Ever since the sacred trees of Mt. Ali, which were once regarded as symbols of Taiwan's natural scenery, were struck by lightning on July I, 1997, there has been growing emphasis placed on conservation of big tree ecology in the mountains of Taiwan. To draw our fellow. countrymen's attention to the importance of our forests and natural conservation, the Directorate General ofPosts has chosen two trees-the Taiwan Giant Sacred Tree and the Sleeping Moon Sacred Tree (Taiwan's oldest)-for a set of two stamps. The names for these two trees were selected by a 1998 poll to name the top 10 sacred trees of Taiwan.The following is a brief introduction to the designs of the stamps:1. The Taiwan Giant Sacred Tree, which grows in Taian Rural Township of Miaoli County, is a Chinese juniper about 2,000 years old. With a height of 55 meters and a circumference of 25 meters, it is the largest tree in Taiwan. Its tremendous size and abundant branches give it a truly magnificent appearance.2. The Sleeping Moon Sacred Tree is located in Alishan Rural Township of Chiayi County. Also aChinese juniper, it is about 3,000 years old and has a height of 50 meters and a circumference of 23 meters. It is said that a surveyor saw the shadow of this giant tree under the moon light in his dream and felt very poetic, and so this tree is named "Sleeping Moon."