Title: A Living Legacy: The Ancient Ginkgo of Bangye-ri 🌳 Descend into the heart of Wonju, where the whispers of bygone eras rustle through the leaves of a living fossil - the Ginkgo Biloba tree of Bangye-ri. With an age counted in centuries, between 800 to 1,000 years, this timeless sentinel stands as a lush tapestry of history, its branches a sprawling embrace under which legends have grown.🍂 The Ginkgo, a native to the East, found its Korean roots during the flourishing eras of Confucianism and Buddhism. Its adoption quickly spread across pavilions and tree-lined avenues, a testament to its autumnal beauty and resolute stance against blight and harmful insects. 🍃 The Bangye-ri Ginkgo is not just a tree, but a storyteller. Its boughs, though majestic, bear the tales of time, some gently supported by struts against the wearying years. With every rustle, it recounts lore of a bygone villager from the Seongju Lee clan, its leaves whisper the tale of a monk whose cane sprouted into this now colossal tree, and in the quiet rustle, you might just hear about the white serpent believed to reside within its gnarly roots, turning the autumn leaves to gold, heralding a bountiful harvest. 🐍 The villagers revere this ancient arboreal sage, a sacred emblem intertwined with hope, belief, and the cultural essence of the region. This awe-inspiring Ginkgo has not only weathered storms but has become a natural monument, its existence a gentle, yet profound narrative of the folk culture in Bangye-ri. 🌿 As you stroll under its leafy canopy, let the golden foliage of autumn whisk you into tales as old as the tree itself. #GinkgoTree #KoreanHeritage #autumnfoliage #southkorea