[Photos] Astonishing beauty of century-old frangipani trees at Con Son pagoda

There are six hundred-year-old frangipani trees at Con Son pagoda in Con Son – Kiep Bac special national relic site, Chi Linh city, the most notable of which are two dragon-shaped ones in front of the Buddha hall.

The head of the Relic Management Board said the two ancient frangipani trees were planted along with a pine forest and a re (artemisia annua) field by former Minister over the Masses Tran Nguyen Dan when he came to Con Son with his wife in 1385.

Dan was a member of the Tran royal family and the maternal grandfather of national hero, world celebrity Nguyen Trai, who is being worshipped at Con Son relic.

Dan also built Thanh Hu cave and renovated Con Son landscape, turning it into a great scenic spot with fairy beauty that has still existed up to this time.

Frangipani trees are very common at pagodas. 

In Buddhist concept, frangipani is a sacred tree in a system of divinely favoured ones (which means vitality, the soul of the universe, heaven and earth).

Meanwhile, the ancients believed that the tree could absorb and transfer vital force from sky to earth and water to initiate a full life.

The century-old frangipani trees at Con Son pagoda contribute to making Con Son pagoda more sacred, antique, and attractive to tourists.

Let's contemplate the ancient frangipani trees at Con Son pagoda through the following photos taken by Hai Duong newspaper reporters on February 11:

One of two dragon-shaped frangipani trees allegedly grown by former Minister over the Masses Tran Nguyen Dan in front of the Buddha hall of Con Son pagoda more than six centuries ago

The frangipani tree to the left of Con Son pagoda also has an antique look


Moss cling to the roots of both frangipani trees


The whole trunks of the two trees are rough and mouldy


Mistletoes live on the two ancient frangipani trees


Many branches have rotten after more than six centuries


Buds still sprout on top of the trees to catch the spring rain


Many first-time visitors to Con Son enjoy watching the ancient frangipani trees


Besides the two ancient frangipani trees in front of the Buddha hall, there are four others planted by the ancients hundreds of years ago in the precinct of Con Son pagoda. In the photo is a frangipani tree at the gate of the bell tower of Con Son pagoda


Most of the trees have weak trunks for having lived for too many years, so the Relic Management Board has to support them with fake trunks made from concrete

TIEN MANH – TIEN HUY