The land of Quang Yen, Quang Ninh Province, is a sacred place of eminent people associated with the Bach Dang victory in 1288. There stands a 900-year-old gold apple tree on the grounds of Dong Phuc Pagoda, recognized as a Vietnam Heritage Tree.
Visit Quang Ninh to admire the 900-year-old gold apple tree at Dong Phuc Pagoda
Dong Phuc Pagoda. Photo: Nguoi Dua Tin E-magazine.
The pagoda is built from ironwood. Photo: VOV.
Dong Phuc Pagoda is situated near Rung wharf, at the confluence of the Bach Dang River. Legend has it that this was where Tran Hung Dao prayed for national peace and prosperity before the battle and set up an altar to pray for the souls of the fallen. During the Later Le Dynasty, Dong Phuc Pagoda became a refuge for Prince Le Tu Thanh (later King Le Thanh Tong) and his mother.
The 900-year-old gold apple tree. Photo: Kinh Te Do Thi.
The gold apple tree provides shade year-round. Photo: Sai Gon Giai Phong.
This is the largest pagoda constructed from ironwood and monolithic stone in Quang Ninh Province. The pagoda grounds house many precious ancient trees. Among them, the 900-year-old gold apple tree at Dong Phuc Pagoda is closely linked to the third battle defeating the Mongol Yuan invaders on the Bach Dang River.
Gold apples. Photo: Sai Gon Giai Phong.
The gold apple tree extending its long branches. Photo: Kinh Te Do Thi.
The imposing gold apple tree at Dong Phuc Pagoda stands 19m tall, with a trunk circumference of 5.17m and a broad canopy offering shade all year round. The gold apple tree is highly significant and regarded as a sacred tree in Buddhist belief; its wood was the sole type used by ancient Buddhist Patriarchs to carve sutra printing woodblocks. Gold apple wood is exceptionally beautiful, durable, and resistant to termites and cracking, which is why ancestral masters chose it to imprint classical Buddhist scriptures.
Photo: VOV.
The gold apple tree recognized as a Heritage Tree. Photo: To Quoc.
The pagoda also features a red silk cotton tree over 400 years old, standing 18m tall with a trunk circumference of 5.9m. People in northern Vietnam have a cultural connection with the red silk cotton tree, which symbolizes prosperity and abundance. Furthermore, it represents the sentiments and enduring spirit of the Vietnamese people.
Photo: Nguoi Dua Tin E-magazine.
Honoring and awarding the Vietnam Heritage Tree certificate to the 900-year-old gold apple tree in Quang Yen is not only a source of pride, but also demonstrates the connection and gratitude across generations. Without the dedicated protection of many people over time, this 900-year-old tree could not have survived to this day.
The 400-year-old red silk cotton tree in the pagoda. Photo: phatgiao.org.
The pagoda grounds. Photo: Quang Ninh Newspaper.
Despite enduring the immense harshness of nature and numerous historical upheavals, the 900-year-old gold apple tree at Dong Phuc Pagoda still stands majestic today, bearing testament to the historical, cultural, and spiritual values of the land of Quang Yen.
