The Qin Cypress

The Qin Cypress grows on Cypress Ridge in Xihuan Village, 15 kilometres southwest of Jiexiu City. According to legend, it was planted in the early Qin Dynasty, with a history of more than 2,200 years. Its root girth measures 16.7 metres, and the crown rises 16 metres high. The main trunk is 2.6 metres tall. At 1.5 metres above the ground, the trunk circumference reaches 11.8 metres, from which ten large branches stretch out. The average girth of each branch is 3.1 metres, and the thickest one is 4.75 metres around. The tree still flourishes with luxuriant evergreen foliage, casting shade over nearly 300 square metres. It is 1.8 metres thicker than the Xuanyuan Cypress in the Yellow Emperor’s Mausoleum in Shaanxi Province (10 metres in girth), ranking first among all cypress trees across the country. As a Class I ancient protected tree, it enjoys the reputation of "China’s No.1 Cypress".

Local residents recall that many buildings once surrounded the ancient tree, yet all were destroyed long ago. Therefore, villagers have always cherished this venerable tree. In the summer of 2001, a prolonged drought threatened the tree’s survival. Despite their own shortage of drinking water, the villagers of Xihuan Village spent four days hauling more than 200 truckloads of water up the hillside with three-wheeled vehicles to irrigate it.

In 2002, Song Weigui, a local rural entrepreneur from Jiexiu, invested 30 million yuan. Adhering to the principle of restoring antiquities to their original state, he reconstructed the historic buildings and planted tens of thousands of trees, including over ten thousand cypresses. A water tower was built beside the Qin Cypress to guarantee its water supply. Relying on this 2,200-year-old "China’s No.1 Cypress", the Qin Cypress Ridge Scenic Area at the foot of Mianshan Mountain officially opened to visitors.