Yingjiang One-Tree Forest Park

　　As the saying goes, “One tree does not make a forest,” but in the diverse world of trees, there’s nothing that can’t happen. There is a species of banyan tree whose canopy can cast a shadow over an area as large as one hectare, appearing like an entire woodland—the “One-Tree Forest” known as the King of Asian Banyans is just such a miracle.

　　The One-Tree Forest grows in Laodaolongzhai, Tongbiguan, Yingjiang County, Dehong Prefecture, Yunnan Province, and is referred to as the “King of Asian Banyans.” Its trunk is extraordinarily massive—so large that dozens of people can’t encircle it together. The main trunk is covered with block-like aerial roots, resembling mountains, valleys, and a grand, dramatic landscape of ravines. The hollows formed by its curved branches and steep aerial roots look like halls and corridors, grand and imposing. Its huge canopy spreads out in all directions, providing dense shade that blocks out the sun, like a giant umbrella reaching toward the sky, seemingly trying to swallow up the blue sky and white clouds. The trunk sprouts clusters of aerial roots that shoot out like giant pythons, digging their heads deep into the soil as if to suck up every bit of moisture from the earth. The tree’s canopy covers an area of 5.5 mu (approximately 0.37 hectares), and 108 new trunks have grown from the aerial roots that have taken root in the ground. With nearly 300 years of age, it is truly a wonder of the “One-Tree Forest” phenomenon, a unique spectacle in Dehong Prefecture, Yunnan.

　　To protect and make full use of this natural attraction, the One-Tree Forest Park has been established here. In addition to having dedicated personnel guarding the forest, the park also offers a variety of entertainment and shopping services. Visitors can not only enjoy the beautiful scenery of the forest, take photos, and create lasting memories, but they can also ride elephants for fun or purchase jewelry and jade. This makes border tourism both delightful and unforgettable.

　　People in Dehong, Yunnan Province, call the banyan tree the “Daqing Tree” and hold a special affection for it. The Dai people in Dehong Prefecture even regard the majestic, ancient Daqing Trees at the entrances of villages as sacred trees. During festivals and holidays, they offer sacrifices under the Daqing Trees, praying for the health of people and livestock, as well as abundant harvests.

　　The banyan tree is an evergreen tree with many branches and a large canopy. Its leaves are oval or egg-shaped, and its flowers are yellow or light red. It grows in tropical and subtropical regions. Over the years, the branches of a banyan tree can grow black, root-like tendrils that hang straight down to the ground, and when these take root in the earth, they become new trunks. A single banyan tree can thus form an entire forest.