The Gigantic Banyan Tree Root Cluster of Longwen

The Gigantic Banyan Tree Root Cluster of Longwen

The Gigantic Banyan Tree Root Cluster of Longwen is located in Qiaotou Village, Chaoyang Town. The ancient city wall of Qiaotou Village was built during the Ming Dynasty by local residents to defend against Japanese pirates. Situated by the northern branch of the Jiulong River, the wall enjoys moist soil and a warm climate. Over the centuries, banyan seeds carried by the wind drifted into the crevices of the wall, where they tenaciously took root and gradually grew into towering ancient banyans that cast vast shade. The roots of hundreds of these ancient banyans cling to the old walls, varying in thickness, intertwining with a mix of rigidity and flexibility, arranged in a picturesque disorder—some coiling like dragons, others spiraling like phoenixes, twisting and turning to form a spectacular “wall of roots” that stretches as far as the eye can see. A proverb popular on both sides of the Taiwan Strait goes: “Carry an empty basket to Qiaotou Market,” referring to this very Qiaotou Village.