Under the ancient banyan trees of Hung My village

Under the shade of hundreds of years old fig trees in Hung My village, many generations of students in Hung My village gather to play. Photo: HH

Witness of history

On the first day of school, students of Le Hong Phong Primary School gathered under the ancient fig trees during recess on a hot sunny day. We met security guard Ho Xuan (born in 1946, group 3, Hung My village), who has been attached to the land, the school and these fig trees for nearly 80 years.

The house is a few steps away from the school. The childhood memories of the "school gatekeeper, guarding the star fruit tree" are the days of climbing the star fruit trees to pick and sell for a few thousand dong a dozen.

Mr. Ho Xuan, who has been attached to the school and the star apple trees for nearly 80 years, emotionally recounted his childhood memories under the star apple trees in Hung My village. Photo: HH

Talking about the origin of the ancient fig trees in his village, Mr. Xuan recalled: “When I was a child, every noon, the children in the village climbed the fig trees to play. The fig branches were sturdy, intertwined, we could climb from one tree to another without fear of falling to the ground because the tree canopy was firmly intertwined. I also asked my grandparents about who planted these fig trees. But no one knew. My grandparents had seen such tall trees since I was a child.”

Choking back tears, Mr. Xuan added that under the 16 trees of Hung My village in the past, countless soldiers had sacrificed their lives. Because during the resistance war against the US, this place was an enemy prison, many soldiers were tortured and executed.

The ancient banyan trees covered with moss still stand firm despite the vicissitudes of war and time. Photo: HH

Turning 93, Mr. Bui Loc (group 6, Hung My village) said: “It must have been more than 300 years. My parents don’t even know when it was built. I only remember that before 1975, I went to those ancient fig trees to play, eating the young fruit for the seeds, and selling the ripe fruit. When I go far away, I miss the village and the fig tree.”

The fragrant scent of star apples wafts through the schoolyard, and the children of Hung My village excitedly climb star apple trees to pick the fruit, bringing back many childhood memories. Photo: HH

Following the elders of Hung My village, we entered the campus of Le Hong Phong Primary School. The scent of the fig tree was gentle and mild. The shade of the fig tree shaded the large yard. The fig trees were about 30 meters high, 4-5 people could not hug around them. Many trees had rotted and hollow trunks; some still bore the scars of war, partially damaged by bombs. But the remaining 15 fig trees, through the storms of the years, still stood straight, lined up from the gate to the back of the school.

One of the giant ancient fig trees, it takes 4-5 people to hug around the trunk. Photo: HH

Having taught and been principal at this school for 41 years, teacher Nguyen Van Ngoc emotionally recounted the time he spent with the ancient banyan trees: “My father was one of the people who built the school, but I don’t know who planted these banyan trees or where they came from. When I was teaching, working as vice principal and principal, I worked at Binh Trieu Provincial High School, which later changed to Le Hong Phong Primary School... Many generations of students passed by, under the banyan tree were countless memories of flag-raising ceremonies, extracurricular activities, and all the joys and sorrows of student life, all under the shade of the banyan tree…”

[VIDEO] - Elderly people share about the history and origin of the ancient garden in Hung My village:

Expectation to become a heritage tree

Through two wars, through many times of upgrading and building schools, expanding roads, and renovating villages, the ancient banyan trees still stand tall. Aware of the value of the banyan trees, the people as well as local authorities still keep the land intact, preserve the banyan trees, and do not cut them down.

The ancient fig trees with cool, tall green foliage, bearing the mark of time in the campus of Le Hong Phong Primary School. Photo HH

Mr. Huynh Viet Tien - Party cell secretary of Hung My village said: "The fig trees of Hung My village are not only relic trees but also symbols of the image of Hung My people who are seasoned with nature, brave with the enemy, always clinging to the land to protect the village throughout history.

A banyan tree with a hollow trunk and traces left from the war against America. Photo: HH

In response to the policy of building new rural areas and cultural villages, especially the policy of preserving and embellishing relics and cultural heritages, we have surveyed and registered the fig trees of Hung My village as Vietnam Heritage Trees.

The Vietnam Heritage Tree Conservation Initiative was launched by the Vietnam Association for Conservation of Nature and Environment on March 18, 2010 on the occasion of the opening year of the Decade of Biodiversity initiated by the United Nations.

To be recognized as a Heritage Tree, an ancient tree must meet the following criteria: For naturally grown trees, living for over 200 years, over 40m high, circumference over 6m for single-stem trees; over 25m high, circumference over 15m for banyan and fig trees. For cultivated trees, living for over 100 years, over 30m high, circumference over 3.5m for single-stem trees; over 20m high, circumference over 10m for banyan and fig trees. The tree has a unique shape (priority is given to species with landscape, cultural, historical value). If the tree does not meet the above technical criteria, but has special scientific, historical, cultural, or aesthetic value, it can be considered.

The fig trees have become a symbol of the resilient spirit of the local people. Photo: HH

According to Mr. Nguyen Ba - Chairman of Binh Trieu Commune People's Committee, more than 10 years ago, the locality paid attention to and reviewed the fig trees in Hung My village. By 2022, receiving the wishes of the people, Binh Trieu Commune People's Committee made a report and proposed to the higher level to recognize the fig tree as a Vietnam Heritage Tree. And when receiving the official dispatch from the Department of Culture and Information of Thang Binh District requesting the People's Committees of communes and towns to review and prepare documents to register Vietnam Heritage Trees, Binh Trieu Commune People's Committee seriously implemented it.

“To raise community awareness in nature conservation, biodiversity development and natural environment improvement, and local tourism development, we are carefully studying the size, height, coordinates, etc. of the process of making a dossier to recognize the urban tree as a Vietnam Heritage Tree. It is expected to be completed by the end of September 2024,” said Mr. Ba.

Source: https://baoquangnam.vn/duoi-nhung-goc-thi-co-thu-lang-hung-my-3140918.html