Tho Van Commune Preserves the Living Soul of Its Heritage Trees

There are ancient, majestic trees that local villagers affectionately and reverently call by a single title: "The Treasures of the Village." These include a thousand-year-old persimmon tree standing beside the shrine of Saint Tan Vien and seven centennial frangipani trees rooted within the sacred grounds of Dam Nhan Pagoda in the ancient village of Di Nau (now merged into Tho Van Commune). Through centuries of geopolitical and historical updates, these ancient giants continue to cast their quiet canopy, acting as living witnesses to the rich cultural tapestry of the Ancestral Land’s midland region.

The thousand-year-old heritage persimmon tree continues to flourish, casting its protective canopy over the sacred shrine of Saint Tan Vien.

The former Di Nau Commune—now structurally merged into Tho Van Commune—vowed its origin as an ancient land deeply layered with cultural sediments. Ancestors originally named this terrain Ke Nuc, a primordial Vietnamese village situated at the nerve center of the Van Lang tribe during the legendary Hung Kings era.

Across countless generations, this sacred soil has cultivated a rich network of communal houses, temples, pagodas, and shrines, accompanied by unique folk festivals. Amidst this deeply historic architecture, the local heritage trees emerge as the definitive soul and bone of the homeland.

The pathway leading into the shrine of Saint Tan Vien during the dawn of Summer is fully cooled by the overarching canopy of the ancient persimmon tree. Viewed from afar, the giant exhibits a deeply majestic posture, its rugged, moss-covered trunk heavily stamped with the patina of time. According to domestic archives preserved by local chroniclers, the tree was planted during the reign of Emperor Dinh Bo Linh, dating back more than one thousand years.

The base of the tree commands a massive circumference of 7.6 meters, requiring roughly six adults linking arms to encircle its trunk. What leaves botanical experts and travelers completely spellbound is that despite its monumental age, the tree remains fiercely vibrant, bearing lush foliage, blossoming, and yielding fragrant fruits year after year.

Underneath this living canopy, village elders and children gather every twilight to weave stories and play. For the multi-ethnic citizenry here, the persimmon tree is far more than a rare botanical specimen; it operates as an active repository of childhood memories. The sweet, gentle aroma of ripening persimmons at the end of each Summer has accompanied generations of villagers growing up in this peaceful countryside.

Only a short distance away, inside the quiet perimeter of Dam Nhan Pagoda, seven ancient frangipani trees remain evergreen year-round. In Summer, they burst into pure white blossoms, releasing a delicate, ethereal fragrance that thoroughly permeates the pagoda courtyard. Their gnarled, deeply textured branches add an extra layer of solemn serenity and mystical energy to the ancient pagoda.

Local villagers pass down stories that despite the historical scars of wars and natural disasters, these ancient trees have resiliently endured as monuments to the village’s vitality. During periods of hardship, when the trees suffered from pests or decaying branches, the entire community actively rallied together to treat, support, and safeguard every single root.

Mr. Ta Dinh Hap, an elder approaching his 90th birthday and one of the most passionate guardians of the local heritage trees, shared: "These ancient trees have survived to this day thanks to the protective hands of countless generations. We treat them as the crown jewels of our village. Every time I see the leaves flourishing green, I feel as though our ancestors are still present, watching over their descendants today."

According to Mr. Hap, the most priceless asset is the voluntary, deeply rooted consciousness of the local population. No one arbitrarily cuts a branch, excavates around the roots, or encroaches upon the living space of these ancient giants. On full moon days, local festivals, or lunar New Year celebrations, villagers arriving to offer incense at the shrine and pagoda always dedicate time to clean and groom the landscape enveloping their botanical heritage.

A peaceful corner of Dam Nhan Pagoda shaded by the century-old ancient frangipani trees.

In 2012, the thousand-year-old persimmon tree and the seven ancient frangipani trees in Di Nau were officially certified as Vietnam Heritage Trees. For the local citizenry, this was not merely a joyous milestone but a source of immense regional pride—a statutory validation confirming the profound historical and cultural values of this ancient land nestled along the Red River.

Over recent years, an increasing influx of cross-provincial travelers has journeyed to Tho Van to marvel at these ancient giants and explore the traditional lifestyle of a primordial Vietnamese village. Standing beneath the thousand-year-old canopy, many experience an exceptional sense of tranquility and soul-deep serenity unique to the midland countryside.

Amidst the rapid transformations of modern urban life, the heritage trees of Tho Van stand as an invisible, powerful thread linking the past with the present. The local populace deeply understands that preserving these ancient giants is far more than a baseline task of environmental protection; it is the ultimate act of guarding the collective memory of the village—values that their ancestors painstakingly cultivated across millennia. For in the hearts of the Tho Van people, these heritage trees are history, they are culture, and they remain the immortal soul of their homeland.

Hong Nhung