Bo Trees

Several Ficus religiosa trees were planted in the Dai tea gardens that I visited in Yunnan, China (see Sharing a Ride). Clearly of great cultural and spiritual importance, these trees were tended with special care. They were individually fenced to keep the animals away from them, some trees had small altars for leaving offerings and were wrapped with strips of saffron cloth, and one or two even had their own mala.

Ficus religiosa, or "bo", or "pipul", or "bodhi" trees have a special aura about them because of something that happened 2,500 years ago in Bodh Gaya, India.  Click here for more about the events at Bodh Gaya.