Discover the sacred forest in the heart of Da Nang, protected by the collective efforts of the local people.

Khám phá khu rừng thiêng giữa lòng Đà Nẵng được người dân đồng lòng bảo vệ - Ảnh 1. — Without any prohibition signs or iron fences, Trung Son forest (Lien Chieu ward, Da Nang city) remains intact for hundreds of years - Photo: THANH NGUYEN

Due to urbanization, the Trung Son forest (Lien Chieu ward, Da Nang city), covering approximately 13 hectares, is being surrounded on all sides by continuously emerging urban areas.

Along the tree-lined path leading to the village temple, Mr. Ha Thuc Hai (the caretaker of Trung Son village temple) said that for the villagers, the temple and the surrounding forest are treasures, the soul of Trung Son village for generations.

"Every year, the village holds many activities at this communal house. The biggest ceremony is the ancestral worship day, commemorating the founders of the village and protectors of the forest, held on the 14th day of the 4th lunar month every year. This is also an opportunity for children who are studying or working far away to gather back in the village and express their gratitude to their ancestors," Mr. Hai explained.

Mr. Ha Thuc Vinh, head of Trung Son village, said that the forest has existed for hundreds of years, acting as a shield protecting generations of people here. Currently, there are still about 60 households living around the forest.

According to Mr. Vinh, traversing the trails deep into the forest, one can find dozens of precious ancient trees on both sides, such as the Chùm Bù, Giẻ, and Sao Ta trees... In addition, nature has also bestowed upon Trung Son forest fine white sand dunes.

Khám phá khu rừng thiêng giữa lòng Đà Nẵng được người dân đồng lòng bảo vệ - Ảnh 2. — Mr. Ha Thuc Vinh - Head of Trung Son village - in the ancient village communal house - Photo: THANH NGUYEN

"Everyone in Trung Son village is grateful and works together to protect the forest according to the village's tradition passed down through generations. The forest is sacred; cutting down trees, felling firewood, or occupying forest land is prohibited. Mining white sand is also forbidden."

"Once, the villagers discovered someone illegally mining sand and immediately reported it to the authorities to stop them. Losing sand and forest also means losing a source of clean water and the vitality of the village," Mr. Vinh recounted.

According to the village elders, during the resistance war against the Americans, the forest served as a hiding place for revolutionary cadres. Even during the most intense periods, the forest was chosen as a launching pad for attacks on the American outpost in Thanh Vinh.

The forest still preserves many historical relics such as centuries-old village communal houses, the Martyrs' Cemetery - the resting place of nearly 200 soldiers and villagers who sacrificed their lives in the resistance war, and the ancient Cham well relic.

The village also erected a memorial monument to the heroic martyrs of Trung Son village, commemorating the sacrifice of 80 villagers who fell for the Fatherland during the two resistance wars. Another memorial monument records the event of Mr. Nguyen Ba Hoanh and Mrs. Tran Thi Tung's family opening a school, where many students later joined the revolution.

According to documents from the Da Nang Museum, the forest has been protected and preserved intact by the people of Trung Son village since the village was established (1670) until now. Trung Son village is also a "red address" in the revolutionary movement, a revolutionary buffer zone in the resistance war against French colonialism and American imperialism.