The banyan tree stands tall in the blue sky as if to protect, support and give strength to political prisoners throughout the years of continuous struggle... now standing quietly in a corner as a historical witness to the place that used to be "hell on earth".
The shady banyan trees are associated with the lives of political prisoners. Female prisoners use lime-smeared banyan bark to chew like betel leaves, while men hollow out dry banyan branches to make pipes to smoke. Ripe yellow banyan fruit is a source of nutrition for generations of political prisoners, young banyan buds are medicine, young banyan leaves are heated to apply to sore spots, and fallen leaves are turned into pages of paper to write poems on... The banyan tree is a landmark for Tet gift packages, New Year greetings... to be thrown over the prison walls. These are shipments from the city landing in the prison, so that prisoners can hold "airplane parties".
Today, the story of the banyan tree continues to be written, sent to visitors to Hoa Lo in surprisingly creative ways. The golden banyan leaf with the poem of a revolutionary soldier has become a souvenir for visitors. Gifts offered to visitors from the banyan fruit include banyan bud tea, banyan jelly, banyan cake... made from hundred-year-old banyan leaves. "Unyielding tea" for visitors to "Sacred Night" has the flavor of banyan jelly, banyan tea with fragrant lotus.
To hear more meaningful stories about this historical witness, visitors can visit the special exhibition “Bang oi!” from October 8 to December 31, at Hoa Lo Prison Historical Relic. This is an event organized by the Hoa Lo Prison Relic Management Board under the direction of the Hanoi Department of Culture and Sports, on the occasion of the 70th anniversary of the Liberation of the Capital (October 10, 1954 - October 10, 2024).
The exhibition consists of two parts: The first part is called “The Banyan Trees in Hoa Lo Prison”, introducing the “Knight Banyan Tree”. Over time, the Banyan tree grew up, became closely attached and useful to many generations of Hoa Lo political prisoners.
The banyan tree in the women's camp yard was planted in early Spring 2001, when General Secretary Le Kha Phieu and other leaders of the Party, State and Hanoi city visited former political prisoners and toured the Hoa Lo Prison Relic.
The content of "Oh, Banyan Tree!" shows the image of the Banyan tree in songs and poems... Not only is there the Banyan tree in Hoa Lo but there is also the square Banyan tree on the island. Thanh Yen
