On May 26,1983, the standing committee of the ninth NPC of Chengdu decided to choose the ginkgo as its city tree.
The ginkgo tree is a precious ancient tree of Chengdu. According to a survey, the city now has over 600 ginkgo trees, the largest one is inside the courtyard of the Chengdu Real Estate Co. located on Tidu Street. It is 157 centimeters in diameter, with a history of over 500 years. There are also some ancient ginkgo trees in the forest gardens in the suburbs. On the Qingcheng Mountain of the Dujiang Dam City, there stands a large ginkgo tree, which could only be encircled by five people hand in hand. It is said to be planted by Master Zhang of a Taoist sect, and has a history of over 2,000 years. Ginkgo trees grow strong, with thick trunks and beautifully-shaped cap; its leaves are in the shape of butterfly, and turn yellow in the autumn. Its fruits are also a good tonic.