More than 30 meters tall and around 700 years old, a giant banyan has become a living monument beside Nghe An’s historic Van Temple.
Van Temple in Nghe An is home to several ancient trees recognized as Vietnam Heritage Trees, including a centuries-old banyan and Manila tamarind that lend the historic sanctuary an atmosphere of timelessness and spirituality.
Van Temple was recognized as a provincial-level historical and cultural relic in 2009.
Van Temple, in Tuong Duong Commune, Nghe An Province, faces east from a mountainside overlooking the confluence of the Nam Mo and Nam Nom rivers.
The temple was built during the Tran Dynasty to honor renowned general Doan Nhu Hai, who helped repel forces from Ai Lao and defend the country’s borders. In later years, the temple also came to worship Saint Tran, the Three Mother Goddesses and figures credited with establishing villages and communities in the region.
According to the provincial Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism’s information portal, Van Temple originated as an ancient shrine built in the 14th century. In the early 19th century, people from the lowlands who traveled to the area to fish and trade came to regard the shrine as sacred and contributed to its restoration. The site subsequently became known as Van Temple.
The 700-year-old banyan tree at Van Temple.
Over the centuries, the structure deteriorated. In 2018, the former Tuong Duong District People’s Committee allocated public funding and mobilized private contributions to restore and renovate the temple, giving it the well-preserved appearance seen today.
Beyond its historical and cultural significance, the temple grounds are distinguished by a collection of ancient trees that were officially recognized as Vietnam Heritage Trees in 2017. The most striking is a banyan beside the path leading into the temple, estimated to be around 700 years old and standing more than 30 meters tall.
Rather than forming a single solid trunk, the banyan is made up of dozens of aerial roots that have intertwined over the centuries. Large and small “root columns” wrap tightly around one another, swelling in some places and narrowing in others to form a rugged, deeply textured surface. Its bark is a blend of silvery gray and dark brown, thickly covered with moss.
The heritage banyan stands more than 30 meters tall, its canopy shading part of the ancient temple grounds.
The massive base of the banyan takes eight to 10 people joining hands to encircle.
Natural gaps remain between the masses of roots, some wide enough for shafts of sunlight to pass through. From high above, aerial roots descend like ropes. Some have already reached the ground and hardened into wood, gradually expanding the tree’s trunk. Together, they make the banyan resemble a “living structure,” enduring yet continually growing.
The enormous base is so broad that it takes eight to 10 people joining hands to encircle it.
From the main trunk, massive branches stretch outward in different directions and intertwine to form a broad canopy. The foliage is dense without completely blocking the light, allowing sunlight to filter through and create shifting patterns of brightness and shade below. Deep green leaves are interspersed with fresh shoots, giving the centuries-old tree a striking sense of vitality.
Another tree at the temple, a Manila tamarind, has also been recognized as a Vietnam Heritage Tree. However, its great age has left the base badly damaged. Temple management has installed a warning sign asking visitors not to burn incense directly against the trunk in an effort to minimize further impact.
The base of the ancient Manila tamarind has suffered considerable damage.
The centuries-old sacred fig behind Van Temple.
Behind the temple stands another centuries-old tree, a sacred fig with a trunk measuring more than two meters in diameter. Its wide canopy provides shade throughout the year.
Every year, the Van Temple Festival takes place from the 20th to the 22nd day of the first lunar month. Its ceremonial rituals reflect the cultural identity of ethnic communities in western Nghe An, while the festive program features traditional games including tug-of-war, crossbow shooting and nem con, a folk game in which participants throw a cloth ball through a high ring.
The festival is one of the region’s major spiritual and tourism events, attracting large numbers of visitors from across the country.
Vietnamnet.vn
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