Tomb of Dong Khanh

Dong Khanh's Tomb is located on the land of Cu Si hamlet, now Thuong Hai village, Thuy Xuan commune, Hue City. After being crowned, Dong Khanh had a temple built beside his father's tomb named Truy Tu to worship him. In February 1888, during the construction, Dong Khanh got sick and died.

Emperor Thanh Thai came to the crown. He had to use Truy Tu temple and renamed it Ngung Hy for the cult of Emperor Dong Khanh. His corpse was buried simply on a hill named "Ho Thuan Son", 30m to the west of Ngung Hy Temple. The whole tomb area was called Tu Lang. 

In 1916, when Khai Dinh, son of Dong Khanh, was crowned, he had the temple renovated and the tomb built for his father. In July 1917, the tomb was accomplished. Ngung Hy temple and its dependent houses, in particular, continued to be repaired and were finished in May 1923. Dong Khanh's tomb construction lasted through the lives of four Nguyen Emperors (1888-1923) that's why it bears the stamp of two architectural inclinations of two different historical periods.

The worship temple

The constructions still offer the traditional features according to the "double architecture": a house with multi-succeeding roofs. In the main temple and its dependent houses, we find the familiar splendid red and gilt pillars with decoration of four seasons and four holly animals. Most noteworthy is Ngung Hy temple, the best conserved place for red and gilt art and famous lacquer art in Vietnam. In the main temple, there were 24 drawings consisting of illustrations from "Nhi Thap Tu Hieu", historical references about pious examples in China.

On the edges of the roof, pillars and beams, appear terra-cotta sculptures with other popular decorations such as "fisherman gains double benefits", cock-fighting, musical instruments, chess-poem-wine, flowers and fruits, animals... (In the tombs of earlier emperors these were not included).

The tomb area

The design of the tomb is almost completely Europeanized from its architectural peculiarities or decorative models to the building materials. For instance, Bi Dinh is a variation of Roman architecture blended with Asian architecture with its tall, thin mandarin statues from cement and bricks (instead of stone) and tile bricks.

In general, Dong Khanh's tomb was the beginning of the mixture of European and Asian styles, of old and new architectures.

Minh Mang's Tomb

The Tomb is 12km form Hue, on Cam Ke mount, near Bang Lang fork, on the west bank of the Perfume River. In September 1840, the construction of the tomb began. In January 1841, while the work was implemented Minh Mang was sick and passed away. 

Emperor Thieu Tri, his successor to the throne, continue this task according to his father’s plans. Emperor Minh Mang's corpse was buried in Buu Thanh on August 20th of 1841. The construction was fully completed in 1843.

Minh Mang's tomb is a standard architectural complex consisting of 40 constructions (palaces, temples, pavilions, etc.) designed on an symmetric axis running from Dai Hong gate to the foot of La Thanh (Surrounding Wall) behind the Emperor's tomb.

The constructions are distributed into three main parallel axis of which Than Dao path is the centre.

Dai Hong Mon: It is the main gate to enter the tomb. The gate presents three paths with 24 heaving roofs covered with beautiful decorations. The gate was opened only once to bring the Emperor's coffin to the tomb, and had been tightly closed since then. Visitors have to use the two side-gates Ta Hong Mon (Left Gate) and Huu Hong Mon (Right Gate).

Bi Dinh: Behind Dai Hong Mon (big gate) is the Honour Courtyard with its two rows of mandarins, elephants and horses’ statues. Bi Dinh (Stele Pavilion) is on Mount Phung Than. Inside is the stele "Thanh Duc Than Cong", inscribed with the Emperor's biography and merits written by his son Thieu Tri.

The temple area: 

The Salutation Court is divided into four steps - The Hien Duc Mon (gate) leads to the worship place. In the centre is Sung An Temple surrounded by Ta, Huu Phoi Dien (Left, Right Temples) in the front and Ta, Huu Tung Phong (Left, Right Rooms) in the back. The Emperor and Queen Ta Thien Nhan are worshipped in Sung An Temple. Then, Hoang Trach Mon (gate) leads to the Bright Pavilion (Minh Lau), built on Tam Tai Mount. It is a square pavilion with two storeys and eight roofs. On both sides of Minh Lau, two obelisks stand on the hills. In the back of Minh Lau are two flower gardens designed as the character "Longevity".

The tomb (Buu Thanh):

Tan Nguyet (New Moon) crescent Lake embraces the circular Buu Thanh (The wall surrounding the grave). There are three bridges on Tan Nguyet Lake. Visitors have to climb 33 Thanh stone steps to reach the sepulchre of the Emperor. 

Besides nearly 60 word boxes of carved poems in the Stele Pavilion, Hien Duc gate, Sung An Temple, and Minh Pavilion are also remarkable and constitute an anthology of chosen poems of Vietnam’s early 19th century.

Visiting Minh Mang’s tomb, one is impressed by the majesty and symmetry of the architectural constructions.

Thieu Tri's Tomb

Thieu Tri's tomb lies in Chu Chanh village, Thuy Bang commune, about 8 km from the Hue city. Ater being on the throne for seven years, Emperor Thieu Tri was sick and died on 4 November 1847 (at the age of 41). In his lifetime, the Emperor neither thought of his death nor wanted the people and soldiers to waste so much labour and property for him, so he did not have his tomb built.

As soon as he came to the crown, Emperor Tu Duc had the royal geomancers to seek land for his father's tomb. On February 11th 1848, the construction started, and 10 months later, it was completed.

The tomb can be divided into two parts: the tomb area and temple are:

The tomb area:

On the right with Nhuan Trach Lake is the bronze gate leading to big Binh Dai (Honour Courtyard). The two rows of stone statues on the left and right of the court are typical of the sculpture art in the first half of 19th century in Hue. Then, one can see Bi Dinh (Stele Pavilion) and Duc Hinh tower on a tortoise-shell-shaped hill. Ngung Thuy Lake looks like a crescent moon barring in front , the walls of the tomb itself (Buu Thanh). Across the lake are three bridges: Chanh Trung (in the middle), Dong Hoa (on the right), Tay Dinh (on the left) leading to the stairs going to Buu Thanh.

The temple area:

It was built separately, 100m from Duc Hinh Tower, on the left. After passing the marble gate and another three steps leading to Bieu Duc temple, visitors will go through Hong Trach gate. In the middle is Bieu Duc temple, where the funerary tablets of the Emperor and the Queen Tu Du are worshipped. In the main temple, on the edges of the roof and Hong Trach gate, are engraved over 450 word boxes including poems with educational and literary values. All the dependent works gathered around Buu Duc Temple such as Left and Right Temple (in the front), Left and Right Houses (in the back), increase the nobility of the main temple.

Thieu Tri's tomb, with its simple and intimate beauty, leans against the foot of Thuan Dao Mount. In front of the tomb stretches a flat land with green trees and rice-fields ranging from the Perfume river's bank up to Lim bridge.

Khai Dinh Tomb

Khai Dinh tomb (also know as Ung tomb) the tomb of emperor Khai Dinh (1885 - 1925), the 12th king of the Nguyen Dynasty, is located Thuy Bang, Huong Thuy, Thua Thien-Hue and it is far about 10 kilometers from Hue city. Khai Dinh tomb has an area smaller than others one but it is more sparkling and sophisticated between western and oriental architecture.

 Khai Dinh King chose Chau Ngu Mountain to built tomb which is far about 10 kilometers from Hue. The tomb was established on September 4th 1920 and lasted to 11 years after. The tomb has a combination between modern and traditional architecture. In comparison with those of the preceding emperors, Khai Dinh’ s tomb is much smaller in surface (117m x 48.5m) but it is very elaborate.

Overall tomb is rectangle block with 127 steps stair and divided into: Coming to tomb must past the system of 37 steps stair, adding more 29 steps stair, tourists will come to a yard, in the middle has stone stele house. All statues were made from stone in Khai Dinh tomb, two pillars are very hight. Go up three more levels so as to reach the altar monument.

The walls are decorated and inlaid with elaborate glass and porcelain designs. Beyond these modern building materials and designs, the tombs had elements of eastern art mixed with western designs. The most noticeable characteristic of the tomb is the glassy; it is really a masterpiece of Vietnamese early in the 20th century. Khai Dinh tomb is really a valuable structure and architecture. It makes diversity for complex of tombs in Hue.

Thay Pagoda

Thay Pagoda, also called Cả Pagoda and Thiên Phúc Tự , is situated at the foot of Sài Sơn Mountain  in Phuong Cach Commune, Quoc Oai Distric, Hanoi.

Built in the 11th century during the reign of King Ly Nhan Tong. At first, it was a small pagoda managed by Priest Tu Dao Hanh. The pagoda was initially built according to Sino-Vietnamese character Tam - this character is formed by 3 hyphens parallel to each other.

The pagoda therefore consists of 3 sections: Ha Pagoda, Trung Pagoda, and Thuong Pagoda. The outer part, Ha Pagoda, is a place for offerings and ceremonies; the middle part, Trung Pagoda, is a place for worship of Buddha; and finally, the inner part is a place for worship of Priest Tu Dao Hanh. An automated sandalwood statue of Tu Dao Hanh that stands and sits is located in a red lacquered shrine trimmed with gold and covered with a curtain.

In front of the pagoda is Long Tri pond, in the middle of which is a stage called Thuy Dinh, where water puppet performances are held. Nhat Tien and Nguyet Tien Bridges, built by Doctor Phung Khac Khoan in 1602, are located on each side of the stage.

Interesting sites can be visited in the surroundings of the pagoda. For example, Phat Tich and Cac Co Caves are located not too far behind the pagoda. A hole in the dome of Cac Co Cave lets one see outside the cave.