After a decade watching over the famous Guest-greeting Pine at Yellow Mountain, Anhui province, Hu Xiaochun feels the tree is as important as a family member.
In 2010, Hu, a 40-year-old from the province's Huangshan city, became the pine's 19th watchman.
"I was discharged from military service in 1998 and employed as a team member of the forest fire protection brigade at the scenic spot in 2005," he said.