During the time of the dinosaurs seed plants (spermatophytes) were well developed and were the most dominant vegetation on earth, especially the lush seed ferns, conifers and palmlike cycads. These primitive seed plants are called gymnosperms (meaning "naked seeds") because their seeds are not enclosed in a ripened fruit but are protected by cones or by a fleshy seed coat. Most gymnosperms (and flowering plants) have both sexes on the same plant, but the Ginkgo is a dioecious gymnosperm, male and female are separate trees, its seeds have a fleshy outer layer. It's a dicot.

The Ginkgo and the cycads are the only living seed-producing plants that have motile or free swimming sperm.

In earlier classification systems the Ginkgo tree was placed in the class Coniferopsida, because it is thought to be more related to conifers than to any other gymnosperm, but the two groups appear to have evolved independently. Although the Ginkgo is more like a conifer than a deciduous broadleaf tree it is neither, it has a unique position. Recent research suggests a much closer relationship to the cycads than to the conifers.

One of the most famous ginkgo trees now standing is said to have been planted by Zhang Daoling, later called the Heavenly Teacher, who practiced the Oriental arts of spiritual alchemy and shamanism. On Mount Qingcheng, where he lived as a hermit, he turned his cave into a center of an organized religion in 143 A.D., with the tree at its side. Over the centuries, the tree became incorporated into the structure of the Cave of the Heavenly Teacher, a popular pilgrimage site. This imposing ginkgo tree (see Figure 1) has grown to a height of more than 50 meters (about 160 feet), with a circumference of 7 meters (about 22 feet). The tree's stature is further enhanced by numerous "roots" that appear like stalactites hanging from the branches. These arose from falling ginkgo nuts that had landed on the tree and grown in place. It is this tree that inspired Li Shanji.

The Chinese people have known the ginkgo tree for its prominent fruits, calling it the Silver Almond Tree or the White Nut Tree. The tree has also been known for its peculiar fan-shaped leaves, something like duck feet, and hence called the Duck Feet Tree. It has been revered as a sacred plant: named the Ancestor Tree, Buddha's Fingernail Tree, and Eyes of the Cosmic Spirit Tree. Since the 10th Century A.D., the name Silver Almond Tree (yinxing) has been most often used to refer to it, probably because of the importance the tree's almond-shaped nut gained as a food. At that time, it was declared a tributary item offered to the Imperial Court, to be used in the Emperor's banquets.

At this time of the year in Tokyo, there are ichou (gingko trees) everywhere, but I never knew those beautiful yellow leaves which fill the streets, and the frames of my photographs, can also fill your head with beautiful and healthful chemicals and thoughts.

銀杏 (Ginkgo biloba) is one of the stars of neuroprotection. No brain longevity program would be complete without ginkgo. The ginkgo tree survived even being ground zero in 広島 (Hiroshima). Known to live as long as a thousand years, ginkgo is itself a metaphor for longevity. It is also the oldest “smart drug.” Various preparations of ginkgo have been used in Chinese medicine for 5,000 years. The potency of ginkgo’s active compounds deserves a much closer study, since besides being a brain tonic, ginkgo also shows a strong promise of being able to extend life span.

銀杏と書いて、ギンナン（または、イチョウ）。でも、うっかり“ギンキョウ”と読んでしまった人もそんなにがっかりすることは・りません.
Ichou to kaite, ginnan (mata wa, ichou). Demo, ukkari "ginko" to yonde shimatta hito mo sonna ni gakkari suru koto wa arimasen.
"Ginko" ("Silver Apricot") is writen "ginnan" (or "ichou") in Japanese. However, people who also carelessly read the Chinese characters of this name as "ginkgo" will not be disappointed.

VOCABULARY
1. または -- Mata wa -- Or, either.
2. うっかり -- Ukkari -- Carelessly.
3. がっかりする -- Gakkari suru -- Be discouraged.
1. 銀杏の木　-- Ichou no ki -- Ginkgo tree.
FRIDAY DECEMBER 12 2003

WHEN YOU GO TO A SHOP IN JAPAN or a convenience store or something, and you hand them say 1000 yen to pay for something (let's imagine it's a bottle of plum wine or salted fish eggs or microwaved octopus balls) -- the worker at the counter will say: "千円お預かりします". Which literally means: "1000 yen will be honourably kept/taken charge of". In other words, they will honourably take care of your 1000 yen while they calculate and then give you your honourable change.

My kanji reference book (Wolfgang Hadamitzky and Mark Spahn) interprets the Chinese character 預 as "entrust or receive for safekeeping". So it kind of makes sense that cashiers would use it in shops.

Some other mostly money-related examples:

預金 -- Yokin -- Bank account, deposit.
預かり所 -- Azukarisho -- Depository, warehouse.
手荷物一時預かり所 -- Tenimotsu ichiji azukarijo -- Place for temporary (lit. one hour) handbaggage storage.

TUESDAY DECEMBER 9 2003

1. 溶き卵とだし汁は蒸す直前に合わせ、きめ細かくなめらかに仕上げるために、ふきんや目の細かいざるでこします。
Toki tamago to dashishiru wa musu chokuzen ni awase, kimekomakaku nameraka ni shiageru tama ni, fukin ya me no komakaizaru de koshimasu.
Just before you steam the dissolved egg and soup stock, meticiously smooth the mixture and occasionally strain and filter it, using a teatowel and a fine sieve.

2. 明洞汗蒸幕のサイトは、下記に移動しました。
Myondonakasuri no saito wa kaki ni idou shimashita.
The Myeongdeong Sauna site has been moved to the address written below.

SUNDAY NOVEMBER 23 2003