The autumn trees on Egret Island hide poetry; only when you look up do you understand the romance here

It always feels like Xiamen’s autumn holds little secrets, unlike the intense and straightforward autumn scenery in the north. It wasn’t until I learned to “look up at the trees” in Jimei that I realized the romance hidden among the branches and leaves had already filled the sky with the gentleness of autumn. Early in the morning, stepping out from Jinjiang Inn Pinshang Airport T4 Jimei Learning Village Branch, just turning past the old banyan tree in front of the hotel, I was stopped in my tracks by the view overhead. The old banyan tree’s canopy spread like an umbrella, with gnarled branches hanging dense aerial roots. Morning light filtered through the leaf gaps, casting mottled shadows on the bluestone pavement. Looking up, the deep green sea of leaves was dotted with pale yellow—newly sprouted tender leaves contrasting with the dark green old leaves, blending spring and summer with autumn and winter. When the wind blew, the branches and leaves gently swayed, the aerial roots danced with the breeze, and even the light and shadow seemed to leap, carrying a tender flow of time. Walking along Shigu Road toward Jimei Learning Village, the royal poinciana trees by the roadside no longer bore the fiery red flowers of summer, but their branches and leaves still stretched out comfortably. Looking up, I suddenly noticed a small bird’s nest hanging between the branches, with a few sparrows hopping on the twigs, occasionally pecking at the dewdrops on the leaves. Their chirping fell into the leaf gaps, adding a lively touch to the quiet morning. Not far away, the camphor trees looked even more elegant, with layers of deep green leaves. Sunlight shone on the leaf surfaces, giving them a glossy sheen. Occasionally, a leaf would drift down with the wind, spinning like a tiny green butterfly. When it landed on your shoulder, it carried a faint camphor fragrance. By the Dragon Boat Pond, I was even more amazed by the dawn redwoods on the shore. The slender leaves had turned a light red. Looking up, the straight trunks pointed to the sky, with red leaves contrasting against the blue sky like a minimalist ink painting. When the wind passed, red leaves fluttered down, some landing on the pond’s surface, gently swaying with the water ripples. This attracted koi fish, which swam around the leaves, circling them. In the interplay of movement and stillness, there was full autumnal poetry. An elderly man sat on a stone bench by the pond, gazing at the dawn redwoods in a daze. The radio in his hand played old Minnan songs, and the shadows of the leaves fell on his graying hair, creating a romantic sense of peaceful time. In the afternoon, sitting on a bench in the learning village, the sunlight gradually warmed up. Looking up at the mango tree beside me, a few unripe mangoes hung on the branches, hidden by dense leaves and hard to notice without careful observation. The leaves gently flipped in the wind, revealing pale green veins on their undersides, like the wrinkles on an elderly person’s hand, holding stories of time. Occasionally, light spots fell on the pages of my book, moving slowly with the swaying leaves. I realized that autumn romance is never about deliberately searching for scenery, but about the swaying branches and leaves you encounter when you look up, the scattered sunlight falling through the leaf gaps, and the bird nests and fruit fragrance hidden among the branches. As dusk deepened on the way back, passing the osmanthus tree in the hotel courtyard, I couldn’t help but look up again. Tiny pale yellow petals covered the branches. Though the full view was unclear in the twilight, the faint fragrance of osmanthus was noticeable. When the wind blew, petals fell on my shoulders, carrying a sweet scent. It turns out the romance hidden among the branches and leaves had already written Xiamen’s autumn so beautifully. If you want to understand this romance of “looking up at the trees,” consider staying at Jinjiang Inn Pinshang Airport T4 Jimei Learning Village Branch. Just outside the hotel, around the corner, you’ll find streets full of trees, and looking up reveals the entire gentleness of autumn.