Have you seen those breathtaking aerial photos of a solitary ginkgo tree in a courtyard, its leaves creating a perfect golden carpet of fallen leaves? This isn't just any tree—it's a 1,400-year-old living witness to history, standing tall within the walls of China's Gu Guanyin Buddhist Temple.

While its stunning autumn transformation goes viral online each year, the story behind this magnificent being remains largely unknown to Western audiences. Why was this particular tree planted at this particular temple? Could it really have been placed there by Emperor Taizong himself, one of China's most celebrated rulers? Why are ginkgo trees so special?

Join us as we unravel the mysteries of this famous ginkgo tree and explore its remarkable connection to the golden age of the Tang Dynasty.

Guests
Professor Ruihong Di
Northwest University
Xi'an, Shaanxi Province, China

Peter Del Tredici
Urban Ecologist and Botanist
Arnold Arboretum of Harvard University
Boston, MA
Wild Urban Plants of the Northeast: A Field Guide

Reader
Wiley Wang
Machine Intelligence Engineer
Palm Springs, CA
"Traditional Folk Tale of Gu Guanyin Temple" edited by Doug Still

Music
"Farewell at the Yangguan Pass," traditional, Tang Dynasty
Xiao-zhong Wu soloist
People's Association Chinese Orchestra
1992 Yellow River

Other References
The Ruler's Guide: China's Greatest Emperor and His Timeless Secrets of Success, Chinghua Tang, Scribner, 2017.

Ginkgo: The Tree That Time Forgot, Peter Crane, Yale University Press, 2013.

Photo Credit
FlyOverChina, Xinhua News Agency

Theme Music
Diccon Lee, www.deeleetree.com

Artwork
Dahn Hiuni, www.dahnhiuni.com/home

Website
thisoldtree.show
Transcripts available.

Follow on
Facebook or Instagram

We want to hear about the favorite tree in your life! To submit a ~4 or 5 minute audio story for consideration for an upcoming episode of "Tree Story Shorts" on This Old Tree, record the story on your phone’s voice memo app and email to:
doug@thisoldtree.net

This episode was written in part at LitArts RI, a community organization and co-working space that supports Rhode Island's creators.
litartsri.org

Welcome to the fourth edition of "Tree Story Shorts" on This Old Tree, where guests get to tell their own tree stories! Salacious pepper trees, historic oaks, a tree named after a Marvel character, a beech tree's farewell at a college reunion, big tree hunters, an old growth tulip poplar in Queens, a neighborhood ash tree in Amsterdam, and the largest tree at Kew Gardens - this episode has it all. Listen to what people have to say about the trees that inspire them.

Guests
Stephanie Carrie
Screenwriter, Sketch Writer, Comedian
Los Angeles, CA
Trees of LA @treesofla (Instagram)
https://www.stephaniecarrie.me/

Denise Lewis
Masters Student, Urban Forestry
UMASS Amherst
Amherst, MA

Devi Lakhia
Student, The Learning Center
Goa, India

Fred Breglia
Executive Director, The Landis Arboretum
Ancient Forests and Champion Trees (Facebook)
Big Tree Hunters (Instagram)

Ellen Cliggott
Freelance Content Marketing Writer and Editor
LinkedIn Profile
Barnstable, MA

Magali Duzant
Artist and Writer
Website
A Tree Grows in Queens

Nadina Galle
Ecological Engineer, Technologist, Writer, Speaker
Website
The Nature of Our Cities
The Netherlands and Canada

Mark Johnston
Arborist, Urban Forester, Consultant, Professor, Author
Website
Planting Ideas in the Urban Forest: Autobiography of a Tree Expert
Belfast, Northern Ireland, UK

Theme Music
Diccon Lee, www.deeleetree.com

Artwork
Dahn Hiuni, www.dahnhiuni.com/home

Website
thisoldtree.show
Transcripts available.

Follow on
Facebook or Instagram

We want to hear about the favorite tree in your life! To submit a ~4 or 5 minute audio story for consideration for an upcoming episode of "Tree Story Shorts" on This Old Tree, record the story on your phone’s voice memo app and email to:
doug@thisoldtree.net

This episode was written in part at LitArts RI, a community organization and co-working space that supports Rhode Island's creators.
litartsri.org

Meet Kabirvad, a 500 yr-old, 4 acre banyan tree in the heart of Gujarat, India. The spectacular tree is a national treasure associated with Saint Kabir, a 15th century mystic poet known for his timeless poetry. He challenged institutions, religions and social convention. Who was he, and how is his legend tied to a banyan tree? Journey to India to learn about Kabirvad. In understanding the tree, you may find the essence of Kabir himself.

Guests
Prof. Srinivas Reddy
Guest Professor, Humanities
Indian Institute of Technology
Gandhinagar, India
Author, Illuminating Worlds: An Anthology of Classical Indian Literature
Sankalpana

Dr. Linda Hess
Professor Emerita, Stanford University
Linda-Hess.com
Bodies of Song: Kabir Oral Traditions and Performative Worlds in North India

Ronak Kevadiya
Range Forest Officer
Forest and Environment Office, Govt. of Gujarat
Bharuch, India

Dr. Vikrant Jain
Professor, Earth Sciences
Indian Institute of Technology
Gandhinagar, India

Short Kabir Interviews
Abhia Lakhia
Jayraj Bhatt
Anuja Bhatt
Dr. Sudhanshu Sharma
Kabeer Jesusa

Kabir Poems Reader
Gairik Sachdeva
Cambridge, MA
Lineages of Innovations (Substack)

Kabir poems translated and provided by Linda Hess

Music
Raga Ahiri, performed by Srinivas Reddy (sitar), Rajiv Bhatt (tabla) and Sameer Sahasrabuddhe (tabla)

Other References
Burn Down Your House: Provocations from Kabir, Shabnam Virmani
Gods, Wasps and Stranglers: The Secret History and Redemptive Future of Fig Trees, Michael Shanahan

Additional thanks to
Dr. Paula Richman and Dr. Michael Fisher for sharing their knowledge and resources on India.

Lisa Rodriguez at Osco Pharmacy, for providing all of the vaccinations I needed

Theme Music
Diccon Lee, www.deeleetree.com

Artwork
Dahn Hiuni, www.dahnhiuni.com/home

Website
thisoldtree.show
Transcripts available.

Follow on
Facebook or Instagram

We want to hear about the favorite tree in your life! To submit a ~4 or 5 minute audio story for consideration for an upcoming episode of "Tree Story Shorts" on This Old Tree, record the story on your phone’s voice memo app and email to:
doug@thisoldtree.net

This episode was written in part at LitArts RI, a community organization and co-working space that supports Rhode Island's creators.
litartsri.org