Page 151 - An Overview of Penghu
P. 151
｜A marabutan in Tongliang｜
The tree stands on the shore of Tongliang in Baisha Village. Two hundred and forty
years ago, a ship was sunk by a typhoon when it was passing through the sea near
Tongliang. Lin Heng, a villager, picked up a marabutan seedling being washed ashore and
gave it to Lin Yao-chin, who planted it in front of the Tongliang Temple.
The seedling gradually became a tree with 28 branches with a diameter of more than 1
foot, hanging over an area of more than 661.16 m2 and allowing a whole brigade to rest
under its shade.
Honda Seiroku, a Japanese professor, was impressed by the marabutan and
considered it one of Japan's most grandiose trees. The marabutan also has a historical value
since it serves as the evidence that trees were growing everywhere in Penghu 300 years
ago.
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