Unique Vietnamese heritage tree: 150-year-old banyan tree with super long 'arms'

The banyan trellis in Nhon Khanh hamlet (Nhon Nghia commune, Phong Dien district, Can Tho city ) is considered one of a kind in the country, because from a single main tree, the large branches extend out to thousands of square meters.

Giant net

The Banyan Tree is located in the Banyan Tree Historical Relic Area (recognized as a city-level historical and cultural relic in April 2013). The road from the entrance gate, one side is a stone-paved fence, the other side is adjacent to the canal. The dense banyan tree canopy above creates a fresh, cool space. Many banyan branches stretch out from the fence, rooting down to the canal bank like water taps. Any branch that touches the ground will take root, seedlings will sprout, giving the feeling that the banyan tree will spread even further.

Every day, Ba Co Hi temple has visitors coming to burn incense and make offerings.

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Through this wild road, the front of the campus is the temple of Ba Thuong Dong Co Hi (abbreviated as Ba Co Hi). Surrounding the temple is a sturdy primeval banyan tree trellis with many intertwined branches, tightly intertwined, forming a giant natural net. Woven into this net are many single-stemmed banyan branches, about 6 - 7 m long, spreading their leaves reaching up to the sky like super long "arms" in fairy tales. Next to the banyan tree, the Vietnam Association for Conservation of Nature and Environment placed a plaque honoring it as a Vietnam Heritage Tree on June 13, 2013. Leading us on a tour, Ms. Nguyen Thi Thoi (68 years old), Deputy of the Management Board of the Banyan Tree Historical Site, said that the banyan tree trellis was over 150 years old, belonging to the second generation. In the middle of the 19th century, there was a banyan tree trellis about 1 hectare wide. In the year of Dinh Ty (1857), there was a farmer named Nguyen Van Thanh from the North who came to reclaim wasteland, build dams to make rice fields and then settled down here. Gradually, he had a lot of wealth so people also called him Mr. Thanh.

From a single trunk, the branches of the banyan trellis extend over thousands of square meters.

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When the eldest son of Thanh was cultivating rice, a fire unfortunately broke out while burning the fields, burning down the entire banyan tree trellis. Since then, for unknown reasons, many of his descendants fell ill and died. A teacher named Bay came down from the mountain, heard the story and said that the banyan tree trellis was where the Lady resided. She had no place to stay, so she was angry and punished her. The eldest son of Thanh obeyed and replanted the banyan tree trellis, built a temple to worship the Lady Co Hi. Since then, no more disasters have befallen his family. People believed that the temple protected the tree, so they only tried to protect and take care of the tree and did not dare to disturb or cut it down.

Vigorous vitality

At first, Ba Co Hi temple was built simply with leaves, but in 1996 it was built with solid concrete. The temple has an area of ​​only about 4 ^m2 , painted with yellow paint, nestled in a 2,740 ^m2 banyan trellis, creating a magical and sacred feeling. Later, the villagers added statues of two unicorns welcoming guests to the black tiger - white tiger pair next to the temple. The main festival of the year takes place on the 28th day of the second lunar month. This is also the time when the ancients replanted the banyan trellis and built Ba Co Hi temple. In the morning, there is a ball dance, offering white pigs, flowers, tea, fruits, sweet soup, and sticky rice. Before 2013, the custom was to offer a pig's head for 2 consecutive years, and a whole pig for 1 year, and so on. Now, only the whole pig is offered, but must be chosen to weigh over 100 kg.

Unique shape of the banyan tree trellis

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In addition, at the relic site, there are also two additional ceremonies on July 27 (War Invalids and Martyrs Day) and December 22 (the founding day of the Vietnam People's Army). Because, in the two resistance wars against French colonialism and American imperialism, the dangerous terrain of the banyan tree was chosen as a revolutionary base. This is where many meetings took place to deploy plans, resolutions, and directives of the Regional Party Committee, Can Tho Provincial Party Committee; at the same time, it was a place to hide weapons, gather, and transfer troops... In particular, during the period from 1961 to 1965, the banyan tree provided shelter for the army and people to successfully open inner-city commando training courses. Currently, many banyan branches still bear the traces of war with cuts and stains due to the impact of bombs and bullets. However, the damaged banyan branches still sprout vigorously, stretching out to provide shade. In fact, the banyan tree has only one root (the female tree), but the strange thing is that any branch that reaches far and touches the ground takes root and becomes a new root. "To me, this is a beautiful landscape, very comfortable and peaceful. Although banyan trees are a very common type of tree, I have never seen a place with such a unique and beautiful shape," said Mr. Tran Phu Sang (23 years old, a tourist from Ho Chi Minh City).

Gian Gua historical site attracts many visitors.

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According to Ms. Thoi, the banyan tree is both a historical witness to the revolutionary struggle and a place for cultural and religious activities. Within the relic site, there is also a temple to worship Uncle Ho, attracting visitors from all over the country to visit and worship. The busiest times are on holidays, New Year's Day and the full moon of the first, seventh and tenth lunar months every year. Last year, 2022, the total number of visitors to the Banyan Tree Historical Relic Site was about 15,000 people, with donations of nearly 70 million VND. This fund is used by the management board for meaningful tasks such as upgrading the relic site, supporting people in flood-hit areas, the poor, young people doing military service and programs for prisoners of war, prisoners of Con Dao... (to be continued)

Thanhnien.vn

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