Within the grounds of Yen Chi communal house in what was formerly Thuong Hoa commune, Nho Quan district, now Thanh Son commune in Ninh Binh province, stand four ancient trees recognized as Vietnam Heritage Trees. They include two loc vung trees, one tropical almond tree and one bodhi tree, all more than 200 years old.

According to Trinh Van Thu, 75, the caretaker of Yen Chi communal house, the structure was built in the “nhi” architectural style during the Nguyen Dynasty. The communal house is dedicated to the Three Tan Vien Saints: Tan Vien Son Thanh, Quy Minh Dai Vuong and Cao Son Dai Vuong.

The communal house was erected on a raised mound in the middle of a vast field. When soil was added over time to elevate and restore the site, the trunks of these ancient trees became buried nearly two meters underground along the rice field’s edge.

“The whole village has a covenant to protect these ancient trees as precious treasures, passing it down from one generation to the next. They shelter and shade the entire community when summer arrives,” Thu said.

For the people of Yen Chi village, the Three Tan Vien Saints are loyal generals who helped the 18th Hung King defeat the Shu invaders and safeguard the nation’s borders. Legend holds that Yen Chi was once a place where they established fortifications. Villagers worship them as tutelary deities who protect and bless the community with prosperity and happiness.

Among the four heritage trees, the tropical almond rises about 20 meters high with a trunk diameter exceeding one meter. Its bark is rugged, knotted and covered in burls, with a canopy spreading across roughly 200 square meters. The two loc vung trees branch into multiple trunks with wide-spreading crowns. The bodhi tree measures around two meters in trunk diameter, stands over 20 meters tall and carries a lush canopy of leaves.

Vu Manh Nien, 84, recalled that the ancient trees once stood in marshy land near the rice paddies, offering shade to farmers plowing and transplanting rice under the blazing sun. At midday in summer, villagers would gather beneath the trees to rest in the cool air.

“I feel deeply honored that our communal house has four trees recognized as heritage trees. Even now, I always teach my children and grandchildren about the responsibility to protect them,” Nien shared.

Local residents say the communal house is sacred. During wartime, it served as a revolutionary base, a place for meetings and the formation of self-defense units. The trees in the courtyard sheltered villagers from rain and sun through turbulent years. As a result, generations have continued to care for and safeguard them.

A representative of the local authorities noted that Yen Chi communal house is more than 200 years old and was recognized as a provincial-level historical relic in 2022. The four ancient trees within its grounds were designated Vietnam Heritage Trees in 2023.

“The recognition of these four heritage trees carries profound significance for preserving the ecological environment and sustaining the cultural and spiritual values of the local community. Villagers regard the trees as treasures to be handed down to future generations,” the representative added.

Every year on the 10th day of the 10th lunar month, a traditional festival takes place at Yen Chi communal house. It is also the only communal house in Ninh Binh to possess the largest number of recognized heritage trees.