This kind of tree flowering and fruiting is called a marvel, something you might see only once in a lifetime.

In rural areas there are many wild woods, and among them bamboo groves are the most common. Bamboo is different from other trees; most trees bloom in spring and bear fruit in autumn, flowering and fruiting every year, spreading their seeds and diligently carrying out the mission of reproduction. But bamboo mostly reproduces through its underground root system, sending up many bamboo shoots every spring, which are both a delicacy and a way for the grove to grow thicker and thicker. So few people have ever seen bamboo flower and fruit. In fact, some bamboos do flower and fruit, it is just extremely rare to see.

In southern China, there is a kind of bamboo native to South Asia, and its numbers in China are extremely few. The process of its flowering and fruiting is called a "marvel" - why is that? This tree is called "pear bamboo" (Melocanna baccifera), and it takes more than 50 years to flower and fruit, and its fruit can be eaten. Its fruit is quite large, one can weigh 4 liang, and when cut open, inside is a berry that can be eaten raw or roasted. According to netizens who have tried it, this fruit is sweet and sour and tasty, and once you eat it you want more, which is probably why it is called "pear bamboo"! Because not only is the shape of its fruit like a pear, its taste is somewhat similar too.

But merely flowering and fruiting does not really count as a marvel. The fruit of pear bamboo is very peculiar: after it ripens, it sprouts directly on the tree, takes root, then falls to the ground and continues growing into a new pear bamboo. And the original mother plant then withers and dies. In other words, as soon as pear bamboo flowers and fruits, it is about to reach the end of its life, which is why it is called a marvel. In nature, plants that spread their seeds in this way are very rare, and you might see it once in a lifetime, while most people never see it at all.

In rural areas there is an old saying: "When bamboo flowers, it is time to move house." This refers to how, under extreme weather conditions such as drought or insect pests, bamboo will flower and then wither and die, and only the older generation has seen it. Because bamboo mostly reproduces by underground roots, flowering is rather abnormal, and in the old days people did not understand this well, which is why such a saying arose. Still, bamboo fruiting really is quite rare, especially this kind of edible fruit, which is found only in the south.

Dear readers, have you ever seen this kind of bamboo? If you can see it flower and fruit, you have struck it lucky, since it can be seen only once in more than 50 years - and how many 50-year spans does a life hold?