Citizens of Japan and China once again joined hands to plant cherry trees in the Turtle Head Isle of Wuxi, Jiangsu province, for the 30th consecutive year on March 28, a symbol of friendship between the two nations.
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A total of 40 cherry blossom trees are newly planted in the Cherry Blossom Valley of Turtle Head Isle this year. [Photo provided to China Daily] |
Groups of private citizens and NGO workers from Japan have been travelling to Wuxi to plant the trees as a gesture of peace and solidarity since 1988. Cherry trees, with their beautiful but fleeting blossom that blooms for just a few days each year, are one of the symbols of Japan, and the flowering trees are also hugely popular in China.
The trips to plant the trees at Wuxi's Turtle Head Isle have grown larger and more elaborate over the years. The 1,176-strong group that crossed the East China Sea in 1990 was the largest Japanese NGO delegation ever to visit China at the time.
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Officials of both Chinese and Japanese side take a group photo in front of the newly placed commemorative stele marking the 30th anniversary of the cherry plantation. [Photo provided to China Daily] |
This year, a commemorative stele was placed to mark the 30th anniversary of the cherry plantation. Together, the Chinese and Japanese delegations planted 40 cherry blossom trees, each marked with a serial number and hung with a wooden plaque extolling friendly wishes.
To date, Japanese friends have donated more than 15,000 saplings to the scenic spot, which make up roughly half of Turtle Head Isle's beautiful landscape of more than 30,000 cherry trees.
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A wooden board extolling the hope for long time of peace hangs on a tree branch during the 2017 Wuxi International Cheery Blossom Week in Turtle Head Isle, Wuxi. [Photo provided to China Daily] |
Since 2014, the event has been upgraded into a wider exchange project covering folk culture, tourism and economic cooperation, under the name Wuxi International Cherry Blossom Week.
The organizers hope the symbol of friendly relations between the two countries will continue to blossom over the coming years.
