Each national image of the world has its own constants, codes. In the Russian space of culture, one of such cultural units is a tree that embodies the idea of a world axis. In this article, we turn to the poetic work of A. M. Zhemchuzhnikov, in whose poetics the tree code is endowed with intense semantics and special functions. We analyze in detail the cycle "Rural Impressions and Pictures ", which is literary material for ontohermeneutical analysis. The purpose of the article is to identify the national axiology, namely the tree code in Russian poetry. The object of the research is the national topic. The subject is the principles of the manifestation of the tree code in the works of the poet of the 19th century. The research methodology is reduced to a holistic onto-hermeneutic analysis aimed at highlighting the folklore, ethnographic paradigm of this poetry cycle. Much attention is paid to a path-road mythologeme. Parallels are drawn with the Russian fairy tale, which is characterized by an otherworldly paradigm, the search for “another kingdom”. The research results are to identify the cultural potential of the poetry cycle for the further study of the national topic, national existence and otherness, apophatics as a phenomenon of Russian culture associated with the phenomenon of death. The results of the work can also be used in teaching courses in Russian literature, cultural studies, philosophy.

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