The Emperors' Eternal
Private World
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| Ming Mang Royal Tomb, Hue |
Tombs of the Nguyen Dynasty, Kings of Vietnam have been the creations of the emperors when they were alive. For eternity live after his death. They also reflect the true identities, beliefs and factors that influence them.
I bought Hue Day Tour to
visit three Royal Tombs in the morning, the Hue Imperial Citadel, Thien Mu
Pagoda and the Perfume River in the afternoon. The short time of tour, cloudy
day, cold and drizzle nearly all the time reduce the calmness beauty of the
eternal resting places of the emperors.
Royal Tombs are the
complex of buildings. They were used as place of residence, place of
relaxation, places of worship and a place for courtiers. They are surrounded by
natural beauty such as mountains, rivers, tranquil ponds in the gardens. Although
the main objective is to be buried at the cemetery, some emperor spent most of
his days than in the Hue Palace.
Things must-have are statues of mandarins (ministers), royal elephants
and royal horses on the ground in front of the tombs. These statues to
represent the elements of king status.
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| Gate to the Tomb in the Hill, Minh Mang Royal Tomb |
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| Emperor Was Lied Beneath the Hill, Minh Mang Royal Tomb |
Tomb of Minh Mang
Emperor Minh Mang is
talented and beloved king. His tomb consists of a temple for meditation practice,
surrounded by lush gardens and beautiful ponds. End of the area is the hill
where his body was buried somewhere surrounded by stone walls.
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| Pristine Pond and Islet, Tu Duc Royal Tomb |
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| Emperor's Size Mandarins, Royal Horse and Elephant, Tu Duc Royal Tomb |
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| Crypt, Tu Duc Royal Tomb |
Tomb of Tu Duc
Emperor Tu Duc was unhappy
king. He tired of the chaos in the court at Hue. Moreover, health was not
strong caused him had no children. Heir for throne succession was a major
problem. He spent most of the time in this property.
What are striking at the
Tomb? Luu Khiem Lake and Kinh Khiem Islet, where during the reign of Emperor Tu
Duc, filled with rare animals and birds. He favoured a boat rowing and visiting
the island. And the statues of mandarins (ministers), royal elephants and royal
horses that are smaller than normal to pay homage to the king with a height of
just 150cm.
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| Multi Style Architecture, Khai Dinh Royal Tomb |
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| Stunning Decoration, Khai Dinh Royal Tomb |
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| Emperor's Statue under Canopy, Khai Dinh Royal Tomb |
Tomb of Khai Dinh
Emperor Khai Dinh was the
king under French Administration which appoints the king. His tomb is different
from the previous kings which mainly by influence of Confucianism. It was new
idea and high budget. He was recognised by his people negatively. The lavish
spending on the construction of the tomb by tax increased.
Tomb's architecture and
interiors are elegant and fine. With the combination of East and West, we see
Roman style building with rounded columns and ornamental dragon stucco flanked
by the Obelisks. On the tip of fence's poles are lotuses as religious symbol of
Buddhism and the fence are the Cross design as religious symbol of
Christianity. Palace interior is decorated with glazed tiles and imported
marble.
The Royals Tombs that I
missed, some are a bit far or not outstanding, including Tomb of Gia Long, Tomb
of Thieu Tri, Tomb of Duc Duc and Tomb of Dong Khanh.
If you want to visit these
tombs yourselves, with a distance about 7-20km from Hue City by bicycle or
motorbike, you have to face winding and narrow roads. Streets crowded with
vehicles of all sizes. No English signs for the navigation and local people cannot
speak and understand English that are the major problems.
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