Travel Near, Not Far: Shaanxi’s Most Beautiful Ginkgo Trees – Autumn’s Golden Splendor Close to Home

A spell of autumn rain brings a spell of cold; endless showers build up layers of frost. Once again it’s the season of rustling winds and falling leaves, when the ground is blanketed in gold.

When we speak of autumn’s golden splendor, the ginkgo – a rare tree species surviving from the Mesozoic era – is unquestionably the king of the season.

Today, I’ll take you on a journey to admire some of Shaanxi’s most beautiful ginkgo trees, to appreciate their thousand-year-old stories and legends.

Ancient Guanyin Temple – 1,400 Years Old

Ancient Guanyin Temple is located in Luohandong Village, Dongda Subdistrict, Chang’an District, Xi’an, Shaanxi. Within the temple stands a millennium-old ginkgo tree. Legend has it that this very tree was planted by Emperor Taizong Li Shimin himself, making it over 1,400 years old.

In late autumn, warm sunlight streams through the leaves, illuminating the golden foliage with dazzling brilliance. The radiant gold intoxicates the whole season. Dancing gently in the breeze, each golden leaf at Ancient Guanyin Temple whispers tales of a thousand years.

Recently, autumn’s chilly winds and rains have hurried its pace. The upper canopy leaves are now mostly yellow, while the majority of the tree’s foliage remains green, only tinged with yellow around the edges – as if each leaf were rimmed with a golden border. Unlike the romantic brilliance of an entirely golden crown, this blend of green and gold is all the more enchanting. A gentle breeze stirs the leaves, which rustle with a silvery tinkle, like a heavenly melody played by the tree in the autumn wind, captivating everyone who hears it.

Zongsheng Palace at Louguan – 2,580 Years Old

Turning from green to gold – that’s the magic the seasons weave, step by gentle step in nature. Millions of leaves dance wildly on the branches and in the autumn wind. Red prayer ribbons encircle the ginkgo tree, and together the fresh green, bright yellow, and deep red create a subtle palette that embodies the Taoist principle of ‘following the way of nature’ here at Louguan in autumn.

Louguan, the place where the renowned philosopher Laozi – founder of Taoism – preached during the Spring and Autumn period, is cradled by mountains and waters under a canopy of emerald peaks. Hailed as ‘the foremost blessed land under heaven,’ this ancient ginkgo stands within the grounds of the Zongsheng Palace ruins in the ancient Louguan scenic area at the foot of Zhongnan Mountain. Tradition holds that Laozi planted it with his own hands after his arrival, making it over 2,500 years old.

Like a benign elder, it moves through the seasons unhurriedly. While elsewhere ginkgo leaves fall and return to the earth, this tree slowly transitions from green to gold bit by bit, becoming a stunning sight beneath Zhongnan Mountain.

This is a tree without growth rings. In the 1960s, a fire hollowed out its heart, yet with tenacious resilience it survives on nutrients drawn through just a few thick strips of bark. Every year it bursts into fresh green, and when late autumn comes, its crown is a blaze of pure gold – breathtaking beauty at its zenith!

Yuhuang Temple in Liuba – 4,000 Years Old

With rolling green hills clearly visible behind, and under a clear sky where blue and white clouds are never absent, the sky is a pristine wash of blue. Golden sunlight hangs high above the mountain ridges, shining through the tall form of the ginkgo tree, casting its light upon the ancient, tranquil figure – serene and time-honored. This is the thousand-year-old ginkgo at Yuhuang Temple in Liuba County, Hanzhong.

Yellow has since ancient times symbolized nobility. This ginkgo tree, with a history of 4,000 years, unfolds its splendor year after year as autumn arrives – pure and absolute, like a noble prince with an upright, graceful bearing. When autumn winds rise and leaves fall, in that turning and fading of gold, thousands of years of worldly changes and vicissitudes are woven into the sublime beauty of nature...

Xianguo Temple is located in Sanjiaodian Village, Xichahe Town. Its main hall houses statues of Sakyamuni, Laozi, and Confucius – uniting Buddhism, Taoism, and Confucianism. This beautiful ginkgo tree stands quietly in front of the temple.

Every golden autumn, the entire tree blazes like a flock of brilliant butterflies. When the leaves fall, they spread a golden carpet over the ground, creating a dreamy, multicolored scene steeped in ancient mystery. The old ginkgo accompanies the old temple, and the temple keeps the tree company – each enhancing the other’s beauty.

Standing here, calm your mind and feel. Pick up a fallen ginkgo leaf, hold it in your hands, and study it closely. Slowly trace the veins with your fingers, feeling that unique soft texture. Can you sense, within those veins, the warmth that travels through time? When the gold covers the ground, it’s like a dream – as if you’re in a fairyland.

Wuzhangyuan Zhuge Liang Temple

During the Three Kingdoms period, Zhuge Liang stationed his troops at Wuzhangyuan to confront Sima Yi. Later, exhausted from overwork, he died here. To commemorate him, people built the Zhuge Liang Temple, and thus Wuzhangyuan became famous throughout the world. Here, cultural relics and natural scenery complement each other beautifully, and the rich cultural significance draws visitors from far and wide.

On a crisp, clear autumn day, enter the Zhuge Liang Temple at Wuzhangyuan. Golden ginkgo leaves adorn the branches; along the paths, fallen dry leaves are scattered carelessly. Sunlight filters through the layered branches and leaves – look up along the light, and you’ll take in a view brimming with gold and romance. Look closely, and each leaf, teased by the wind, has its own posture and unique beauty.

Year after year, our love for the ginkgo is without reason. I remember as a child, when the ground was covered with fallen ginkgo leaves, I would plunge into that sea of gold, patiently selecting the most perfect leaf to press between the pages of a book, treasuring it carefully. When the leaf’s color faded and became thin, winter came, and we began to long for the next autumn...

Now is the best time to admire ginkgo trees. Due to the pandemic, following the principle of traveling nearby instead of far away, let’s explore the autumn colors right around us and discover the magic of the season together.

Friendly reminder: The pandemic situation remains serious. Before you go, please check the latest information from each scenic area, strictly follow their requirements, and take personal protective measures. If necessary, reduce non-essential travel.