Recently, a message from netizen Xiao Zou successfully attracted the attention of a Suzhou reporter, and a hundred-year-old beauty tea in a Suzhou garden actually acted with Lin Daiyu! Sounds so much fun!
In the season when everything is withering, a tea tree in more than 130 years old quietly blooms on the Yellowstone rockery in the coupling garden.
This tree is not small. In a scene in the 87th edition of "Dream of the Red Chamber", she and Lin Daiyu co-starred in the "Burial Flower" bridge section; the coupling garden loved her very much, and after several repairs, she never touched a single cent.
Compared with thirty-five years ago, the appearance of the coupling garden is very different, but the 100-year-old camellia is still as beautiful as ever. She is like a pair of historical eyes, witnessing the development and change of the coupling garden, and achieving a "long-lasting love affair" between ancient trees and gardens.
Camellia Ancient Tree starred in "Dream of the Red Chamber", is it anecdotal rumor, or is it a real thing? After getting this source, the reporter shared with the Suzhou tree search network red "Half Yuanjun" for the first time, she told the Suzhou reporter that she had indeed heard this good story, this low-key "beauty tea" has a history of 130 years, is a rare ancient tree camellia in Suzhou gardens, it is worth finding!
Stills from the 87th edition of "Dream of the Red Chamber"
The reporter then revisited the 87 version of "Dream of the Red Chamber" and found the picture of the ancient tree of camellia in the coupling garden in the 12th episode. With this video data, the reporter embarked on this tree hunting trip.
Take Metro Line 1 and come out of Xiangmen Subway Station and there will be a slight drizzle in the sky. Stroll around gusu city, look for trees in the rain, and continue the "red" edge. Such an experience is rare.
Walking along Cangjie Street to the Coupling Garden, I asked several citizens in a row, all of whom said that they had never heard the story of this tree. This "beauty" has become more and more "mysterious", and the reporter's fighting spirit of "searching" has become more and more intense.
Speed up the pace, from the Small New Bridge Lane of Cangjie Street into the coupling garden, one into the shadow double mountain, the second into the wine hall, bypassing the vulgar yunxuan, still do not see the trace of camellia trees. The reporter asked for help from the green workers in front of him, and Grandpa waved his arm directly to the east side of the corridor. There are eyebrows!
Bypassing the corridor, the delicacy in front of you suddenly opened up. Standing under the porch of the East Garden, the Yellowstone Rockery, which was praised by Mr. Pei, came into view. On the steep stacked rocks, the trees are verdant, but there is only one tree that is blooming brightly. Presumably this is the "mysterious beauty" I am looking for? Compare the photos in your hand, the surrounding stacked stones, the color of the petals, like!
Under the tree, the reporter met the "netizen" who broke the news, Zou Qiang, the leader of the coupling garden tree team, who told the reporter that this tree is the camellia tree in the "Dream of the Red Chamber" that I am looking for.
At this time, the camellia tree in front of her was blooming fragrantly, and she was also particularly shy with rain and dew, which had a bit of Lin Daiyu's charm. Looking closer, there is a protective nameplate of ancient trees hanging on the tree, which reads: Protection level two, tree age of more than 130 years, number 006...
According to historical records, camellia has long been cultivated in Suzhou and has always been the main plant in the garden. Zou Qiang told reporters that this camellia tree is a "small net red" in the coupling garden, "when the flowers bloom, someone will come to punch the card to take pictures, and more calligraphy enthusiasts will splash ink under the tree." "The most exquisite Su-style life is probably like this!
Photography / Shen Jianliang
Since coming to work in the coupling garden in 2017, Zou Qiang has become the guardian messenger of this tree. As the person who knows the tree best, he confirmed with the reporter, "In the bridge section of the 87th edition of the "Dream of the Red Chamber" Dai Yu funeral flower, she picked it up and held it in the palm of her hand to watch a small camellia flower from this tree! ”
87 edition of "Dream of the Red Chamber"
The staff who were fiddling with the bonsai on the side also revealed to reporters, "It is rumored that when the film crew of "Dream of the Red Chamber" was filming in the coupling garden, it was when the camellia flowers were blooming, and the red color was colorful and extremely impressive. Coupled with its delicate color, it is very suitable for display on the screen, so in a scene where Dai Yu picks up the falling flowers, she chooses camellias. I never thought that there was such a wonderful fate between the two "beauties"!
The reporter noted that the surrounding environment of this camellia tree is special, under the tree is a valuable Huangshan artificial stone, and around the tree is a group of ancient trees. Less than two or three meters to its right, there is a hundred-year-old boxwood, and the branches of the two are interspersed and seem to be somewhat crowded.
As the "coordinator" of ancient trees, Zou Qiang told reporters that in view of the growth of trees, the coupling garden will prune the dead branches of the inner chamber for these two ancient trees every year, cut off the old and weak and sick branches, and reasonably retract the long branches. The two "immortal trees" have been together for a hundred years, harmonious and symbiotic! interesting!
Today, compared with the coupling garden when the 87th edition of "Dream of the Red Chamber" was filmed, the scene around the camellia trees at this time has changed a lot. But this camellia tree is there, standing for 130 years, without being passive.
Mei Tongsen, deputy director of the Suzhou Coupling Garden Management Office, told reporters that in the process of garden repair, the protection of ancient trees and famous trees is the top priority in the work, "The coupling garden has always adhered to the principle of 'ancient tree first' construction, and never transplanted ancient trees for the sake of landscaping." ”
In his opinion, the garden can be restored, but the ancient tree cannot be regenerated. Ancient tree protection is of great significance to garden protection, the relationship between the two is inseparable, "ancient trees are a pair of historical eyes, witnessing the development and change of Suzhou gardens, I hope that when you come to the garden to play, more to appreciate and understand our ancient trees." Mei Tongsen said.
The reporter learned that according to the growth site, Suzhou's ancient trees and famous trees are distributed in garden parks and scenic spots and historical sites, and there are currently more than 330 ancient trees and famous trees in Suzhou gardens.
How to protect, manage and make good use of this precious priceless treasure in the garden is a long way to go.
In recent years, the Suzhou Municipal Landscape and Greening Administration attaches great importance to the protection and management of ancient trees and famous trees, on the one hand, improve the dynamic monitoring system of ancient trees, regularly monitor and track the growth environment, growth, protection status of ancient trees and famous trees, and implement regular reports; on the other hand, it has carried out seminars many times, and invited experts in ancient trees and famous trees to conduct regular consultations for trees, discuss the status quo and existing problems of the protection of ancient trees and famous trees, and summarize Suzhou's experience. Editor: Li Junfeng (New Media Operator, Senior Photographer)