Ancient trees provide shade through generations

The Cuiyun Corridor is one of the best preserved sections of the Ancient Shu Roads in Sichuan province, and is lined with 20,973 ancient cypress trees, many of which are over 1,000 years old.

Among them, the oldest ancient cypress is thought to be 2,300 years old.

The Cuiyun Corridor and the Ancient Shu Roads are tree-lined transport routes that were built during the Qin Dynasty (221-206 BC), for travelers to use and to mark distances.

The ancient trees have been able to flourish for so long in the corridor due to protections that were first put in place in the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644), and that have been upheld to today.

"The endurance of these trees can be attributed to the generations of local people who have collectively safeguarded them for generations," said one local official.

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