu Road.
Cuiyun Corridor on the ancient Shu Road. Photo by Meng Libo
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