The staircase represents time, as everything happens in time. Although the trees grow in the mountains, their roots extend into the soil for life-sustaining nutrition. The vine of roots supports the life of the whole mountain. The buildings on the mountain are the result of world civilization, which is inseparable from nature. The world rests on the trees – that is how the Chinese character枼is made. This character originally means family genealogy, which takes its shape over time and through the passing down of tradition. The winding roots make the life of gigantic trees possible, and it is through the nutrition of nature that civilization is born and continued, so as to enable our world to move on in tides of time. Read Less