Ginkgo Leaf – brooch

This leaf comes from a ginkgo tree growing on the grounds of a Taoist temple on QingCheng Mountain in Sichuan, China. It is the sacred birthplace of Taoism. The tree itself, though located in an alley next to the temple, is surrounded by an ornate fence and adorned with numerous red ribbons – wishes and requests for blessings from the tree’s visitors. Ginkgo trees have two sexes, and the one held in such high esteem in the temple is female. This mighty tree is 900 years old and fills the space with peace and harmony, like a sacred mother tree. I was fortunate enough to be there and collect this leaf, which the mother tree dropped at my feet. I brought it home to preserve its perfect shape in silver, infusing gold into its surface. A red ribbon is attached to the stem – a request for the mother tree’s blessing.

Materials: 925 sterling silver, 24k gold, ribbon

Dimensions: 3.5 cm x 6 cm

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