Vignettes of the World
I told the taxi driver that I was going to visit a restaurant for a meal. The address was reading a bit odd to me, it says Opposite No. 35, Nguyen Truong To Street, Hue. The restaurant’s name is a nondescript Nguyen Truong To Nem …
As the taxi was pulling in, I saw the royal tomb of Khai Dinh from afar and I was awed. What is this? Khai Dinh, the driver said. Khai Dinh as a Nguyen Emperor Born Nguyen Phuc Buu Dao, Khai Dinh (ruled 1916-25) was the …
I had better hurry, for there were two more royal tombs to visit. The taxi driver took me to the next royal tomb, the Royal Mausoleum of Minh Mang.
Mr. Truong, who took me to the DMZ, told me that Minh Mang was a well-liked and respected Nguyen Emperor. Born Nguyen Phuc Dam, he succeeded the Nguyen Dynasty’s founding Emperor Gia Long as the second Emperor. His rule lasted 21 years from 1820 to 1841. The reign title Minh Mang means “the bright favor of Heaven.”
Like Tu Duc, who came after him, Minh Mang was a staunch supporter of Confucianism. As such, he generally opposed foreign influences on Vietnam. During his reign, he has, time after time, rejected the invitations from the West to form commercial relationships. That includes the first attempt by the United States of America to establish commerce with a country in East Asia (during President Andrew Jackson’s administration).
However, he did take the West seriously by studying their innovations in science and technology. He would request firearms, mechanics, books and even vaccination from the West. Yet French colonialism was brewing during his reign. Despite his later attempts to establish commerce with the West by sending delegations for negotiations, Minh Mang’s strong opposition against western missionaries, to the extent of executing some French Catholics, would eventually cause increasing animosity from France. In time, this would give rise to support in France to invade and later successfully colonize Vietnam.
He has earned favour with the Vietnamese people historically because he did care about the lives of the peasants, as expressed in his land reform policies. He was also against forced labour.
Minh Mang was much of a scholar himself and he also composed poems. He has shown his love for scholarship by the display of 600 carved poems in his mausoleum. He has left an everlasting mark on the Imperial City of Hue also, as under his reign he ordered the construction of many edifices in the Imperial City. The remarkable Ngo Mon was one, and it is still standing today.
As with the Royal Mausoleum of Tu Duc, the Royal Mausoleum of Minh Mang serves as both a place of burial and a place of worship. Construction for this mausoleum took three years from 1840 to 1843.
The construction of Minh Mang’s royal tomb has broken new grounds in terms of the formality in its layout. The main burial structures were built in one straight line along the main axis. In runs in the east-west direction and it is called the Holy Axis. The features common to all royal tombs, such as the gate (Dai Hong in this tomb), the salutation court, the stele house, the temple (Sung An Temple), the pavilion (Minh Lau Pavilion), and finally the Buu Thanh and Huyen Cung (where the Emperor’s remains were buried), are spread along the Holy Axis. All other minor structures on the sides are symmetrical. Finally, as with the Royal Mausoleum of Tu Duc, a 2000-meter stone wall surrounds this royal tomb.
Again, in imperial Vietnam the middle way was reserved for the king only. Everyone else had to go via the sides. In this mausoleum, that tradition is honored. The middle entrance (with a non-restored gate) had only opened once, and that was when Emperor Minh Mang died and his coffer went through it for final burial. Since then, the gate has remained shut.
The Huyen Cong, in this case the Mound, is meant to be where the Emperor was laid to rest. The Buu Thanh is the 285-meter long stone wall that protects the Mound. On the death anniversary of Minh Mang, the mound is open for observance by the public.
The royal funeral itself was somewhat mysterious. Minh Mang’s coffer, having gone through the now-shut central entrance of the royal tomb, then went through an underground channel. This channel was then sealed permanently. A tour guide there was telling her group that, although standard history had it that the Emperor’s final resting place was in the mound, actually nobody knew where exactly the body was buried in this site.
Photos: Proceeding through the main structures of the Royal Mausoleum of Minh Mang along the Holy Axis
I went through the Holy Axis quickly. The mound was in sight, and I passed by two gates. One said in Chinese, “fair and upright,” and the other one said, “brilliant and upright.” In both of these phrases, the word “minh” obviously refer to the reign title of Minh Mang.
As compared to the Royal Mausoleum of Tu Duc, my impression of the Royal Mausoleum of Minh Mang was not as favorable. The feeling of tranquility in this Mausoleum was similar, as there are also nice lakes at the eastern and western ends that envelope the structures on the Holy Axis. However, this groundbreaking, new formality in layout clearly shows an emphasis on the authority of the Emperor. Surely, Minh Mang deserves all the respect given his merits, but perhaps the royal tomb of Tu Duc is more welcoming, more relaxed, and thus invites my appreciation more readily so.
The mound was out of bounds for visitors that day. I certainly did not intend to disturb Emperor Minh Mang in his sleep.
And I did have some time to visit the last royal tomb, the Royal Mausoleum of Khai Dinh.
Photo: Huyen Cong (the Mound), where Minh Mang is buried.
Historical descriptions on site.
The Lonely Planet on Vietnam
Photo: the Trung Minh Lake at the Minh Mang’s tomb
After lunch, I stopped by a convenient store to get some water. The young man there spoke good English, so I asked about transportation to the royal tombs. The ticket to the Imperial Enclosure enabled same-day admission to the three royal tombs of Tu Duc, …
“Like its elegantly designed streets and architecture, most Vietnamese generally regard the food from Hue to be the most refined in all of the country.” Songs of Sapa at 78. Luke Nguyen on Vietnamese Food For anyone interested in the food of Vietnam, I recommend …
Perhaps throughout this tour I was most impressed by every gate that marked the entrances to the structures of the Imperial Enclosure. It seemed to me that protective walls surrounded every quarter and there would be a gate in the northern and southern entrances. This feature showed a rigorous system that perhaps only the Emperor was entitled to. The gates were beautifully constructed, even for the unrestored ones. It only takes a little imagination for one to visualise the Imperial Palace’s glory in the past.
The South Gate, built in the form of a tower (Nam Khuyet), of the Imperial Enclosure was the predecessor to the now Noon Gate. Construction for the South Gate completed under the reign of Emperor Gia Long. On its eastern entrance lied the office for civilian affairs, and at the western entrance lied the office for military affairs. The platform of the Southern Gate was rectangular in shape.
Emperor Nguyen Thanh To (Minh Mang) ordered the construction of the Noon Gate, and the construction completed during the 14th year of his reign in 1833. The left (eastern) end turned into the Emperor’s Court for civilian affairs, and the right (western) end became the Emperor’s Court for military affairs. The whole structure is in a U shape. The beautiful Ngu Phung Pavilion (the Pavilion of the Five Phoenixes) stands atop its stone-and-brick foundation, overlooking the Flag Tower in its opposite.
As with all other gates in Vietnam, only the Emperor may enter through the central entrance. The smaller gates on the two sides were for the civilian and military mandarins. This practice has remained so today, meaning that all of the central gates of imperial structures are shut. For there is no longer an Emperor to speak of for Vietnam.
Besides the central entrance and the two side gates, there are two openings in the wings. These were for the commoners.
The Nguyen Emperors used to watch important ceremonies held before them at the Pavilion. Indeed, observers will not miss the apparent Chinese influence on the Noon Gate of Hue. At the Forbidden City of Beijing, the Noon Gate also served the purpose of Imperial observance of important events during the Ming and Qing Dynasties. It also shows a U shape. The Nguyen Dynasty did maintain diplomatic relations with the Qing Dynasty in those times.
The Noon Gate is the witness to the rise and fall of the Nguyen Dynasty. Since its construction completed in Minh Mang’s Reign, which, arguably, was a glorious page in the Nguyen Dynasty’s history, the Noon Gate withstood all the traumas that Vietnam experienced during the late 19th and throughout the 20th centuries. Its historical role came to an end when the Last Emperor of Vietnam, Bao Dai, held the abdication ceremony on August 30th, 1945. As he handed over the Great Seal and the Great Sword over to the representatives of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam, Tran Huy Lieu, Nguyen Luong Bang and Cu Huy Can, the Noon Gate officially became the last chapter of the Nguyen Dynasty.
When I stood before the Noon Gate in Hue in 2020, I was awed by its grandeur and authority. A year later, as I prepare this entry in the quiet of my study, I experienced quite a journey again by walking through its history. Its first impression upon me was similar to the complicated feelings I had at the Noon Gate of Beijing, where a whole bygone era shows through in one broad view, manifested in a grand structure standing ever so proudly, though with its stories buried in time.
The Cua Hien Nhon lies at the south of the Citadel’s eastern gate. As such it serves as the eastern exit of the Imperial Palace. It is a structure of stones with two storeys. The lower level comes with three arched gateways. The upper level shows an additional three arches. The gate is covered with yellow glazed tiles, with tile carvings of fire pillars, and sunny skies. Relief in celadon and colored glaze adorn the sides of the arches.
The Cua Chuong Duc lies at the south of the Citadel’s western gate and as such it serves as the western exit of the Imperial Palace. It has a similar structure and design as the Cua Hien Nhon. The structure shows that it was built during the 6th year of the Khai Dinh Reign.
There are a total of 11 such gates guarding the proper exits of the Imperial Palace. They are four in the south / southeastern exits, three on the east / northeastern exits, two on the west and southwestern exits, and two on the north / northwestern exits.
The Dong Kuyet Dai was a structure from the earlier days, during the reign of Gia Long Emperor. It used to serve as a watchtower with a square plan, sitting outside of the eastern exit (Cua Hien Nhon) for observation and defence. It is now a business venture with a garden café bistro and a gallery of arts and crafts.
The Mieu Mon guards the southern entrance of the The Temple. As a temple gate it is much less elaborate than the eastern and western exits of the Imperial Palace. It has three arched doors. Reliefs of glazed tiles adorn the sides of the doors and also the section above the arches.
The Truong An Men guards the entry into the Cung Truong Sanh compound, which was home to the Queen Mother. The theme of this gate, therefore, is longevity. The Chinese wordings on the gate mean “heavenly blessings” and “long-living.” The name of the gate itself, Truong An, means “eternal peace.” The arches have protruding pillars on their sides with reliefs of glazed tiles on each side.
Finally, speaking of gates, there has been a recent discovery of two mysterious gates in the vicinity of the Citadel. Slums sprang up within the Imperial City in the decades following 1945. When the residents vacated their homes for redevelopment in 2018, the gates revealed themselves. One is on the left side of the Luong Y Bridge, the other is on its right.
There is a theory that the two gates served defensive purposes. Their respective positions in Thuy Quan enabled guards to watch the boats passing from Dong Ba River to Ngu Ha River.
The gates were only wide enough for one person’s entry at one time. The mysteriousness comes from the fact that there is no mention of these two gates on any of the official records. Thus came the more interesting hypothesis: these were intended to serve as escape routes for the royalty.
Gallery: The Gates and Decorative Walls of the Imperial Palace, Hue
Historical descriptions on site.
The Lonely Planet on Vietnam.
Hue Noon Gate, Thua Thien Hue Portal.
The Wikipedia on the Meridian Gate (Hue).
The Wikipedia on The Hue Imperial City (Chin).
Vietnam’s Imperial City of Hue (II), at http://blog.udn.com/gloomybear/89948934
Vo Thanh, Hue Imperial Citadel Reveals New Gates, VN Express, June 29, 2020.
The Co Ha Gardens After asking for some directions, I found the Co Ha Gardens. These gardens were developed by the first four Emperors of the Nguyen Dynasty. Although, at some point in history, they fell into disrepair, the Vietnamese have restored most of them. …
The Dien Tho Residence The Dien Tho Residence was where the Queen Mother of Vietnam’s Emperor lived. The lives of women have always interested me, and so I chose to go westward for a walk. Indeed, in this morning hour there were few tourists there. …
I woke at 7:30 and had breakfast at the hostel. Breakfast was an egg pancake (they called it an omelet), a bread roll, some fruits and coffee with milk. At that point in my trip I still wondered, at every Vietnamese meal, why it was that no matter how simple the meal was, it always tasted so heavenly. Surely that it was the best breakfast, but perhaps I would only have one egg from then on.
When I asked about transportation to the Imperial Palace, the lady told me to walk. On Google Map it said 22 minutes, but I wanted to take a grab bike. I anticipated lots of walking within the sites, and I should preserve my energy for the most worthy cause.
There was no bike around so I headed out on foot. About ten minutes later a driver hollered and I got on the bike right away.
The ride to the Citadel was so cool. To get to the entrance at the Noon Gate (Ngo Mon), we had to ride on a bridge. The Citadel gradually came into view, dreamily, like in a filming lens. My imagination fused into the reeling rolls of time. At this morning hour the sun was behind us. Against the bright morning rays the Citadel was black. Its brazen darkness seemed to bespeak the rise and fall of Vietnam in modern history, from a dynastic beginning to colonialism; from a war of ideology to the uneasy peace under communist rule. The Citadel stood proud and strong against the tides of history, and within an all-around moat called the Golden Water Canal, the imperial enclosure welcomed the visitors with its glory and its wounds, both of which were amply visible, and authentically so.
At this very flag tower, the U.S. national flag once flew, albeit only momentarily. The U.S. marines reclaimed control of Hue (only with hard-fought battles) following the Tet Offensive of 1968. In an act of defiance, a soldier hoisted the United States flag here. The U.S. officials ordered the national flag to be taken down very soon after.
At Ngo Mon, the Noon Gate, I entered into the Imperial Enclosure. It was a beautiful day and women in traditional Vietnamese ao dai posed for photographs.
Construction of the Noon Gate completed under the reign of Emperor Minh Mang in 1833. As with all other gates in Vietnam, only the Emperor may enter through the central entrance. The smaller gates on the two sides were for the mandarins. This practice has remained so today, meaning that all of the central gates of imperial structures are shut. There is no longer an Emperor to speak of for Vietnam. I, of course, entered via the side gates.
Photo: The central gate of the Noon Gate at the Imperial Enclosure remains shut.
Emperor Gia Long was the founding emperor of the Nguyen (the Vietnamese pronounce this surname as “Win”) Dynasty. In 1802, he ordered the construction of the Citadel. The structures of Hue’s Imperial Palace would model after the Forbidden City in Beijing. Construction completed in 1833. The result was a magnificent palace compound with 300 original buildings. War and natural disasters have done irreversible destruction on the structures. By now, only 80 of the original 300 buildings remained. And even the 80 structures were in ruins.
I first visited the Palace of Supreme Harmony. A tour guide was giving an introduction to a group in Mandarin. The Vietnamese Emperor used to receive the mandarins here in the throne room. In the middle of the Hall, all goods on display were the original, with the exception of the top décor, what used to be a golden canopy. The French took everything of value when they left. They took not the royal sedan, but the golden canopy above the throne. The canopy on display now has 2kg’s worth of plated gold. The royal sedan chair, on the other hand, was rather small. This would comport with the fact that Vietnamese Emperors of those days were men of short statures.
According to the Lonely Planet, the Vietnamese Emperor actually rarely showed himself to his officials, “thus feeding the aura of mystery so closely associated with imperial power.”
With regards to restoration, the nonexistence of blueprints for the buildings made it exceedingly difficult. Also, because it was an imperial residence, few pictures, if any, existed.
The tour guide also said certain things about Vietnamese history of which I could not be sure. He said that Vietnam was always divided north-south (since the 16th century). Only until Ho Chi Minh, who with his communist campaigns called for a united, independent and sovereign Vietnam, did Vietnam become one country.
It would become relevant again in a later entry, when I would be touring the Vietnamese Emperor’s reading room. The tour guide also told the group that there were no written word of Vietnamese in all of ancient Vietnam. The written word then was always Chinese (as shown in the Emperor’s reading room). The first written Vietnamese appeared in 1651, and only until the French romanized it in the 19th century did it become a systematically written language.
That was all that I took from the tour guide by eavesdropping, but these were very much loaded historical facts to me. So I departed and went westward to visit the Emperor’s Mother’s quarter, Dien Tho.
Photos: The Palace of Supreme Harmony (Thai Hoa Palace) and its front courtyard.
Source
The Lonely Planet on Vietnam.
Ho Sheung Heung is an established village with a long history in Sheung Shui. Its beginning can be traced back to 800 years ago, as far back as the Yuan Dynasty. Four villages together make up the larger area known as Ho Sheung Heung. They …