When something inspires ...









A walk into the Divine Trees forest Qilan (Cilan), Yilan County, Taiwan
revealed an inner peace I had never felt before.

This photo is as I took it - in colour.

 David and I went on this trek as we were staying at the hostel at Mingchi (clear lake) higher up the mountainside.  After driving up the mountain that morning we were picked up by a small van and driven back down the mountain, turned inward then drove a different track back up and into the forest proper. This was where we met our teacher and trekked through the forest for about two hours. Our teacher was distraught that we could not speak Mandarin and he no English ... we got on very well though and managed to allay his fears that it would all come to naught.





 



Stairways in and out of the forest.







Rest area.




David and I were with this couple and our teacher. Even though we could not understand mandarin we certainly got a feel for the love our teacher had for the forest and the Divine Trees. The lass here knew a spattering of English words but we got by with lots of "okay, okay" and "beautiful".

I felt very safe and at peace with myself in this place.
I am grateful for the experience as I have taken this feeling away with me
all the way to another island in the antipodes.





At each Divine Tree there was an information board.
Each tree is named after a prominent figure from Chinese history.
In this case an ancient Chinese writer Szuma Chien.

Divine Tree No. 5 is 2158 years old.
I cannot explain the feelings we both had walking with trees this old.




Underneath this umbrella which stands about a foot high is this:



What is it? I don't know.


A species of arum lilies, Penny says ... with another name "Jack in the Pulpit" ... I love it!




Comments

Penny said…
It is a species of arum lillies probably an ariesema (that spelling may be wrong!). lovely things I grow a relative in my garden here on Oz known locally as 'jack in the pulpit'. Lovely exotic plants.
May 30, 2013 at 12:04 PM
Gemma Black said…
Thank you Penny, I appreciate your help. There were many arum lilies growing wild in these mountains. I love the metaphor ... Jack in the Pulpit ... thank you!
May 30, 2013 at 12:19 PM
Fiona Dempster said…
What a beautiufl place and a wonderful walk - the photos were stunning, so restful and peaceful.
May 30, 2013 at 7:42 PM
Gemma Black said…
It was a very special place F.
May 31, 2013 at 7:52 PM
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