5 ancient fig trees in Nghi Thinh need to be preserved

Mr. Le Van Hong (son of Mr. Le Minh Thuong) next to the ancient fig tree

Indeed, there are 5 ancient fig trees planted in the shape of the Big Dipper constellation, located in the Le Van family temple grounds, cared for and maintained by Mr. Le Minh Thuong, 69 years old, the 17th generation patriarch of the Le Van family. According to the genealogy of the Le Van family, around the 17th century under the reign of King Quang Trung, this family had a general named Le Van Hoan. He had the merit of guarding the North Central Coast. During a visit to this area,Among the white sandy beaches, there are 5 ancient, lush, green fig trees with heavy fruits giving off a sweet aroma. He believes that if these 5 fig trees were planted by humans, then they were from a noble person in this world. If they grew naturally, then they were also a good land, and could be passed down to the family for a long time.

So he brought the descendants of the Le Van family from Nghi Kieu commune to settle here. To mark the land ownership for the family, he dug 4 wells: in the North was Ong Bong well, in the South was Ong Huyen well, in the East was Ong Su well and in the West was Ong Nhuyen well. In the second half of the 17th century, he was ordered by King Quang Trung to march from Phu Xuan to the North to fight the enemy. When passing through his homeland, he set up his headquarters here and the ancient banyan trees were the place to tie up the war elephants. Later, his army and the army of King Quang Trung defeated the Qing invaders. Thanks to his contributions to the country, he was appointed Grand Marshal Le Quy Cong by the king.

According to Mr. Le Van Hong, son of Mr. Le Minh Thuong, currently working at Nghi Thinh Commune Health Station, during the war against the French and the Americans, the garden of 5 star apple trees was like a safe area to protect our soldiers from the enemy's bombs and bullets. Surprisingly, the Le Van family church was burned down by bombs and bullets, but the 5 star apple trees are still standing tall and green. Mr. Le Minh Thuong also said that many specialized agencies have come to investigate but have not been able to clearly explain or have measures to preserve them. However, currently, 2 out of 5 trees have signs of rotting and are being attacked by termites. It is time for the Department of Culture and Museums and other relevant agencies to specifically verify the age and have solutions to preserve this unique garden of 5 star apple trees.

Article and photos: Huu Nghia