The Cuiyun Corridor Scenic Area in Guangyuan, Sichuan province [Photo provided to cngy.gov.cn]

The Cuiyun Corridor, spanning 150 kilometers, is home to 7,803 ancient cypresses, making it the largest manmade ancient cypress forest in the world. But who planted these cypresses, and for what purpose?

Historically, the Cuiyun Corridor has undergone seven large-scale planting efforts. The first of these can be traced back to the Qin Dynasty (221-206 BC). The second major planting is closely associated with Zhang Fei, a renowned general from the late Eastern Han Dynasty (25-220) and the Three Kingdoms period (220-280).

During the Three Kingdoms era, Zhang Fei was stationed in what is now Langzhong city. Observing that soldiers frequently lost their way, he initiated the planting of trees along the post road.

This effort was a collaboration between the military and local civilians, who completed the task together. Not only did the trees act as signposts, they also provided much-needed shade for marching soldiers under the scorching sun and made journeys easier for merchants and local residents.

The cypresses planted under Zhang Fei's orders came to be known as "Zhang Fei Cypresses." To mark his contributions to planting and protecting these trees, local people erected a statue of Zhang Fei in the Cuiyun Corridor Scenic Area.