Once you decide to go, the hardest part is over. So just go for it, right? But during this late autumn season, if you’re thinking about getting out and exploring, where should you go? According to our reporter, as the season changes, a new wave of autumn appreciation has quietly begun. Changxing has now entered the prime viewing period for ginkgo trees, with over 30,000 native ginkgo trees in the scenic area having more than 80% of their leaves gradually turning yellow, displaying various hues. Where to enjoy autumn foliage? Naturally, it’s the Ten-Mile Ancient Ginkgo Avenue in Changxing.
Today, let our reporter give you a rundown of the top five reasons to visit the Ten-Mile Ancient Ginkgo Avenue in Changxing.
One: The Ten-Mile Ancient Ginkgo Avenue is a scenic route characterized by “primitiveness, wilderness, and uniqueness.” People praise it by saying, “You can travel the world, but it’s rare to see a ginkgo forest.” In other regions, ginkgo trees are regarded as “sacred trees” or “feng shui trees,” usually found standing alone in temples or at village entrances. Historically, countless scholars and artists have left behind numerous historical sites in Badu Border.
Two: The Ten-Mile Ancient Ginkgo Avenue boasts over 3,000 ancient ginkgo trees that are over 100 years old, and five that are over 1,000 years old. In terms of quantity, history, and cultural significance, it can truly be called the homeland of the world’s ginkgo trees.
Three: Here, you can not only admire the majestic beauty of ancient trees, but also enjoy tea, fishing, and explore serene surroundings. After visiting the ginkgo forest, don’t forget to take some ginkgo tea back with you. It’s a medicinal plant with a 5,000-year history and is a natural drink for those with cardiovascular conditions such as high blood pressure and high cholesterol.
Four: There is a rich variety of ginkgo trees here — fruit-bearing trees, round-fruited trees, conical-fruited trees, triangular-fruited trees, upright trees, grafted trees, “ten-thousand-yuan trees,” thousand-year-old trees, and hundred-year-old trees. It’s practically an open-air exhibition belt of wild ginkgo trees.
Five: Among them is a unique ginkgo tree known as the “Tree Cradling Its Child,” which is over 1,200 years old and still produces over 100 pounds of ginkgo seeds every year. In addition, Changxing’s “ginkgo potted plants” are distinctive and have won national awards.
Little Tips for Ginkgo Viewing
1. Traveling from Hangzhou to Changxing, take the Changshen Expressway (the Zhejiang section of the Hangzhou–Ningbo Expressway), then transfer to the Shanghai–Chongqing Expressway toward Guangde at the Changxing interchange. Exit at Changxing West, turn right onto the old National Highway 318, then turn left onto Huaxi Avenue. After turning right off the overpass, head toward S10 Provincial Road in Meishan direction. Pass through Xiaopu Town, and you’ll see a sign for the “Ten-Mile Ancient Ginkgo Avenue in Changxing/Badu Scenic Area.” It’s about a one-hour drive from there, and road conditions are very good.
2. Admission to the Changxing Ginkgo scenic area is free. The viewing period is short, generally in mid to late November each year. Please follow the official WeChat account of the Changxing Tourism Bureau (WeChat ID: cxtour) and its Sina Weibo (@Changxing Tourism Bureau) for the latest travel information.