Xi'an Autumn Ritual | City Full of Ginkgo

Every year, autumn in Chang'an
begins with the thousand-year-old ginkgo tree at Guanyin Temple.
The moment it dons its golden kasaya,
the entire city of Xi'an returns to the Prosperous Tang Dynasty.

But this year,
I encountered autumn earlier than the ginkgo,
in a Didi car heading to the temple.

The moment I pushed open the car door,
the sweet and fresh scent of osmanthus gently enveloped me.
On the back of the front seat,
that osmanthus pinwheel, gently turning with the wind,
was crushing the essence of autumn
into the flowing time.

As I was about to get off,
the driver handed me a matching scent card:
"May autumn stay with you a little longer."

So,
I walked into the temple with this wisp of osmanthus fragrance,
watching the thousand-year-old ginkgo spread out above the grey tiles.
Golden leaves and lingering osmanthus fragrance fell together.
In a trance,
I seemed to hear the autumn sounds of the Prosperous Tang Dynasty,
and saw the ginkgo leaves picked up by Li Bai
falling onto my shoulder.

✨Travel Tips:
▫️Best viewing period for ginkgo: Late October - Early November
▫️Remember to book your temple visit in advance.
▫️Didi osmanthus-scented cars are a random surprise.
▫️Scent cards are limited, encountering one is fate.

This autumn,
ginkgo defines Chang'an visually,
and osmanthus gently softens time with its scent.

Post by Max~Rivera | Oct 22, 2025