The masson pine, mainland China's most common pine, has soft, supple branches which wave like a Taoist master's horsetail whisk, and its shape and character are even more redolent of the hermit.
今天長青的松樹變成普遍的勵志象徵；其實長久來松樹更常觸動人們歸隱的心情。唐朝詩人邱為「尋西山隱者不遇」，就發揮想像，推想超塵脫俗的隱者不時於清涼的雨後，觀看草色入簾青，在夕陽斜照的窗邊，聽颯颯松濤。