To most tourists, Hue means the imperial palace tombs and shrines. But the true world heritage of Hue, in fact, is the whole region of about a hundred square kilometers of well reserved ancient areas around the city. The citadel and royal tombs are only one part of it.
Together with the royal palace and tombs, there had been beautiful traditional quarters in Hue, such as Vy Da, Kim Long, Bao Vinh, which made the city a poetic and novel region in Vietnamese literature. But the urban modernization programs is recent decades have pushed these heritage areas into traceless oblivion. Fortunately, there are still well kept pieces-de-resistant around Hue that help the city retains its ancient air: with temples, pagodas that are “downright” Hue; with canals, boat-stops, traditional pillared houses; with colorful fragmented ceramic dragons; and especially with a still sizable amount of old trees. The ancient architectures and peaceful atmosphere of these neighborhoods are remainders of Hue’s old royal roots.
Knowledgeable people on Hue often talk of monumental and watery sections around Hue like the upper An Ninh, Phu An, Sinh-Mau Tai, Van Duong … but there is a spot so close to Hue’s city center, which has become a must-visit destination to expert travelers, Western journalists and foreign diplomats alike. It is the Nhu Y (Amen) Canal.
The official name of this canal is Thien Loc (Heavenly Bounties) River. Originally it was a cluster of individual small canals and ponds. The Nguyen Lords of the Southern Principality gradually linked those aquatic bodies to form a continuous water flow, which connects Hue with the Tam Giang Fiord and the Eastern Sea. This canal had been for a time a major benefit to water-transportation and agriculture of Hue area. The Thien Loc River was created at the same time with the stone dike in Vy Da in the 17th century.
The Nhu Y Canal starts out only about 2 kilometers from Hue’s center. The peaceful canal has countless of tall trees, bamboo roves and concrete or stone service steps. The majority of the country houses hare are still traditional small gardened homes. It is hard to imagine any other place that could have a larger concentration of traditional temples and family shrines I only more or less 30 meters, which is very good for paddle-boat trips.
The road systems on the two sides of the canal serve different functions. The road along the eastern bank run through many old villages like Ngoc Anh, Chiet Bi, Van The, etc, and after 8 kilometers reaches the house-bridge of Thanh Toan.teh main transportation mean on this small road is bicycle or motorcycle, ideal for the modern terrestrial and relaxation traveling fad. Fust imagines a boat trip along this tree covered water way: at times the tourist can take one of those old stone service-stairways to go ashore for a visit to the colorful pagodas, temples and shrines, or for a few kilometers of biking. Then continues with the boat trip to the Thanh Toan House-bridges. More sport – loving travelers can bike whole 8 kilometers to visit the house-bridge. Along the way one can turn left to the many country side-roads to visit the typical Old – Hue hamlets.
Those who only want to enjoy quick view of the canal can travel by car along the western bank. It takes only about 20 minutes to reach the Thanh Toan Bridge this way. Along the way the travelers can visit the tomb and shrine of Grand – Duke Nguyen Phuc Thuan, fourth son of the Lord Nguyen Phuc Tan (1684 – 1687). In 1652 this young men, at age nineteen won a critical battle that virtually halted the century long civil war between the northern Trinh and southern Nguyen royal families. But Prince Nguyen Phuc Thuan was more famous for his benevolent deeds. He always gave food and money to his prisoners of war and then set them free. Furthermore, Nguyen Ohuc Thuan organized the requiem services to the dead of both sides after each battle. When peace came, the young prince refused all fanfares bestowed on him by his father, and retreated to his private mansion to by the life of a quasi-monk. He passed away at age 23 by measles. This is also the shrine of Regent – Prince Ton That Thuyet, who was a co-organizer of the Can Vuong Mobilization in 1885. This crusade urged the whole nation to stand up fighting the French domination, and to aid the evading Vietnamese teenage Emperor Ham Nghi, who was hunted by the colonist forces after his failed coup against the French, Ton That Thuyet was a direct descendant of Lord Nguyen Phuc Tan.
Beyond the Thanh Toan House –Bridge is the Central Thanh Thuy Village, another traditional – temple laden area. The view of Hue’s city center can be seen at the end of this village.
Form Hue, take Phan Van Dong Street and turn right on Tung Thien Vuong. After about 100 meters turn left where the street ends, and that is the beginning of the western bank of the Nhu y Canal. To reach the eastern bank, pass Thung thien Vuong Street about 50 meters on Pham Van Dong until; the sign Lang Ngoc Anh (Ngoc Anh Village) appears on the right. Follow the sign about 50 meters to the canal.
Convenient ancient tourist spots like this are easily available in Hue, if they are planned, preserved and developed correctly. Views of the old country-side like the Nhu Y Canal Area always give strong impressions to visitors. Presently a French travel television channel and an American documentary film producer are making their respective programs on Nhu Y Canals.
And recently, at the end of June, a former cultural attaché of the American Embassy in Hanoi made a late June visit to Nhu y Canal and Hoi An, his two must revisiting places in Vietnam. He was saddened because the amount of the old tall trees in the area has gotten smaller. And he was also dismayed to find out that his favorite century’s old country Hom Market had been replaced by an unfeeling concrete structure, which was for the “urban modernization” reason, as he was explained. This visitor said somberly that this area could be preserved like the way the ancient towns in his country are, for culture and tourist purposes. He cited the old Town Alexandria in the Washington DC Area and Williamsburg in Virginia, and many more cannot be a modern interior setting inside.
This article written by Lanh Nguyen from Vietnam Heritage Travel
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