#pagoda tree

[druidinvirginia]

pagoda tree

[yuokiok]

[melaninsuperpower]

Zhou Jun Wallpaper ❤ liked on Polyvore (see more textured wallpapers)

[greatesttreesofnyc]

Japanese Pagoda Tree Boathouse, Prospect Park Brooklyn

Is this Japanese pagoda tree inhabited by a demon? I can fairly confidently answer that with a “no,” but the tree has some dark tales in its history. One is that in the 17th century, Emperor Chongzhen, the final Ming Dynasty emperor, hanged himself from such a tree when he lost his kingdom to the revolution. Since then, it’s been linked with legends of demonic possession.  

The pagoda tree was also long favored as a grave marker for Buddhist monks. When discovered growing out in the wild, it’s often by itself, flourishing with white flowers in late summer which can make it an eerie, seemingly unseasonable apparition. Despite the name, the Japanese pagoda tree originates in China, and is sometimes called a Chinese scholar tree. In Chinese, its name combines words for wood and demon, preserving the ghostly myth in its moniker. 

The Japanese pagoda tree alongside the Boathouse in Brooklyn’s Prospect Park is an impressive tree with broad boughs. According to NYC parks, it’s 86.1 feet tall. Since pagoda trees generally stand between 50 and 75 feet, this suggests it’s an old tree, but I unfortunately can’t find too much history on it. There are other pagoda trees in the city, such as at the recently revamped northern end of Union Square, as they’re tolerant of extreme weather and invasive pests. This pagoda tree happens to be next to two other Great Trees of NYC — the Camperdown elm and American hornbeam — which I’ll post about soon. I wonder if the park nominated the three so you could have a compact Great Tree tour right by the lovely Boathouse? 

Perhaps once those delicate white blooms flourish at the end of the summer, the pagoda tree will take on some of the phantasmagoric appearance that has contributed to its haunting legends.

[shellyn52]

Week 25: Pagoda Tree

We had a thirteen hour layover in Incheon, South Korea, so we decided to partake in their free Korea transit tour. Tours range anywhere between one to five hours long. We went on a five hour tour that took us to Gyeongbokgung (a royal palace built in the Joseon Dynasty), a Buddhist temple, and Insa-dong (a street lined with various shops and art galleries). 

Posted on Wednesday, 24 June 2015

[scientificillustration]

Plumeria rubra L. - Frangipani

From: Botanical Register, vol. 10: t. 780 (1824)

[two-steptolampslight]

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          This is a tune I wrote and recorded a couple weeks ago. I recorded it with a USB mic, an out of tune acoustic guitar, a keyboard and an old snare drum. When I began writing Pagoda Tree I had nothing particular in mind, but as I kept writing I realized how personal it really is. After finishing the recording I was uneasy about putting it up on bandcamp for people to listen to (seeing as most of my music sounds nothing like this song). But, later my friends and a few others gave me positive feed back. Being featured and reviewed on dingusonmusic.com surely made me glad I shared the song on bandcamp. Enjoy!