The sacred banyan tree of Tru Thach village

(Baonghean) - Anyone who has ever visited Ly Thanh (Yen Thanh) and admired the banyan tree next to Tru Thach communal house cannot help but be amazed by its majestic and majestic beauty. Through many historical ups and downs, for hundreds of years, the banyan tree has still grown green and lush as if to shelter and protect the village. The children of this land, despite struggling far and wide, always remember the banyan tree as if remembering a piece of their hometown soul...

The banyan tree preserves the soul of the countryside

The banyan tree of Tru Thach village stands majestically and silently beside Cua Dinh field, embracing the foot of Tru Thach communal house. No one knows exactly when the banyan tree was built. The oldest people in the village all say that since birth, they have seen the ancient tree standing at the foot of the communal house, providing shade. Tru Thach village is located near Nong Giang river, the name of Tru Thach village has existed since the reign of Le Chan Tong in 1643, and has changed many times, but since the reign of King Tu Duc in 1853, the village name has returned to Tru Thach until now. The ancient village has a tradition of learning with many successful people, so the people here often recite the song: "Tru Thach is a land of scholars/ In front of Canh Phuong field, behind winding Dong hill". In addition to famous families, the village also has a complex of communal houses, pagodas and temples such as Tru Thach communal house, Confucius's house, Nha Ong temple, Tam Quan gate... all gathered under the shade of a banyan tree hundreds of years old.

The banyan tree of Tru Thach village.

Mr. Lang Trong Ngoi, Chairman of the Elderly Association of Ly Thanh Commune, was born and raised in Tru Thach village. When talking to him about the ancient banyan tree, he seemed to relive old memories, because his childhood was deeply attached to the village banyan tree. When he was still a child with bare head and feet, he and his friends herded buffaloes in front of the village field every day. The banyan tree became a meeting place for children herding buffaloes like him. When the buffaloes rushed out to the field, the whole group competed to climb up the banyan tree branches and then slide down to see who was the fastest. In the summer, the children of that time often saw the Chi Lieng bird coming here to make nests, and then the cuckoo bird coming to lay eggs in the Chi Lieng bird's nest. The bird nests always aroused the children's curiosity. The whole group anxiously waited for the day the Chi Lieng bird hatched baby birds and brought them home to raise.

The banyan tree is the embodiment of war elephants.

Nowadays, many villagers still pass on a thrilling story, which can be considered as the legend of the village banyan tree. The story goes that a general riding an elephant to fight the enemy was injured and stopped at this location on the way back. After the elephant died, a banyan tree grew here and has existed until now. Many people who came to admire it commented that the banyan tree has the shape of an elephant with its head facing the communal house and its tail facing the village field. For hundreds of years, the people of Tru Thach village still believe in the story and the sacredness of the ancient banyan tree.

Every hot summer afternoon, or when working in the fields, farmers in Tru Thach village choose the shade of the banyan tree to sit, chat, and rest. During Tet and festivals, people gather under the banyan tree, temporarily away from the fields, to play swings, human chess, etc. Nowadays, these games are no longer held locally, but in the memories of many elderly people, they have never forgotten their childhood under the village banyan tree.

During the Nghe Tinh Soviet movement of 1930 - 1931, under the leadership of the Van Tu Commune Party Cell, the people of Tru Thach village and neighboring areas gathered to protest at the village communal house, where the red hammer and sickle flag was planted on the banyan tree by Soviet soldiers and people. In 1945, under the leadership of the Viet Minh Front of Yen Thanh district, the people of Tru Thach village gathered in the communal house yard to listen to military order No. 1, the red flag with a yellow star was hung on the village banyan tree, the people of Tru Thach spread out in all directions to arrest traitors, overthrow the feudal colonial regime, and take power into the hands of the people.

During the two resistance wars against the French and the Americans, under the banyan tree, generations of young people from the village enthusiastically joined the army to protect their homeland and the Fatherland. Mr. Lang Hong Quang, a son born and raised in Tru Thach village, choked up when I asked him about his memories of the village banyan tree. Those were the years of the fierce resistance war against the Americans, under the banyan tree, he and a friend said goodbye to each other to join the army. Under the dim moonlight of the countryside night, under the old banyan tree, the two friends decided to leave to fight the enemy and made an appointment to return. However, his friend remained on the battlefield forever. "Every time I return to my hometown, I spend time standing by the banyan tree and remembering those memories. I feel comforted that my friend died to keep our village banyan tree green forever."

And also in that immense love, he wrote these burning verses:

"I grew up seeing the old banyan tree

The banyan tree that gave birth to Tru Thach village

My village banyan tree, the fairy tale banyan tree

Protecting the years of human life…”.

Today, Tru Thach's homeland is changing day by day. Every child of Tru Thach village, no matter how far they go, no matter how many storms of life they go through, when they return to the village and see the banyan tree, they find peace and serenity in their souls.

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