Pu Jiyuan's prose: The tall banyan tree of Ah Wa Mountain

"The moon rises, the cottage is quiet, the evening breeze blows gently, and the heart is so hearty, let's get together and tell the whispers in our hearts......"

Anyone who has been to Wa Township will definitely hum a few words of this popular song, and they must have heard the legend of the high banyan tree in several Wa villages.

This popular "Moon Rises" in the streets and alleys of Cangyuan is an authentic national love song unique to Cangyuan Wa Township.

The song depicts the tender and sweet love story between a couple of infatuated men and women under a tall banyan tree on a moonlit night in Ah Wa Mountain.

Although the tune of this love song is simple and smooth, the tranquil lyrics are provocative, and people will never get tired of listening to it.

When I heard this song at the beginning of the year, I listened to it for the first time, and I could taste the excitement and joy of the Wa guy when he met his lover that I wanted to express in the song. When I listened to it for the second time, I could already sketch out the sweet figure of the pair who were whispering and snuggling together happily.

Cangyuan Awa Mountain is a romantic and mysterious place, and the Wa people living there have their own unique ethnic customs and habits. In the villages and towns I have visited, wherever the Wa people live, you will see a relatively large mountain banyan tree planted nearby. Or not far from the village, there will be a lush forest of tall banyan trees.

High Ficus, also known as Alpine Ficus, commonly known as Big-leaved Ficus and Big Green Tree, belongs to the large tree of the Mulberry family. Its aerial roots and pillar roots are particularly vigorous, and can easily grow into a single tree and a forest of wonders.

Moreover, orchids, ferns, mosses, lichens and other plants can be epiphytic, parasitic or climb on the tall banyan tree. When the flowers bloom in the season, the high banyan trees are full of flowers and colors, forming a unique and interesting miniature version of the "hanging garden" landscape.

When the fruit is ripe in autumn, the branches of the high banyan tree will bear countless small fruits, which look like red coral from a distance, and will attract many species of birds and beasts to compete for food. At this time, the high banyan tree is very lively, and it can really be said to be "a paradise for small animals".

Therefore, in Awa Mountain, the locals say that Gao Rong "has a god attached" and worships it very much.

Even now, there are still many people who choose to plant a tall banyan tree near the village to show the protection of God and bless the healthy growth of their children.

If you are interested, follow these clues to find the past, and you can hear one after another legends related to the tall banyan tree from the mouths of local elders.

The Wa villages are mostly built according to the mountain, as for why there is such a big high banyan tree at the entrance of the village, after asking the old people in the village, the more unified statement is related to the custom of the Wa ancestors to build the village according to the tree.

According to the customs of the Wa people, the ancestors who built the village would choose a suitable place to live and have abundant water and grass in advance, and try to plant a tall banyan tree. If the banyan tree grows luxuriantly, a new village will be built here, and on the contrary, another site will be chosen.

Because in the consciousness of the ancestors of the Wa people, it is believed that all things have spirits, and the flourishing high banyan has the meaning of prosperity. Therefore, the tallest and largest banyan tree in the village is usually regarded as a "sacred tree" by the villagers.

Every New Year's Festival, the Wa people will use an ancient sacrificial method to communicate the will of nature through the "sacred tree" to worship and pray for blessings, which has been passed down for nearly a thousand years.

In various villages in the Wa Mountains, tall banyan trees can be seen everywhere, which seems to have become a unique symbol of the Wa villages. Take the famous village of Ontin, for example, there are 14 large banyan trees nearby, and these tall banyan trees are in a spectacular state. It is said that the oldest one was planted by the ancestors of the Wa people when the village was first built.

To the east of Onding Village, there is a mysterious banyan forest called the "Sacred Forest". The tallest of the trees is over 400 years old, and from its roots to the top of the tree, it is covered with dense horns.

The canopy of this tall banyan tree is huge, covering an area of almost 900 square meters. The locals regard this ancient banyan tree as a sacred tree, and every year a stone will be placed under the tree for blessings, and the Wa people call it "incense", which means "the treasure of the village".

In addition, in Banhong Township, one of the eighteen tribes of Awa Mountain, there are also many stories about the high banyan tree.

Banhong Township is rich in mineral resources, with a wide variety of precious animals and plants, and has the reputation of "the kingdom of animals and plants, the hometown of mineral deposits". It is not only the Nanhuanhe National Nature Reserve, but also a national forest park with natural treasures such as 10,000 acres of giant dragon bamboo garden. The humid climate, abundant rainfall, long sunshine hours, and fertile soil make it an ideal environment for the growth of the tall banyan.

When you walk into Banhong Street, the first thing that catches your eye is a huge banyan tree standing in the middle of the street, which was witnessed by the seventeen kings of Wa Mountain who swore to fight against the invaders!

If you look closer, you will find that under the shade of the trees there is still a weather-beaten "Banhong Anti-British Monument", which tells the kindness and bravery of the Wa people all the time.

In addition, the more famous high banyan tree in Banhong Township is the big banyan tree that is called the "lover tree", which is called two hands and hearts. According to the elders of the village, they have been closely intersecting for more than 500 years.

There is an unwritten tradition in the local area that young men and women will come here before they get married, and on these two tall banyan trees they will make tokens symbolizing love, in order to express lifelong love, growing old together, having children and grandchildren, and family happiness.

Perhaps it is because they have witnessed too many love stories, and the locals even say: "The love blessed by the lover tree is much more effective than those mountain alliances and sea vows that come to the letter!"

The Wa people often say that where there are tall banyan trees, there will be people, and the village built here will definitely be prosperous and prosperous.

The tall banyan tree of Awa Mountain has experienced the changes of a hundred years of history, witnessed the smoke of the war against aggression, and ushered in a new era of prosperity!

On August 19, 2021, a letter full of truth and high hopes crossed countless rivers and mountains, full of General Secretary Xi Jinping's earnest entrustment and affectionate concern, and came to the hands of the old branch secretaries in the border villages of Cangyuan Wa Autonomous County.

The letter of "building a beautiful homeland, maintaining national unity, and guarding the sacred land ......" is short and long!

The important instructions of General Secretary Xi Jinping in the letter have gradually turned into the mission and responsibility of the vast number of cadres and masses in Awa Mountain, and have gradually integrated into the hearts of the people of Awa.

After tea and dinner, walking into every village in Cangyuan Wa Mountain, the old branches of the village will lead the villagers to learn and review the important reply of General Secretary Xi Jinping in Wa language under the high banyan tree.

Since then, the cadres and masses of all ethnic groups in Awa Mountain have been closely united like pomegranate seeds, and everyone is not afraid of difficulties, facing difficulties, forging ahead, and rushing towards a better tomorrow with full confidence.

Behold, under the tall banyan tree, the people of Ah Wa gathered together and sang a new song of happiness for Ah Wa Mountain in the new era:

The general secretary replied to Wa Mountain, the mountains and rivers were smiling, the clouds were smiling, the sound of wooden drums conveyed affection, and the ancient border village was bathed in the spring breeze. The general secretary instructed us to keep in mind that the people should be united in defending the land and consolidating the borders, and that the rural revitalization should enrich the frontiers, and that the ethnic unity should prosper together. ”