Stand at the Feet of History: Meet Me at the King Tree 與千年香樟樹王結緣：穿越時空的上海養雲安縵酒店體驗
A Soulful Retreat and Journey Through Centuries at Amanyangyun
English 英: Deborah Lau-Yu · Chinese 中：Translated by Ophelie C
Photography: Deborah Lau-Yu, Amanyangyun
As Featured in 2025 Fête Chinoise Design Annual
King Camphor Tree, also called the "King Tree".
Two wooden spoons at the well, for visitors to water the King Tree.
“I wish I could live for another 500 years.” These words are engraved in my heart forever.
I held my daughter’s hands as she steadily walked a wooden spoon of water to the foot of the King Camphor Tree. “King Tree,” she delightfully whispered as she poured the well water as an offering, with reverence and childlike wonder. The camphor tree stood in the heart of the central courtyard, the largest and most majestic of the ten thousand trees at Amanyangyun, with a weight of 80 tonnes and a trunk so thick, its circumference would take at least a dozen people to join hands in a circle to offer a full embrace. The King Tree has borne witness to time well before ours; estimated to be at least 1000 years old, it was alive when the Ming and Qing emperors ruled, and lived through regimes and changes that we can only read about in history books. What makes the tree’s story even more incredible is that where it firmly and majestically stands now is not where it spent most of its centuries-old lifetime: its roots were formed 700 kilometers away in rural Fuzhou, in China’s Jiangxi province.
人生匆匆數十載，站在這棵至少千年歷史的香樟樹王的樹蔭下，頓感人人不過是浩瀚歷史長流的過客，但可別小看每個人的力量！ 2002 年，一名上海企業家心痛家鄉撫州這棵千年樹王勢將隨着水壩建設永沉水底，於是合眾人之力將樹王、一萬餘棵香樟樹以及五十棟明清古宅的一磚一瓦，逐一遠遷至七百公里外的上海閔行區馬橋鎮重建，堪稱現代愚公移山！眾人說他太瘋癲？偏偏樹王也不負所望，捱過三年水土不服後，慢慢從光秃秃的枝頭長出嫩葉，目前佇立在上海養雲安縵酒店的中央庭院，為樹下遊人提供護蔭，以報這段人樹奇緣。
Known as a cultural heartland in the eastern region of Jiangxi, Fuzhou is characterised by camphor forests and historic villages. It is also known for being the birthplace of prominent historical figures such as Wang Anshi (prime minister) and Zeng Gong (an influential scholar and historian), both from the Song Dynasty, and Tang Xianzu, a great dramatist of the Ming Dynasty. In 2002, when plans for a much-needed reservoir were approved, the fate of the camphor forests, historic village homes and remnants of Old China seemed grim.
However, one Shanghai philanthropist, who was native to Fuzhou, felt overwhelmingly compelled to save the trees and structures that made his hometown so unique and irreplaceable. He was determined to prevent the destruction of these important pieces of Chinese history, citing that these trees (and homes) have been around since the Qin emperor, and survived centuries of battles and storms — he could not bear to see them buried into the sea or carved up into commercial root tables. Thus, he conceived a herculean plan to relocate 50 Ming- and Qing-dynasty villas and ten thousand of the camphor trees to Shanghai.
潮流興起「森林浴」以林木靈氣洗滌心靈，樹蔭下陽光穿透，的確給遊人一種穿越時空的靜謐感以至天地共融的清淨感，畢竟這棵千年樹王本具一份沉穩的氣度。它經歷過我們只能從歷史書讀過的明朝和清朝朝代更迭，默默見證一代又一代的滄海桑田。原居地江西撫州更是贛東文化中心，宋朝太傅王安石和政治及文學家曾鞏均生於此地，在「唐宋八大家」中獨佔二人，明末絕代戲曲才子湯顯祖也是撫州人，如此人才輩出，足證人傑地靈。然而千禧年代因水壩建設令樹王以至附近明清古宅村落幾近沒頂，但有人就有辦法！
His perseverance prevailed. Requiring the expertise and labour of hundreds of people, including engineers, excavators, transport teams, architects, biologists, and others, the plan was nothing short of monumental. During transport, the crews would encounter tough situations: rain storms toppled trucks carrying the uprooted trees, which would require several cranes to lift the enormously large-and-yet-fragile giants back on track. Some built structures at border crossings and tolls were too small and had to be dismantled in order for the transport trucks strapped with the massive trees to continue along the highway. Documented by some old technology from the early turn of the millennium, the very raw and choppy footage of the process shows the harsh conditions that were endured. The sheer effort that went into saving the ancestral relics and ancient trees, and without guarantee of success, is truly moving.
Every tree was then carefully replanted in the Maqiao town in the Minhang District, an hour’s drive from Shanghai’s city centre, oriented in the same direction as how they once stood, to give them the best chance at survival.
這個由上海企業家與運輸隊、建築師、工程師、生物學家等數百人組成的專業團隊眾志成城，克服種種困難：暴雨令卡車翻車，要用幾台起重機才能將這棵重達八十噸的巨木吊回原位；公路收費站要拆除才能讓樹王通行；將古宅一磚一瓦編號再組裝；致力確保樹王重植的方向與原居地一致，以減少適應難度等等，紀錄片將昔日團隊一幕幕血汗辛酸史重現賓客眼前之際，大家都被這一份不屈不撓的堅持所感動，開始相信：只要有夢想，凡事可成真！
It took almost three years before the robust and oddly bare trees would show signs of green leaves once more, fully turning a new leaf into their next century on earth. As the trees began to flourish in their new home, the centuries-old villas were being given new life too, though without any formal plan for how they might be inhabited or used. They were carefully reassembled, timbre by timbre, ancient brick by ancient brick.
In 2009, Aman Resorts, led by visionary hotelier Adrian Zecha at the time, began collaborating with the passionate philanthropist on the significant and sensitive restoration project, and envisioned the future of these historic marvels: Amanyangyun. Known for his minimalist and environmentally sensitive approach to luxury hospitality, Zecha who is Indonesian with Peranakan Chinese and Bohemium heritage, founded Aman Resorts in 1988, revolutionizing vacation experiences with unexpected experiences, elegance and a boutique approach to accommodations. Amanyangyun is a combination of ‘Aman’ with the words ‘nourish’ and ‘cloud,’ alluding to the design focus of preserving the surrounding landscape and heritage, the tranquil contemplation gardens that surround all the villas and courtyards, and the millenia-old trees that reach into the skies. He was impressed by the ancient buildings and uniqueness for an Aman experience, and it became the group’s first property in Shanghai and fourth in the country.
皇天不負有心人， 2009 年，國際酒店集團安縵度假村創辦人 Adrian Zecha 看中這裏與其極簡主義和奢華環保哲學不謀而合，決定加入共同打造上海養雲安縵酒店，成就了酒店業界的歷史奇蹟！ Adrian Zecha 是一名擁有土生華人和波希米亞血統的印尼人，安縵旗下酒店以提供意想不到的度假體驗而聞名，上海這度假村特別之處，顧名思義，養雲，正是取其滋養以及納天地萬物的慷慨意韻，如今千年古樹「搬家」逾二十年已落地生根、高聳入雲，萬餘棵香樟更蔚然成林環繞着這堆明清古宅群，讓住客自然吸收天地靈氣滋養身心。
Amanyangyun officially opened in 2018. Destined to be an introspective retreat away from the hustle and bustle of the nearby metropolis, the resort is where old and new, natural and manmade, and all who visit coexist in perfect harmony. While the resort inherited the existing architectural elements of the eleven re-mastered Ming and Qing dynasty houses designed centuries ago, the surroundings and architecture of the resort, including twenty-four new Ming-inspired courtyard suites, are a disciplined translation of classical Chinese design with contemporary flair by Australian architecture firm, Kerry Hill Architects. Bridges and walkways that join all the amenities are minimalist both in structure and choice of stone, allowing the natural colours of flora and foliage to be the focal point. The walls and pathways are very clearly the supporting cast, letting the curvature of growing vines and budding leaves an open space to beautify. Our space within our villa had two private and enclosed courtyards, one with an outdoor bathtub that sat in front of a wall of delicate vines that resembled nature’s own re-interpretation of chinoiserie wallpaper, and a flowering tree that birds fluttered and danced around in the other. Every villa’s courtyard is dotted with circular shaped openings, characteristic of classical Chinese gardens, which act as both ventilation and a picture frame or viewfinder, with a picturesque garden always positioned beyond the opening.
The dining room and living room inside Villa No.3, the largest ancient villa.
I was a greeted daily by the sublime fragrance of Edgeworthia chrysantha (結香花). Every four weeks, a different living tree is carefully potted and brought inside the main Atrium, blossoming indoors to welcome visitors with the sweet scent of nature. Positioned in the very centre of the impressive space framed with Chinese wooden screens that are over 29 feet high, it is the focal point from every direction that someone passes through the atrium, which is the main axis, the connecting point to all the amenities.
上海養雲安縵酒店在 2018 年正式營運，所有套房、庭閣、庭院均由 Kerry Hill Architects 精心設計，保留傳統古風雅韻也加入現代舒適元素，以閒適自然美學融會古今，例如既有十一棟明清老宅院落，又引入二十四棟明代概念的現代庭院套房，果然「保存古宅最好的方法就是住在裏面。」
Villa No. 3 is a culture and history lover’s dream space. “The best way to preserve a house is to live in it,” which is the guiding principle behind the integration of the historical relics and hospitality at the heart of the resort. The largest of the ancient reconstructed villas from the Ming Dynasty contains 4 bedroom suites, a private outdoor courtyard for breakfast and tea, a living room and dining room to host guests, a modern outdoor swimming pool, and beautiful vistas throughout. Soaring ceilings made of the timbre frames feature centuries-old hand-carved imagery, and even the stone base of each structural beam showcases the poetic details of symbolism of the eras bygone.
The preservation of such a notable part of China’s past allows for the legacy to live on for generations to come. Tying the past with the present is important, and the arts play a key role in keeping tradition alive. Nan Shufang, literally meaning ‘south library,’ and named after the royal reading pavilion in the Forbidden City, is the cultural heart of Amanyangyun and a bastion of history and culture. The physical building was once a private school for young literati from the 17th century, and is considered one of the most architecturally impressive antique buildings that were transplanted from Fuzhou. The structure sits across a pedestrian road south of the main atrium and lobby building, facing the King Tree and the Cultural Discovery Centre.
總編輯兼創意總監 Deborah 帶着女兒到此拜候，入住的院落配備私人庭院花園和戶外泳池，保留私隱卻又無阻呼吸自然氣息。院內圓形開口設計結合了古典中國園藝特色，彷彿大自然的畫框，風景隨四季變化。她們入住之時结香花盛開，每天都花香撲鼻。此外，度假村五大餐廳 Arva 義大利餐廳、辣竹中餐廳、酒吧、銀廬火鍋、北茶館各具特色，還有現代水療及健康中心和 IMAX 影院，讓賓客眼耳鼻舌身意都如沐春風。
Dedicated to Chinese art forms and the pursuit of knowledge, the building has a tea room and exhibition space which has been the venue for exclusive art shows, and is enhanced with furniture crafted from the nanmu wood characteristic of Ming interiors. It is designed as a space to learn, contemplate and practice traditional calligraphy, music and painting. Inside the building, intricate and ancient carvings are found in the wooden ceiling details, and rain chains lead water into the two stone wells, which are adorned with hand carvings that depict a human’s life cycle and seasons. Most of the ancient parts of the building are pristinely kept, and functional modern elements like new panel doors and windows, have been respectfully and meticulously designed to blend in with the existing architecture seamlessly.
Bei Tea House: one of four stairways that lead to the private tea rooms.
Amanyangyun's five dining venues each offer a distinctive ambience: farm-to-table Italian restaurant Arva, northern-Chinese restaurant Lazhu, The Bar, Cantonese hotpot restaurant Yinlu, and the Bei Tea House. Breakfast at Arva is a mix of continental and Chinese offerings, overlooking the lake and camphor trees, with a family of deer, who live on property, trotting up to the plants and gardens near the expansive windows — a delightful storybook scene. Two male peacocks fan their majestic tails near the organic garden, which is where herbs, fruits and vegetables are grown and harvested. Black swans and ducks glide in the water, while another bird, larger-than-life and in a party hat, stands guard — a colourful sculptural art piece by Florentijn Hofman punctuates the scene. Guests can enjoy a curated Chinese afternoon tea on the lake, in one of two boats that are fashioned after traditional sampans. The Bei Tea house offers four private rooms, each found up its own flight of stairs that lead to tiny, intimate gathering spaces that overlook the central courtyard with a rock garden, just beyond the main entrance of the building. In the evening, Yinlu is a romantic vignette, with lights suspended on the trees outside sparkling against the dark lake, and mesmerizing steam from the silver hot pots fill the dimly lit space with a sweet soupy aroma. The walk back along the terrace that joins the restaurants is flanked by square gardens of tall bamboo shoots, leading back to the main path of the villas.
然而人生在世不止追求感官享受，也渴求靈魂的精神滋養。養雲安縵有一處文化聖地——楠書房，據說因景仰紫禁城內的皇家書房「南書房」而得名。其建築前身是十七世紀的私塾，從撫州遠道而來後經過精心復建，配設了明代室內特有的楠木家具，並提供書法、古樂和國畫體驗，讓賓客在古風中接受中國傳統文化琴棋書畫的薰陶。
Nan Shufang, the cultural heart of Amanyangyun.
The most unique space is the newly designed art space intended for a younger audience, Rouyun Space, which is just outside of the resort’s property and features a contemporary art gallery space, a coffee shop and gathering space, a small cactus and rock garden, and gallery-inspired retail for locally curated art and art objects. The centuries-old structure is the only one within the whole experience that has been stained with a grey driftwood colour, appealing to those with an eye for modern aesthetics.
Two decades later since the ten thousand trees made the long journey to their new home, the ethereal 10 hectare-camphor forest at Amanyangyun is flourishing, with deer that roam and birds that flutter in song everywhere on the property. In homage to the King Tree, a tree seedlings program was introduced this spring, cultivating the seeds that fall from the tree by drying, selecting, and sowing them by hand. The gardeners lovingly nurture the seedlings to germinate, before transferring them into pots. Children are invited to learn and share the responsibility of these precious plants, planting their future legacy in history — perhaps for many more 500 years to come.
傳統需要一代又一代的傳承，Deborah 女兒也肩負重任，參與了向古樹致敬的「香樟樹王育種計劃」，一臉稚氣的她恭敬地用古井中的水澆灌，讓媽媽 Deborah 頃刻體驗一場時空穿梭，當下這句話縈繞心間：「願我也能多活五百年！」
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I held my daughter’s hands as she steadily walked a wooden spoon of water to the foot of the King Camphor Tree. “King Tree,” she delightfully whispered as she poured the well water as an offering, with reverence and childlike wonder. The camphor tree stood in the heart of the central courtyard, the largest and most majestic of the ten thousand trees at Amanyangyun, with a weight of 80 tonnes and a trunk so thick, its circumference would take at least a dozen people to join hands in a circle to offer a full embrace. The King Tree has borne witness to time well before ours; estimated to be at least 1000 years old, it was alive when the Ming and Qing emperors ruled, and lived through regimes and changes that we can only read about in history books.