Published : 2025-03-12
On March 12, 1979 was the first Arbor Day of the People's Republic of China (PRC).
Chinese people have always had the custom of planting trees around the Ching Ming Festival, or the Tomb Sweeping Day, with records of encouraging tree planting dating back to the Spring and Autumn Period.
The term "Arbor Day" first appeared in 1915, stemming from the initiative of Sun Yat-sen (孫中山), one of the pioneers of modern China in advocating tree planting and afforestation.
At that time, Ching Ming Festival was designated as Arbor Day.
In April 1928, the then National Government issued a nationwide order designating March 12, the anniversary of Sun Yat-sen's death, as Arbor Day.
After the founding of PRC, Arbor Day was not revived until 1979.
At the 6th session of the 5th National People's Congress Standing Committee in February of that year, at the suggestion of Deng Xiaoping (鄧小平), March 12 was decided designated as Arbor Day to mobilise people of all ethnic groups across the country to plant trees and speed up greening.
It is said that designating the anniversary of Sun Yat-sen's death as Arbor Day is meant to honour his great achievements and symbolise the fulfilment of the unachieved wishes of him during his lifetime.
