A 1,300-Year-Old Banyan Tree King Discovered in Sanjiang, Guangxi, with a Crown Area of 2.3 Mu, Requiring 10 People to Encircle

Upon entering the Chankou Ancient Banyan Scenic Area, one sees a colossal banyan tree that has stood for 1,300 years. As the largest Dong King Sacred Tree in Liuzhou, it is a place where the Dong people pray for blessings, wealth, and wishes on the first and fifteenth days of the lunar month. Superstitious devotees eagerly rush to take photos with it. The Chankou Ancient Banyan is located in Chankou Village, Liangkou Township, Sanjiang County, along National Highway 321, 30 kilometers from the county seat. This ancient banyan tree, with a history of over a thousand years, is the oldest and largest banyan tree ever discovered in Liuzhou and has been included in the book "Liuzhou's Best." From a distance, it looks like a forest, but up close, it is a single tree, earning it the titles of Guangxi Tree King and Sacred Tree. The ancient banyan king stands 25 meters tall, with 15 major branches radiating outward, covering a crown area of over 2.3 mu. Its trunk requires more than ten adults to encircle. Despite being a thousand years old, the ancient banyan remains lush and vigorous, like a coiled dragon and crouching tiger. Local villagers regard it as a "tree god" that protects their village. During all major and minor festivals and important events, people from Chankou Village and surrounding hamlets come to the foot of the banyan to burn incense, pray for blessings, and hang red ribbons on the "tree god," hoping for peace, good fortune, happiness, and prosperity year after year. Having endured a millennium, the ancient banyan king still stands proudly by the Rongjiang River, nestled against mountains and waters, captivating countless tourists with its charming scenery. Gazing across the Rongjiang River, the green hills and clear waters blend seamlessly, integrating peaks, rocks, forests, bamboos, and water, while encompassing villages, towers, bridges, pavilions, and human culture. In that instant, it seems all worldly worries are forgotten. The Chankou Dong Village is nestled against the mountains and bordering the river, with its architectural group layout following principles of balance, symmetry, and harmony, presenting a sense of neat perfection, rustic naturalness, and stable regularity in architectural artistry. Within the village stand unique and beautifully shaped stilted wooden buildings, revealing such a dwelling amidst the green fields and mountains. Taking a boat from the pier to slowly tour Sanjiangkou offers another realm of experience. Below the pier flows the Rongjiang River, one of the three rivers that give Sanjiang its name. It flows through Chankou, under the Stone Gate, and meets the Yuxun River at Laobao, forming the Rong River. Here, birds sing, flowers fragrance, and the landscape is picturesque, earning the reputation of "three rivers flowing out of the green mountains." Beneath the ancient banyan tree, by the Rongjiang River, time seems to have always favored Sanjiang, this story-rich Dong town. Even as time passes, the Dong people's folk customs and culinary culture have continued to this day. Sanjiang Dong Autonomous County is like a beautiful woman, becoming a favorite subject for photographers from China and abroad. Sunlight shines on the lush forests across the bank, creating a contrast of light and dark colors between the two shores, with clouds in the sky reflected on the clear water surface. The reflections of the high-speed Silikou Xunjiang Bridge and the high-speed rail bridge are clearly visible. The scenery here is uniquely beautiful, presenting a series of refreshing landscape paintings every day!