Urinating insects in 'healing tree'

- 1 August 1989

Otago Daily Times, 18 October 1988

BEIJING. — A tree that was the object of worship because supposedly healing water rained from its leaves was instead dripping with the urine of millions of insects, the Peasant’s Daily said.

The 17-year-old pine tree in the village of Xinfu, in the Chinese coastal province of Jiangsu, had attracted more than 40,000 people.

‘The “tree of the gods” was finally cut down by police who unravelled the mystery, the newspaper said.

The “water” from the tree was said to have enabled a paralysed woman to walk after she drank it.

People also claimed to have seen 32 Buddhas in the branches of the tree.

People had flocked by foot and car to the tree from neighbouring villages and provinces to pray for good fortune and chase away evil spirits by burning incense and lighting firecrackers, the newspaper added.

People sometimes waited hours to view the tree.