The Origin of Tree Planting Day
The Chinese Tree Planting Day was proposed by foresters such as Ling Daoyang, Han An, and Pei Yili in 1915. Initially, the date was set during the Qingming Festival each year. In 1928, the National Government changed the Tree Planting Day to March 12th to commemorate the third anniversary of Sun Yat-sen's death. After the founding of the People's Republic of China in 1979, the Sixth Session of the Fifth Standing Committee of the National People's Congress decided that March 12th would be the Tree Planting Day of our country, following Deng Xiaoping's proposal.Historical Background
In ancient China, there was a tradition of planting willows and trees during the Qingming Festival. The earliest recorded practice of planting trees along roads was initiated over 1,400 years ago by a man named Wei Xiaokuan from Shaanxi.According to the "Biographies" section of the "History of the Northern Dynasties" written by Li Yanshou of the Tang Dynasty, in the second year of the Western Wei Emperor's reign (552 AD), Wei Xiaokuan was awarded the title of Governor of Yongzhou for his military achievements. Since ancient times, mile markers have been placed every one li along the official roads, used to mark distances, similar to today's milestones. After taking office, Wei Xiaokuan noticed many shortcomings with the earthen markers. Due to wind and sun exposure, especially erosion from rain, they were prone to collapse and required frequent repairs, which not only increased the national expenses but also burdened the people with labor duties. It was time-consuming, laborious, and inconvenient. After investigation, Wei Xiaokuan issued an order to replace all the earthen markers in the jurisdiction of Yongzhou with a single locust tree. This not only maintained their function as markers and distance indicators but also provided shade and shelter for travelers, eliminating the need for repairs. This approach by Wei Xiaokuan was undoubtedly a major initiative that benefited the local people, reduced their burdens, and was beneficial to the country and its citizens.
The Significance of Tree Planting Day
Tree Planting Day is a holiday established according to legal provisions to promote the protection of trees and mobilize the public to participate in activities centered on afforestation. Depending on the duration, it can be divided into Tree Planting Day, Tree Planting Week, and Tree Planting Month, collectively known as the International Tree Planting Day. It aims to inspire people's enthusiasm for afforestation and raise awareness of the importance of environmental protection.Tree Planting Day is intended to advocate for the planting of trees, encourage people to cherish trees, and remind people to value trees. Trees play a vital role in human survival and the Earth's ecological environment.
Taking the example of data released by Yahoo on March 12, 2019, according to NASA satellite data, over the past 20 years, the green leaf area on the Earth's land surface has increased by 5% (equivalent to an area of about 550 million hectares, similar to the size of the Amazon rainforest). Among these, the two countries contributing the most are China and India, the world's first and second most populous nations, with China accounting for 25% and ranking first! In this process, Tree Planting Day, as an officially recognized environmental protection activity, has played an important role.
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