A cypress tree in the garden of Jinci Temple is believed to be approximately 3,000 years old — dating to the Zhou dynasty and making it one of the oldest living trees in northern China. The tree is large, gnarled, and leaning at an angle that has been arrested by a stone prop, and its continued existence is treated as a point of local pride and historical continuity. Whether the dating is precise or approximate, the tree is manifestly ancient — the girth, the texture of the bark, and the contorted branching that takes centuries to develop all speak for themselves.
The cypress is marked with a small stele and is typically the object of respectful attention from Chinese visitors, who touch the trunk and photograph it as part of the ritual of visiting Jinci. The surrounding garden is planted with other old trees, but none approaches the age or character of the main cypress.