Vignettes of the World
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. Minh Mang as a Nguyen Emperor Mr. Truong, who took me to the DMZ, told me …
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, Minh Mang and Khai Dinh. The young man told me that getting there by grab bike is near-impossible. I heeded his advice and decided to get a cab.
I headed back to the Imperial Enclosure area for a cab. With no Vietnamese in me, I showed the ticket pointing at the three royal tombs. A younger Vietnamese driver understood me and said he would take me. Soon enough I realized that he was going to take me to all three. In effect, I hired the cab for a whole afternoon. It was an SUV taxi. It felt luxurious, and although I was on a shoe string, I was happy to have a trustworthy person to take me to the outer areas of town. Surely, these places were quite far away from Hue proper.
The royal mausoleums of the Nguyen Emperors lie in different locations south of Hue and the Perfume River. They are elegant compounds. Often constructed with elaborate garden landscapes, they served as the Emperors’ final resting place. An interesting fact is that they were built when the respective Emperors were still alive. Therefore the Emperors had a say on how these mausoleums turned out. As such, there are features in each mausoleum that reflect the Emperors’ characters, preferences and inclinations.
Tu Duc has spent several years of his life in this site. At the time it was known as Khiem Palace (khiem means humility, quite an important virtue in Asian cultures), a royal residence away from the Imperial Palace. After he passed away, this venue became his mausoleum.
As with the Imperial Palace, the royal mausoleums had to meet geomancy specifications to ensure the greatest extent of auspiciousness. From the choosing of the location, to the natural environ, to the man-made efforts to shape the terrain into gardens and pagodas, the geomants and astrologists had a say in how the royal mausoleums were to be built. Usually, the site came with mountainous surroundings. At the least, there should be the backing of a mountain on its northern end. It was also important for a body of water facing it in the southern end. And indeed, in Tu Duc’s Mausoleum, an artificial lake was dug to meet this requirement of auspiciousness.
Tu Duc (ruled 1848-1883) was born Ngyuen Phuc Hong Nham. He was the second son of Emperor Thieu Tri. He was the 4th Emperor of the Nguyen Dynasty, having succeeded Emperor Thieu Tri. Because Emperor Thieu Tri passed over the eldest son, Hong Bao, to give the throne to Tu Duc, Tu Duc had to overcome significant royal feud in the early years of his reign.
In terms of political views, Hong Bao was moderate, whereas Tu Duc strongly opposed western influence and innovations, which was an ongoing tension point throughout the Nguyen Dynasty. Tu Duc, with his foundation in Confucianism, would be suppressing western religion throughout his reign.
Prince Hong Bao then became the leader of the opposition rebellion against Tu Duc and it has unsettled Tu Duc’s rule very early on.
Tu Duc showed exceptional scholarly promise at a young age. When he was just 13 years old, he was permitted to attend the royal escort of his emperor father to receive the investiture of the Qing Dynasty. He would become the most educated Nguyen Emperor. That seems to comport with his reign title, which, in Han Chinese, means “an inheritance of virtues.” And truly Tu Duc did bestow the country with a system of education and civil service examination. He was also an accomplished poet. He composed hundreds of poems in Nom (Chinese-transcribed Vietnamese) and Chinese. Some of these were on display at the mausoleum.
At 36 years, his was also the longest reign amongst all of the thirteen Nguyen Emperors. Indeed, those were also some of the most difficult times of the Nguyen Dynasty. Foreign invasions and internal unrest would become very thorny issues for Tu Duc. Tu Duc was also in ill health and died young. He had 103 wives and no son.
The Royal Mausoleum of Tu Duc is the final resting place for Tu Duc and his queen, Le Thien Anh. It was as well a place of ancestral worship. He had an adopted son, and the son’s tomb was also on site as the Boi Tomb. The adopted son, Kien Phuc, ruled very briefly in 1844.
The Royal Tomb of Tu Duc impressed greatly upon me. It was spacious with generous foliage. The main path led me from the South Gate around the Luu Khiem Lake. This man-made lake was formed by digging around a small stream. With the soil and the ground dug up, water gathered and the ground formed the little islet, the Tinh Khiem Islet, within the lake. Tu Duc loved boating to this islet. In this landscape stand three bridges and a pavilion. The environment was tranquil and welcoming.
In 2009-2010, the German Conservation Restoration & Education Project worked together with Vietnamese experts to restore this royal tomb.
Photos: The Luu Khiem Lake at the Royal Mausoelum of Tu Duc
I then visited the Imperial Palace, Theatre, Palace of the Emperor’s Mother the Chi Khiem Temple and the Female Living Quarters. These structures were well-kept.
Photos: Proceeding from the Xung Khiem Pavilion, then Khiem Cung Gate, Hoa Khiem Temple, then Luong Khiem Temple
The burial area consists of the salutation court, the stele house, the Buu Thanh and Huyen Cung (where the Emperor’s remains were buried). A 1500-meter long wall surrounds the burial. All of the tombs were built of stones. Tu Duc’s stele is the largest stele in all of Vietnam.
Photos: Proceeding to the Huyen Cung, the Emperor’s Final Resting Place
As with all the other royal mausoleums, stone entourage of mandarins, the imperial elephants and horses guard the Emperor’s final resting place.
Photos: Queen Le Thien Anh’s Final Resting Place
Perhaps the tranquility I felt at the Tu Duc Mausoleum came as a stark contrast to the impressions I had of the Citadel and the Imperial Enclosure. When touring the Imperial Enclosure, one could not miss the stamp, or stampede rather, of history upon the Palace. You come upon the site of a ruins every so often. Or you come in face of an entire Purple Forbidden City area in a flat and open space, with a lone structure standing. I did lament quite a bit when I toured the Imperial Palace.
In Tu Duc’s Mausoleum, I felt a distinct sense of peace. Surely, he did labor a large population to build this out-of-the-way palace. I heard from a tour guide on site that many people caught water borne diseases, some even died, because they toiled in the exceptionally damp climate and soil in this area. But it was a marvelous resting place, believe it or not, not just for Tu Duc. It was a resting place for the tourist that just visited the war-tattered Citadel.
The people of Vietnam probably have very conflicting feelings about the Nguyen Dynasty. Certainly, the Emperors’ demands on luxuries and grandeur were taxing on the country’s resources and people (and the Khai Dinh Mausoleum would be the epitome of grandeur and wastefulness). The welfare of the people was always subject to the arbitrary will of the ruling king. While I do think that Vietnam is a much better place today, even under Communist rule, I did, at Tu Duc’s Mausoleum, admire the stately buildings and the classical history that they stood for. These relics are well-kept, with pots of flowers lining the pathways. Whether for the sake of tourism or not, I do think that the Vietnamese people respect this part of their past.
Any living soul or non-living spirit would be well-rested in this environment.
May Tu Duc’s memory live on.
Historical descriptions on-site.
The Lonely Planet on Vietnam.
The Wikipedia on Tu Duc.
Gallery: Views at the peaceful Royal Mausoleum 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 …
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. Supposedly, there used to be some buildings for the princes to study in, but none of that remains now. The garden space, however, stands beautifully with carefully landscaped plants, ponds and pagodas.
This environment was most pleasant for a momentary rest. The touring of the first part of the morning was quite a bit of work. I picked a pagoda, and since there was a café there, I ordered coffee. Despite my best efforts, I could not convey the “little milk” that I wanted. The coffee turned up too sweet.
I savored the garden space before me for perhaps only a moment. Then I had to come up with next steps. From the Co Ha Gardens, it would have been a perfect departure via the Palace’s eastern exit to the restaurant that I wanted to try. That meant I would conclude my time at the Imperial Enclosure at that point. The ticket of đ530,000 gave me access to the royal tombs of Tu Duc, Minh Mang and Khai Dinh, but only within the same day. Therefore I must allow time for all of them in the afternoon.
After some debate, I decided to head south again, back into the Palace. I had yet to visit the Royal Theatre and the Dynastic Urns. Even with most of the buildings in the Imperial Enclosure destroyed, it took a long time to tour what remained standing and to learn some lessons about the Nguyen Dynasty of Vietnam.
I knew the Royal Theatre by the din and gongs of the occasion. I did not think it was any kind of performance, but rather a procession with religious purpose. The Vietnamese music was new to me.
The Royal Theatre was constructed during Minh Mang’s reign in 1826. The people of Vietnam revered Minh Mang as an open-minded, people-caring and learned emperor (more later, as I visited his royal tomb). The theatre served the Emperor, the royal family and the convoys with Tuong performances, which were classical dramas. At some point during the mid 20th century, this site was used for the training of cultural performances.
There are still traditional Vietnamese performances there today, as with in the past. Watch out for performance times and there is an additional fee for watching them.
Emperor Minh Mang ordered the casting of these nine majestic bronze urns to commemorate the first nine emperors of the Nguyen Dynasty. They were then cast between the years 1835 and 1837.
The one in the middle of the nine is the most ornate, as it commemorates the Founding Emperor of Nguyen Dynasty, Gia Long. Each of the urn bears the posthumous title for the respective Emperor. The Cao urn of 1835 commemorating Gia Long has the name “Cao” meaning height. It weighs 2,604kg as the most prominent urn out of the nine.
Photo: the Cao Urn commemorates Founding Emperor Gia Long.
Notes of the carving: The top row: dragon, jackfruit tree; non-glutinous rice; onion; crepe myrtle; pheasant. The middle row: Cao urn; East sea; Vinh Te canal; the sun; Ben Nghe river; Thien Ton mountain. The bottom row: eruthrophleum fordii Oliver; tiger; sailboat; cannon; Aquilaria crassna pierre; soft-shelled turtle.
Standing at 6 feet high and weighing tonnes, these urns reflect the best craftsmanship of Vietnam at the time.
“Each of them features intricately engraved details (mostly landscape scenes), eulogizing the beauty and uniqueness of Vietnam. Traces of bullet impact can still be seen on some of them.” Lonely Planet on Vietnam p. 307.
As with many other features of the Imperial Enclosure, these nine urns are also testament to the Vietnamese royalties’ respect of ancient China. The existence of the nine urns certainly echoes the nine urns of the Xia, Shang and Zhou dynasties, which were the earliest Chinese dynasties (during the Bronze Age) in history. During this time in the 19th Century, bronze was a particularly precious metal in Vietnam.
The three-storied structure right at the courtyard of the Nine Dynastic Urns is the Famous Soul Porch, (Hien Lam Cac), built in 1821. At three stories this building is the tallest one within the Imperial Enclosure. There was also an imperial order that it remains the tallest building in the Palace.
Opposite the urns is the The Mieu (The Temple of Generations). Again, Emperor Minh Mang ordered the construction of this temple for the purpose of dynastic ancestral worship. The altars enshrining the Nguyen Dynasty Emperors stand within this temple.
However, during the French Occupation of 1884-1954, only seven emperors were enshrined here. The French did not allow anti-French Nguyen Emperors. Emperors Ham Nghi, Thanh Thai and Duy Tan, who were known to be patriotic, were added here only in 1959.
I have also stopped by the Hung Mieu (one of the Temples of the Ancestors), which originally enshrines the father of the Founding Emperor Gia Long, Nguyen Phuc Luan and his lady. The War of Independence between the French and the Vietnamese destroyed the original structure in 1947. In 1951, the mother of the last Emperor Bao Dai paid for the reconstruction of this temple.
During the death anniversaries of the Nguyen Emperors, the Nguyen Court would hold procession here to commemorate the ancestors. An interesting fact is that attendance by women were forbidden in these temples, the Empress herself was no exception.
After visiting the Dynastic Urns and the ancestral temples, I felt that I have seen enough of the Imperial Palace of Hue. I hurried over to a much-needed lunch at Banh Khoai Hong Mai.
Historical descriptions on site.
The Lonely Planet on Vietnam.
Duyet Thi Duong: The Oldest Theatre of Vietnam in Hue Imperial Citadel, Vina.com.
The Hue Citadel: Inside the Walls of a Lost Imperial City, Sailing Stone Travel
The Lonely Planet online on the Co Ha Gardens.
The Nine Dynastic Urns of the Nguyen Dynasty, Baidu.com.
Vietnam’s Imperial City of Hue (II) (Chin).
The Wikipedia on the Famous Soul Porch (Chin).
The Wikipedia on Hung Mieu (Chin).
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 …
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 are Nam Bin Wai, Pak Bin Wai, Chung Sum Tsuen and Chong Yuen San Tsuen.
There are two historic sites of significance in Ho Sheung Heung. Of primary importance is the Hau Ku Shek Ancestral Hall.
The Hau’s are perhaps the most prominent clan in Ho Sheung Heung, due to their long history and notable presence in the area. The genealogy of the Hau’s goes back to the earliest settlement in the now-Hebei area of China. During the Song Dynasty, the Hau’s moved southward to Guangdong. Onwards to the Ming Dynasty, Hau Cheuk-Fung, an 11th generation descendant, learned about this fertile farmland area and settled down in Ho Sheung Heung. It has been 600 years since the Hau’s found their home here.
The Hau’s built the Hau Ku Shek Ancestral Hall during the late Ming Dynasty to memorialise the 17th generation ancestor Hau Ku-shek. The wooden plaque above the main facade is dated to the 27th year of the Qianlong Reign of the Qing Dynasty. This indicates that the ancestral hall was renovated that year.
As an ancestral hall, the main purpose that it serves is the commemoration of ancestors. The altar in the middle hall remains the site of ancestral reverence. Of the three halls in the Hau Ku Shek Ancestral Hall, and the rear hall, of two storeys, once served as the village school. The lower level served as the teachers’ accommodation, and the upper level was the site for instruction. The school closed during WWII. The rear hall was once the venue for the Ho Kai Kindergarten until the 1970s.
There are some notable architectural features at the Hau Ku Shek Ancestral Hall. The beams feature carefully carved figurines, usually in auspicious patterns or depict a scene of famous Chinese folklores.
Besides the Hau Ku Shek Ancestral Hall, the Hung Shing Temple, and the Pai Fung Temple next to it, are Grade 3 historic buildings. While the exact date of construction for the Hung Shing Temple is unknown, it must have existed since the Qianlong reign of the Qing Dynasty. The Pai Fung Temple, on the other hand, had an original location close to Pai Fung Leng in the northern side of the village. Due to the construction of the Lo Wu Barracks by the Hong Kong Government, the temple moved to its current location in 1937.
The villagers celebrate the birthday of Hung Shing on the 13th day of the second month of the Lunar New Year every year (before the pandemic). This period of festivities lasted four days typically. A traditional village feast of Poon Choi (treasures in a tub) would serve hundreds of villagers at one time. Then there were the Cantonese opera shows including the operas offered to the deities. In one year, the villagers held a parade as well.
One unique feature of the Hung Shing birthday celebrations of Ho Sheung Heung was the grabbing contest for fa pao (paper floral tributes). The grabbing of the paper floral tributes is believed to bring auspiciousness for the year. Unlike the peace bun contest in the Cheung Chau celebrations of Buddha’s Birthday, the grabbing of the paper floral tributes are more “orderly.” Whoever first grabs the paper floral tribute would raise his hand, and wins the auspiciousness of the occasion.
Hung Shing was originally named Hung Hei. He lived during the Tang Dynasty and served as the district magistrate of Kwong Lee. He had an exceptional knowledge in geography and astronomy. With this skill he helped predict the weather in order to protect the fishermen who were out fishing in the seas. Although a caring and dedicated official, he died, unfortunately, prematurely because of overwork. The Emperor commemorated him by conferring the title of “King Hing Shing of Kwong Lee.” Since then, the people revered him as the god of protection.
There is a folkloric tale that goes around in the Hau clan. Before the Hau’s settled down in Ho Sheung Heung, there were the Lam, Poon, Wan and Chiu clans in this area. A villager stole the golden brass drum of the Emperor. Enraged, the Emperor ordered the whole village killed. The imperial guards traced the footsteps of Hung Shing here. While they were at it, a flock of ducks ran out and obliterated the footprints of Hung Shing. As such, the imperial guards could not find him. The Haus settled down here after this incident and thrived as the main clan of the village. Therefore when they sacrificed livestock for the deities, they would not kill ducks.
In 2012, the two temples underwent significant renovations. In 2013, the renovations completed and the Antiquities and Monuments Office declared them to be Grade 3 Historic Buildings in 2014.
Besides its rich heritage, Ho Sheung Heung has great natural endowment. On its north sits the Pai Fung Leng, and the Sheung Yue River flowing on its eastern border. Further east is the Long Valley, where fields still line its fertile farmland today. Indeed, this large swathe of low plains was the main attraction to the Hau ancestors. For centuries, agriculture was the main means of livelihood for the villagers.
Today, the village remains a vibrant community. In fact, the village is as much known for its commerce as its history and people. The soy products of Mei Mei Tofu and Mrs. Lo’s Tofu are very popular. In the pre-pandemic days, the restaurants offered all-you-can-eat silky tofu dessert and soy milk. As such, the area drew significant crowds coming in large tour coaches. Some pretty special items are availabe here, including fermented rose tofu paste and silky tofu in black soy.
Soy tasting aside, the rustic environment itself is also a business opportunity. The Anytime, Anywhere Café offers a beautiful space for a lazy afternoon by the pond. The whole venue is available for hosting large parties, including barbeque.
When visiting the village, a tour of the residential areas can take an hour or so. There are some old houses still standing, but most of the houses in the village are now modern homes. Do take a walk at the Sheung Yue River right next to the village.
At the minibus station of Sheung Shui Station, take green top Minibus 51K. The minibus has the final stop at the Hau Ku Shek Ancestral Hall.
The Wikipedia on Ho Sheung Heung.
The historical descriptions of the Ho Ku Shek Ancestral Hall pamphlet by the Antiquities and Monuments Office.
Legislative Council Brief, Antiquities and Monuments Ordinance (Cap 53), Antiquities and Monuments (Declaration of Historic Buildings) Notice 2014.
The Traditions of Ho Sheung Heung’s Hung Shing Birthday Celebrations, Epoch Times, May 2, 2018.
It was a rainy and stormy weekend but we managed to visit the Port Island for a good stretch of eight hours, and the sun shined upon us throughout. The Port Island is a small island in the middle-to-western side of Mirs Bay (Tai Pang …