Locals believe a century-old tree at a small shrine in Ho Chi Minh City holds spiritual power and wartime secrets.
Entrance to Mit Nai Shrine, marked by a faded sign reading “historical site.” Photo: Ha NguyenẢnh: Hà Nguyễn
Tucked beneath the canopy of a towering ancient tree, Mit Nai Shrine in Dong Thanh commune, Ho Chi Minh City, offers visitors a rare blend of tranquility, spirituality, and mystery.
Each day, locals and travelers alike visit to offer incense and prayers for prosperity and health.
What makes this modest shrine extraordinary is “Ong Moc” - a jackfruit tree believed by locals to be hundreds of years old.
Legend has it the tree has absorbed the energy of the heavens and earth, making it deeply sacred.
Stories of strange happenings under its branches continue to be passed down.
The base and upper trunk of "Ong Moc". Photo: Ha Nguyen
Mr. Son, 55, who has volunteered at the shrine since 1998, recalls one remarkable experience.
“I stayed at the shrine for three months,” he shared.
“Every time I laid in my hammock beneath the tree, I would see a pair of snakes appear.
They hunted mice around the shrine before retreating into the hollows at the tree’s base.”
Though he still visits regularly to offer flowers and incense, the snakes have not returned.
Mr. Son recounts strange tales about the ancient jackfruit tree. Photo: Ha Nguyen
He also witnessed a strange event during a stormy night.
One of the tree’s largest branches - as wide as a person’s embrace - broke off.
But instead of crashing down on the shrine roof, it twisted mid-air and fell to the side.
“If it had fallen straight down, the shrine would’ve been crushed,” he said.
Today, visitors can still see the massive roots, twisted and bulging with odd shapes.
Some roots have even broken through the walls and reached inside the shrine.
Three small altars sit at the base of the tree.
Two feature statues of a tiger and an elephant.
The third contains a red tablet with golden script that reads: ‘Respectfully inviting Ong Moc to reside.’
Small altars beneath the ancient tree. Photo: Ha Nguyen
According to Nguyen Thanh Long, 45, the shrine’s caretaker, these altars were built by visitors over the years.
Many came to pray and later returned to give thanks once their wishes were granted.
They then requested permission to build small altars beneath the tree as offerings to Ong Moc.
Years ago, the original jackfruit tree died after being strangled by the roots of a parasitic plant.
Today, what remains is only its core.
The dense branches above belong to the parasite that killed the original tree, Long explained.
Despite this, the tree's spiritual significance has only grown.
The shrine itself is humble in size.
Its main hall houses altars to the Three Jewels of Buddhism, as well as altars to ancestors, President Ho Chi Minh, and revolutionary soldiers.
Outside the main hall are altars to celestial deities like the Jade Emperor and Diêu Trì Địa Mẫu.
Main hall and altars to deities. Photo: Ha Nguyen
A plaque on the shrine wall reads: “Historical site: Mit Nai tree, Tam Dong Hamlet, Thoi Tam Thon Commune, Hoc Mon District, Ho Chi Minh City (now Dong Thanh). A former meeting point for revolutionary cadres during the resistance against the U.S., including Nguyen Van Hat (Ba Hat) – district police chief, Do Van Muc (Tu Muc), Le Van Ba (Ba Mom), Ut Be, Nam Duong, and Bay Ve.”
Long explained that during the anti-American resistance, the shrine was hidden within a jackfruit forest and served as a base for revolutionary activities.
His grandparents, who supported the movement, used to bring food and medicine to fighters.
To avoid suspicion, they erected a small altar to honor ancestors - camouflaging their activities with religious rituals.
The humble shrine welcomes worshippers seeking blessings beneath Ong Moc. Photo: Ha Nguyen
Back then, three underground shelters were built within the shrine grounds.
These were later filled in, but Long still remembers the exact locations.
Eventually, city officials designated the site as a historical landmark and placed plaques at the gate and on the walls.
Thanks to the spiritual aura of Ong Moc and the dedication of Long’s family, what started as a small altar has become a fully developed shrine.
Now, Mit Nai Shrine holds five ceremonies each month, on the 6th, 8th, 15th, 18th, and 28th of the lunar calendar.
All are vegetarian offerings, in line with the shrine’s principle of nonviolence.
Those wishing to offer meat dishes must place their trays outside the main hall.
The most significant ceremony is held on the 6th day of each lunar month, with cải lương opera performances and shadow dances that draw crowds from across the city.
Mr. Le Cong Danh, a cultural affairs official in Dong Thanh, confirmed:
“Mit Nai Shrine is a recognized historical site. During the American war, it was a safe haven for revolutionary cadres.”
Vietnamnet.vn
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