Arbor Day in China

Chinese mobile phone customers received the following broadcast text message today (both of the mobile phone companies in China are state-run, which makes text messages an extremely effective way for the government to inform The People):

国家林业局提醒您：今天是植树节，请您积极参与义务植树活动。

The National Forestry Office reminds you: Today is Tree Planting
day. Please energetically participate in voluntary tree planting activities.

Beyond the green-for-the-Olympics hysteria that resulted in a mountain being painted green, the Chinese government is quite seriously and realistically concerned with the destruction of China's forests and the spread of the Gobi desert. Ask any Beijinger about Arbor Day, and they will immediately mention the intense sand storms that sweep into the city because there is no significant forest between the desert and the city to stop the wind and sand.

This Chinese article about Arbor Day and the tension between economic development and forest protection also mentions that Arbor Day in China is the anniversary of Sun Yat-Sen's death. As the founder of the Republic of China in 1911, Sun Yat-Sen is known as the "Father of Modern China." Although his Nationalist Party later fought against the Communists and set up its own government on the island province of Taiwan under Chiang Kai-Shek (leading to the current issues of cross-straight relations, "One China" policy, etc...), Mao Tse-Dong believed in Sun Yat-Sen's political message and praised him for bringing China out of its feudal past. Thus, both Mainland China and Taiwan honor Sun Yat-Sen on the anniversary of his birth and death. Apparently, Sun Yat-Sen initiated the tradition of planting trees on a day in March back in 1915.

You'll be glad to know, Arbor Day was a gloriously clear blue sky day!