Facing west in the ancient town of Zhujiajiao, along National Highway 318 to the end of Dianfeng Bridge, there is a magnificent temple standing tall on the bank of Dianshan Lake with rippling waves. That is the lower house of Jade Buddha Temple in Shanghai-Baoguo Temple. The original site of Baoguo Temple is Guanwang Temple. It is also a famous ancient temple on the bank of Dianshan Lake. It was built in the Ming Dynasty and was rebuilt in the 13th year of Chongzhen of the Ming Dynasty (1640). A stone tablet dating from the Chongzhen period is still preserved in the temple. It was named "Guan Wang Temple" because it was dedicated to Guan Yu, the famous soldier of the Three Kingdoms.

More than a hundred years ago, there was a lot of incense in the Guanwang Temple, and Buddhist services were unprecedented. After several wars, most of the buildings were destroyed. By the late 1940s, only the east and west halls were left. There are two stone tablets in the hall and a large copper bell with a thumb-sized golden Amitabha on the bell. The golden Amitabha shines with golden light and is invaluable. It was later stolen. The copper bell was also destroyed in 1958. By this point, most of the Guanwang Temple was damaged and the incense was declining day by day. However, people have not forgotten the grand occasion of Guanwang Temple. An ancient ginkgo tree behind the temple is a witness to history.

This ancient ginkgo tree has a circumference of 6 meters, a height of 36.5 meters, and a crown diameter of 17 meters from east to west. After identification by relevant departments, the tree has a age of more than 1000 years. It was planted about five generations ago and is the oldest tree in Qingpu area.

The ancient tree is behind the front hall of Guanwang Temple and also between the newly built Guanyin Hall and Tianwang Hall of Baoguo Temple. I thought that Guanwang Temple was facing east and west to block the road. Looking at the map, I realized that the newly built Baoguo Temple and the old hall of Guanwang Temple were not facing north and south, but one was facing southeast and the other was southwest. In the past, ships heading for Shanghai from Suzhou, Kunshan and other places had to pass through Dianshan Lake and enter the blocking port. During the Ming and Qing Dynasties, flood soldiers were stationed in Guanwang Temple to patrol the lake. Because this ancient ginkgo tree is located at the intersection of Dianshan Lake and Lanlu Port, it was once used as a navigation mark to enter the port.

There is an ancient ginkgo tree in the courtyard of the temple. It looks like a giant umbrella and stands on the bank of Dianshan Lake. It has now been listed as a city-level cultural relic protection unit. It provides shade for believing men and women who go to the temple to visit incense, and is also available for tourists to watch.

A protective monument from the 1980s and the latest version of the protective plate are the identity plates of ancient trees, which are placed in front of the roots of the trees. The protection sign shows that the ancient tree has the protection number 0004 and is 1000 years old. It belongs to the first-level protection object. This ancient ginkgo tree with Shanghai ancient and famous tree number 0004 in Baoguo Temple is one of the eight existing thousand-year-old ginkgo trees in Shanghai.

In 1989, the management department expanded the Baoguo Temple, the lower house of the "Jade Buddha Temple", on the foundation of Guanwang Temple near the ancient tree, and built stone railings for the ancient tree. Since then, the towering thousand-year-old trees have been integrated with the towering temple buildings.

Baoguo Temple regards this thousand-year-old ginkgo tree as a "family heirloom"

There are many halls distributed in Baoguo Temple, including Tianwang Hall, Medicine Hall, Wealth Hall, Guanyin Hall, Shengzu Pagoda, Wuguan Hall, Tibetan Hall, and Quyi Academy.

I always feel that the ancient and vigorous tall ginkgo trees are extremely ornamental all year round. Whether it is the tender green tree in early spring, the green green in midsummer, or the black lines of dense branches in winter, only when the trees are full of golden color, they often attract people's attention more.

At present, the leaves of this thousand-year-old ginkgo tree are golden, and it seems that the best viewing period has passed. The golden ginkgo leaves cover a golden carpet.

The roots of the thousand-year-old ginkgo tree have some developed branches, which also have a bright golden color. Under the tree was a life-sized stone monk, and the sound of chanting was constantly played on a small loudspeaker beside it.

The statue of the monk under the ancient ginkgo tree is very artistic

Let's look at the tall, straight, majestic and vigorous No. 004 thousand-year-old ginkgo tree from all angles

The vitality of the thousand-year-old ancient tree is shocking.

The branches and leaves are luxuriant, and the golden leaves of the trees in autumn are another magnificent landscape.

There is a wide crack in the trunk behind the ancient tree, which can accommodate 2-3 people in the hollow space.

Despite the injury, the branches and leaves of the ancient tree are still very lush

The height of the stone statue in front of the ancient tree is slightly shorter than that of an adult. The comparison shows the thickness and tall and powerful trunk of the ancient tree.

Because the ancient tree is too tall, it is impossible to see the entire ancient tree closely. You can go to the corridor on the second floor of the main hall to see it.

The entire ancient tree can be photographed here

On the first floor, you can see the Hall of Kings opposite

Follow your photographer Xue's move, haha

The entire ancient tree can also be photographed on the second floor of the Hall of Kings

Address: No. 452 Dianfeng Village, Xidian Mountain Lake, Zhujiajiao Town, Qingpu District, Shanghai

Transportation: The nearest subway station on Line 17, Dongfang Luzhou Station, change buses or take a taxi

The best day to watch ancient ginkgo is around December 5