The Third Branch's transplanted bayberry tree initiative

2011-12-23

Over the past five or six days, Dean Taiji has been preparing to head to a new position. Before leaving, he and Dean Xintao organized a collective effort to transplant yangmei trees! The first two days involved moving two large yangmei trees from a winding, low-lying vegetable plot to a higher area near the main building. It was the first time I’d seen a tree being transplanted—quite exciting! Don’t be fooled by the trees’ modest size; they were heavy to move. The Celestials all jumped in, shouting slogans as they pushed, lifted, and carried the trees—what a spectacular scene! Unfortunately, the photos from the first day couldn’t be exported due to a lack of a transfer cable, but here are some from the following days to share with you all.

The most fun part was on the second day when we made a wooden cart. Celestial Shenyin sat on the tree trunk to help keep balance as everyone pushed the yangmei trees over one hill after another, chanting "Heave-ho!" The energy was palpable, and the scene was truly touching! It made me feel like the Celestials are little Transformers, combined with big Transformers—haha! Just a few trees, and we’re determined to plant them as if it’s the most important task ever!

Alright, enough talk—here are the photos!