The stone stele related to Hoi An's Japanese Covered Bridge was destroyed, the police got involved.

The surface of the stone stele was erased - Photo: BD

Previously, at around 11am on April 1, some people living near the banyan tree came to burn incense and clean up when they suddenly discovered that the surface of the stone stele placed under the ancient banyan tree had been erased.

The incident was reported to the authorities and Hoi An City Police.

Small stone placed next to the stele under the banyan tree - Photo: BD

At the scene at noon the same day, two security guards from Cam Pho ward were on duty to protect the scene. Mr. Vu Van Manh, head of the Hoai Pho block security team, said that Hoi An City Police had arrived to record the initial situation.

"We were asked not to let anyone into the stele area. The place where the stele is located has been cleaned and incense burned every day by the locals.

People around here consider this area a sacred place so no one dares to disturb it. For some unknown reason, the stone stele's surface was erased, as if it was chiseled with the intention of erasing all the information on the surface," said Mr. Manh.

The stone stele under the banyan tree has been taken care of by the locals - Photo: BD

According to information explained in Vietnamese for visitors placed under the banyan tree on Phan Chu Trinh Street, the stele banyan tree (scientific name is Ficus superba var, japonica Miq) on Phan Chu Trinh Street is one of the oldest banyan trees in Hoi An.

The tree is located about 150m from Hoi An ancient town and about 300m from the Japanese Covered Bridge.

Information about the banyan tree with the stele to suppress evil spirits - Photo: BD

What is special is that under the banyan tree there is a stone stele engraved with Chinese and Nom characters in the shape of a talisman. Many researchers believe that this stele is used to control water and is related to the worship of the Northern Emperor Tran Vu at the Chua Cau relic.

This banyan tree was listed as a protected ancient tree by a separate decision of Hoi An City People's Committee in 2014. The case is currently being investigated by the police.

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Thai Ba Dung

Source: https://tuoitre.vn/bia-da-tran-yem-lien-quan-chua-cau-hoi-an-bi-pha-cong-an-vao-cuoc-20250401130304103.htm