Rubber Mother Tree Scenic Area

　　Rubber is an important industrial material. The main rubber-producing regions in China are Hainan, Taiwan, Guangxi, and Yunnan, with Yunnan’s primary production area located in Xishuangbanna, covering over 1.3 million mu. Although Dehong is not a major production region—with just over 100,000 mu—it has made indelible historical contributions to China’s rubber cultivation history.

　　In 1940, Mr. Dao Airen, the 24th Tusi (local chieftain) of the Ganya Pacification Commission in Yingjiang, purchased 800 rubber seedlings during his trip back to China from Japan via Malaysia and planted them on Phoenix Mountain in Xincheng Township, Yingjiang. These were the first batch of rubber trees introduced to China—two years earlier than those in Taiwan and one year earlier than those in Hainan. Due to factors such as technology, management, and war, only three of these trees remained by the time of liberation. Later, two more died, leaving only one survivor, which has since been listed as one of China’s nationally protected key trees.

　　This tree stands over 20 meters tall, with a trunk circumference of more than 200 centimeters and a root diameter of over 90 centimeters. It is considered the longest-living, tallest-crowned, and largest-trunked rubber tree in China, hence earning the title of “China’s Rubber Mother Tree.” It holds significant value for science education, field research, and scientific study.