This tree was apparently a very important tree that was 1000 years old and perfectly placed according to feng shui. I learnt that someone had tried to buy the tree and had offered 1 million rmb (£100,000) but even this sum had not secured it. Later the next day, driving past it, I saw a woman in the branches of the tree with a group of police cars parked around its base, a discussion between her and the authorities ensuing.