The century-old Dien Trang Sui tree: A historical relic with amazing beauty

Traveling on National Highway 7B through Thanh Phong Commune (Thanh Chuong), from afar people can recognize an ancient sui tree located on the top of Tron Mountain. Photo: Huy Thu

The sui tree belongs to the old Dien Trang village, so the locals often call it the Dien Trang sui tree. Currently, the sui tree belongs to hamlet 6, Thanh Phong commune - a rural area that is undergoing many changes, with houses growing close together. Photo: Huy Thu

The uniqueness of the Dien Trang sui tree is reflected in its location, age and enormous size. The sui tree grows on a low mountain peak, about 35m high, with a base circumference of about 6 - 7m. According to local people, the tree has been around for a long time, at least a few hundred years old. Photo: Huy Thu

The tree has many buttresses, the roots spread out in all directions, as big as several human arms' spans. Photo: Huy Thu

Under the tree are caves and holes containing a lot of soil and rocks. According to historical documents, from September 1930 to February 1931, Dien Trang village was a secret location for the Nghe An Provincial Party Committee. The Nguyen Duy family temple was the residence and meeting place of the Provincial Party Committee Secretary Nguyen Tiem, the Nguyen Ba and Nguyen Ich family temples, and the Dien Trang sui tree used to be the place where the Provincial Party Committee printed and hid documents. Photo: Huy Thu

Mr. Nguyen Dinh Tam - the caretaker of the relic said: Previously, the base of the sui tree was hollow and could accommodate a few people. During the process of preservation, conservation, and care... around the base of the tree, more soil was added, and as the tree grew, these hollows gradually became smaller, and people could not enter or exit the base of the sui tree as before. Photo: Huy Thu

Having survived hundreds of years and many big storms, the sui tree still stands strong in the sun and wind, spreading its green leaves. Photo: Huy Thu

Like many other ancient trees, there are many parasitic plants on the trunk of the sui tree. Photo: Huy Thu

The Sui tree is green almost all year round, and every spring the tree sprouts new life. As an ancient tree with a unique beauty "one of a kind" in Nghe An, the Dien Trang Sui tree is the pride of the local people. Photo: Huy Thu

The Dien Trang sui tree and the Nguyen Duy family temples were recognized by the State as National Historical Relics in 1998. Over the past time, the sui tree has always been cared for by the local government and people, and many activities of the youth of Thanh Phong commune have been organized here. Currently, this relic complex is not only a place to educate revolutionary traditions, but also an attractive destination for tourists from near and far. Photo: Huy Thu