Home to Vietnam's last imperial court, the city of Hue boasts magnificent palaces, gardens and royal tombs. Many of these old royal buildings bear poems and quotations written in ancient script. Nguyen Phuoc Hai Trung investigates these poetic messages from the past.
"These verses shed light on the beauty of Vietnam's ancient literature and the values of the Nguyen monarchs."
As well as being decorated with symbolic images, the royal court in Hue is decorated with a wealth of poems and literary quotations. Visitors able to read the ancient script might wonder whether the Nguyen emperors ruled their subjects through literature.
In Vietnam's ancient royal capital in Hue, visitors will find palaces, tombs, mausoleums, temples and pagodas inscribed with poetry and literary quotes in old Chinese script. The forms of expression vary in terms of materials, motifs, and placement. Quotations and verses are carved and inlaid into wooden doors. They are lacquered and plated with gold and painted in different colors. They appear on ceramic objects that feature bronze bases and bright enamel. And they are found in the different architectural components of royal buildings. According to initial statistics, there are thousands of architectural elements in the royal citadel of Hue that bear lines of literature and poetry.
Most of the quotations praise the royal court's contributions to national development and unification; uphold Confucian philosophy as the core political theory for national governance and confirm the right of the Nguyen family to rule; praise the peaceful and prosperous life enjoyed by the people; and extol the beauty of the country and people's thirst for peace a good life. In the central space of Thai Hoa Hall (Hall of Supreme Peace), where major royal ceremonies took place, a verse [shown on the red lacquered board on page 43] reads:
“This thousand year old nation
Stands unified
From the time of Hong Bang
And prospers in the Southern sky”
The literary quotes and poetry on these historical monuments are part of Vietnam's heritage offering exceptional literature. They are also a precious source for those studying the literature of the Nguyen dynasty and the figures associated with it, such as Emperor Minh Mang Emperor Thieu Tri, Emperor Tu Duc, Prince Mien Tham, Prince Mien Trinh, Prince Mien Buu, Princess Mai Am and Princess Hue Pho. They also give insight into figures like Nguyen Du, Nguyen Cong Tru, Nguyen Khuyen, and Cao Ba Quat, who were the leading scholars of the courts.
At the main entrance of Ngo Mon (Southern Gate) eight pieces of the roof, A four line poem employs the moon to praise the dawn of the country and its royal court:
“A new moon emerges from the clouds
Its shape is not yet round
But without waiting for the full moon day
It has already started to shine to all corners”
.
The dawn of the dynasty is often compared to the colours of spring. Inside Thai Hoa Hall there are many poems on this theme, for instance:
“The flow of spring is felt from afar
The great country is filled with vitality
The emperors build up this great cause
To join the North and the South in great harmony”
The verse heads towards complete beauty and links man and nature. At the time, the economy was basically agricultural. As such, the Nguyen courts paid a great deal of attention and passion to promoting agricultural policies. Many literary quotes found in the royal palaces reflect this, such as the following stanza in Long An Hall:
“The paddy in the southern fields is growing ears
One knows that the sweet rice fragrance is coming
The joy of working in the fields
Breaks out in the song of a bumper crop”
Touching upon the prospect of a good harvest thanks to the fine weather, the piece continues optimistically:
“Looking at the fine weather
Knowing that the people will be well off
This verse not only praises a good harvest but reflects the Asian philosophy expressed in the poetry of the rulers extolling close ties to nature and concern for the people's prosperity.”
To have a stable and wealthy nation, the court wished to improve their subject's lives and increase their prosperity. The following stanza at Long An Hall states:
“The paddy is growing ears on the long path
The joy at the bumper crop also grows
Faces brighten on the way home
Promising big celebrations at harvest time”
The quotations and poems found on Nguyen dynasty buildings add value and soul to these structures. Architectural relies serve as messages from the past, leading readers on a never ending journey towards true beauty. Poems found on buildings in the Nguyen dynasty's court remind us that this court's culture was unique, and that its memory should be preserved for humanity.
Nest year's 2012 Hue Festival will have the theme. "A Peaceful World", this royal festival will honors the unique heritage of Viet Nam.
This article written by Lanh Nguyen from Travel Agency in Vietnam
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