The Millennium-old Ginkgo Trees Planted by Tao Kan Himself

The twin ginkgo trees standing at the gate of the Confucian Temple were, according to historical documents, personally planted by Tao Kan, grandfather of Tao Yuanming. Tao Kan (259–334 AD) was a distinguished minister of the Western Jin Dynasty and once held official office in Wugang. Having weathered more than 1,700 years of vicissitudes, the surviving tree still thrives vibrantly. In March 2009, the Wugang municipal government carried out conservation and restoration work on this ancient tree.

A lush, verdant ginkgo tree stands before the Confucian Temple, with a history stretching over 1,700 years. It originally grew inside the temple compound, yet the temple’s main gate was moved inward by five meters during a renovation project, leaving the ginkgo outside the enclosing wall. Ginkgoes are commonly known as white-fruit trees. There were once two specimens in total. In July 1965, the west-facing tree was struck by lightning amid violent thunderstorms and perished completely. The east-facing tree also suffered a disaster in April 1979, its trunk snapped by gale-force winds. Fortunately, a single branch survived the catastrophe and remains lush green and full of vitality to this day.

This ancient ginkgo carries a legendary origin. Folklore tells of a young scholar surnamed Bai who topped the imperial examination and claimed to hail from Wugang, residing at the Confucian Temple. Yet officials could find no record of such a person. Shortly afterward, two towering ginkgo trees sprouted within the temple grounds. The imperial court therefore conferred the title of top scholar upon the mysterious Master Bai and ceased inquiries into the whereabouts and seclusion of the genuine examination champion. The tale of Master Bai transforming into ginkgo trees has been passed down through generations.

Historical research, however, confirms the two ginkgoes were planted by Tao Kan during the Western Jin Dynasty. Tao Kan, grandfather of the great Eastern Jin poet Tao Yuanming, selected this plot as the site for a local Confucian academy during his tenure as magistrate of Wugang. Inspired by a line from Zhuangzi — “Confucius wandered the forest of black curtains and rested upon an apricot altar” — he planted the pair of ginkgoes inside the academy compound.

Generations of poets composed verses in praise of the twin ginkgoes, among which Ode to the Twin Ginkgoes by Pan Yingxing, a poet active at the turn of the late Ming and early Qing dynasties, remains the most widely circulated:

The unique historical, cultural and scenic value of this ancient ginkgo adds an extraordinary highlight to the Confucian Temple.