Ancient Camphor Tree Cluster in Zhana Village, Futian

Ancient Camphor Tree Cluster in Zhana Village, Futian

In a small fishing village called Zhana Village in Futian Town, Zhangpu County, there is an ancient camphor tree cluster that dates back nearly a thousand years. There are a total of nine ancient camphor trees, all 712 years old, located on the eastern side of the village near the sea, among which are also mixed two ancient banyan trees.

During the late Yuan and early Ming dynasties, ancestors of the Chen family came to Futian Town and settled in Zhana Village, establishing their roots and thriving over generations. At that time, as the village was close to the sea, strong winds often blew along the coast during autumn and winter, causing sand and stones to be swept through the village, with many houses being buried by windblown sand. To combat the sand and wind, the Chen ancestors planted trees such as camphor and banyan along the seashore to serve as windbreaks and stabilize the sand, which has been over seven hundred years ago.

Over time, the original large windbreak forest has been reduced to just these ancient camphor and banyan trees. Among them, the most remarkable is an old tree known locally as the “camphor-embracing banyan,” where a camphor and a banyan have merged into one. The camphor trunk is thick and stands exceptionally upright, with a diameter at breast height of more than 2 meters—so large that it takes six adults holding hands to encircle it. Meanwhile, the banyan has sent out two thick roots from a branch about three meters above the ground, deeply rooting into the earth as if clinging tightly to the camphor tree, and has also grown lush and verdant.

Approaching these old camphor trees, one can immediately smell a rich fragrance. Camphor wood has the effects of deodorizing, repelling insects, and purifying the air. Especially in summer, not a single mosquito can be seen under the trees, making them an ideal place for villagers to cool off. The combination of ancient trees, a fishing village, the sea, sandy beaches, and traditional swallow-tailed ancestral houses forms a beautiful image of Southern Fujian scenery, attracting numerous visitors from both inside and outside the county.

Zhana Village: Located in the southern part of the town, Zhana Village got its name because it sits in a flat area that transitions from open land down into a small mountain valley (the character “轧” is a dialectal representation). The village borders Taigao Mountain (elevation 33 meters) to the east, facing the beach, neighbors Houxu Village (forest farm) to the west, lies south of the extension of Songzai Ridge, and borders Chihu and Lianhua Mountains, which separate it from Banshi Village in Chihu. To the north, it adjoins Houxu Village. There is a freshwater lake at the border between Zhana Village and Houxu Village. Known since ancient times for its mirror-clear water, it is called Jianhu (Mirror Lake), or commonly known as Dakeng. Originally, Zhana and Houxu were collectively referred to as Dakeng. The village is located between longitude 117°53.5’ and 117°55’ east... More detailed information about Zhana Village++