The Flying Pine of Mohe

The Flying Pine of Mohe

About 200 meters north of the roadside, 10 kilometers from Arctic Village, stands a majestic Siberian pine. It is tall and proud, with deep-colored bark, a naturally neat crown, evenly spaced branches, and an elegant, solitary presence that commands attention.

There are many speculations about the origin of this pine. Some say it grew naturally from seeds accidentally dropped by Evenki hunters during a hunting trip; others believe it was part of a research project planted by the Forestry Science Institute of the Yaksha Forestry Management Bureau; some suggest it was dispersed through the droppings of migratory birds; others claim it was washed down from Russia during the great flood of the Heilongjiang River in 1958; and there are also those who say it’s part of the island-like distribution of Siberian pines. The theories vary and no consensus has been reached.

But whatever the truth may be, this robust, graceful, and lush green tree, standing alone in the vast forest sea, is truly a unique and outstanding "visitor from the heavens" in the Greater Khingan Mountains. The people of Mohe have given it a beautiful name: the “Flying Pine.”

Beautiful as the name is, and magical as the tale may sound, we prefer to believe it is the result of a legendary story among Mohe’s gold miners.