Banyan tree blocking traffic

Banyan trees, with their long root systems have been a staple across Wenzhou, and some have even influenced the urban design of the city.

According to Wenzhou Government Records, the Banyan tree, known by its botanical name Ficus Microcarpa, was recognised as the city tree in 1985. Wenzhou has nearly 926 existing banyan trees, they grow everywhere in Wenzhou, some grow along rivers; some grow out of narrow crevices; some even grow in the middle of roads.

“I've never seen a tree growing in the middle of the road in any other city,” said Qi Beifan from Wenzhou's Kenyon University Polytechnic, “It's a very amazing phenomenon.” Qi is not a native of Wenzhou, but he drove his car from his hometown of Zhuji to Wenzhou for the convenience of traveling. As a foreigner who doesn't know the culture of banyan trees in Wenzhou, he thinks these trees are very obstructive to road traffic in Wenzhou. At the same time, he does not understand why the government does not remove these trees.

Banyan tree growing in the middle of the road near Yongqing Street, Ouhai District, Wenzhou. Saturday, Apr. 19, 2025. (Photo/Fu Xinyu) 2025/04/20

Qiu Changsheng, from a local community and cultural studio in Wenzhou explains: “One of the reasons for not removing the trees is that most of the banyan trees in the middle of the road are more than 100 years old. Another is the banyan trees are so large, it would be expensive to remove them, so they were preserved.” 

But banyan trees with more than a century of history are just the tip of the iceberg of all the banyan trees in Wenzhou. Next to the Huichang River, the largest banyan tree spreads like a huge green umbrella across the water. “If we trace its history, it can probably start from the Northern Song Dynasty more than 1,000 years ago.” Qiu said.

Like its deep roots, a legend has taken hold about this tree: “here is a Tudigong-the Earth God in Chinese folk religion, came to an old man’s dream and instructed him to plant this banyan tree.” The reason why this tale was able to circulate among the citizens of Wenzhou is because there really is a land temple next to this banyan tree.

Wenzhou's largest banyan tree and the land temple next to it, Ancient Banyan Chunxiao Park. Saturday, Apr. 19, 2025. (Photo/Fu Xinyu) 2025/04/20

The banyan tree not only holds legends, it also carries the beliefs of Wenzhou people. In many village gates will grow banyan trees. These banyan trees symbolize the circle of life, the villagers hope their descendants will thrive like the banyan trees.

As Wenzhou continues to develop, the banyan tree remains an unshakeable symbol of the city's cultural identity and collective memory. In order to prevent the banyan culture lost in the process of urban development, Wenzhou has shown the greatest tolerance to the banyan tree, allowing it to carry the memory of Wenzhou from ancient times to the present.