Thousands of people from all over China have headed to the Zhongnan Mountains to appreciate the simple beauty of a tree shedding its leaves for the 1,400th consecutive year.

The storied gingko tree’s leaves start falling around mid-November, their vibrant yellow colour giving rise to the tree’s nickname of ‘Maidenhair’.

As the photos below show, the sea of yellow it produces is a popular spot for monks from the neighbouring temple to meditate in.

Ginkgo trees are often referred to as “living fossils”, having not changed in over 200 million years despite major climate changes.