Ginkgo Tree of Daejeon-ri, Cheongdo

Basic information

Designation

Natural Monument No.301

Category

동식물

Designated year

1982

Location

청도군, 경상북도— 경북 청도군 이서면 대전리 638외 2필

Coordinates

35.659037, 128.633773

A ginkgo tree can be as old as a fossil. Distributed in Japan, China, and Korea, the tree was introduced along with Confucianism and Buddhism from China. The tree has beautiful leaves in autumn, undamaged by harmful insects, and provides large, cool shade. Therefore, it is planted often as arbor or roadside tree. The ginkgo tree of Daejeon-ri, Cheongdo is presumed to be about 400, with height of about 30.4m and girth of 8.8m. According to legend, 1,300 years ago, there was a well where this ginkgo tree currently stands. A Buddhist priest tried to drink water but fell into the well. Later, a woman tried to drink water, but she, too, fell into the well. She had a ginkgo nut, which grew into this ginkgo tree. In another story, at the end of the Silla Dynasty, this ginkgo tree formed the boundary of the Kingdom. The villagers believed that they would have a rich harvest when the leaves of the ginkgo tree fell all at once. Since the ginkgo tree of Daejeon-ri, Cheongdo is biologically valuable and has been preserved well by our ancestors for a long time, it is designated and protected as a Natural Monument.

Location