Discover Hue, Vietnam's Imperial City

The former imperial city of Hue is the most important historical and cultural monument in Vietnam. It is also a place of great beauty, despite having been badly damaged during the 1968 Tet Offensive. Renowned throughout the country both for the beauty of its women and for the sophistication of its cuisine, Hue lies at the heart of Vietnamese cultural tradition. The beautiful Song Huong or Perfume River flows through the centre of the city, whilst the surrounding countryside is studded with elaborate tombs built during the time of the Nguyen Emperors. For the visitor there is only one possible problem--the weather at Hue is notoriously unpredictable, and rainfall is frequent.

Visitors to Hue, whether travelling by air, rail or road, generally enter the city from the south-west, via the newer commercial quarter which dates from the colonial period. It is here that the greatest selection of hotels, restaurants and bars may be found. Imperial Hue, demarcated by the crenellated walls of its great Citadel, lies on the far side of the Perfume River, a monument to past imperial glory and more recent desperate events.

David Henley / CPA

Cot Co (Flag Tower), Hue.

Dominating the skyline is the 37m (120ft) high Cot Co or Flag Tower, first erected in 1809. Cot Co achieved international renown on the morning of 31 January 1968, when communist forces seized the Citadel and ran their yellow-starred banner up its tall mast. For the next 25 days the Viet Cong flag fluttered defiantly as US Marines and South Vietnamese soldiers fought house-to-house to retake the city. During this brutal struggle Hue was battered by heavy machine guns, rockets, bombs, napalm, artillery fire and even naval bombardment, causing immense destruction. Further damage ensued following the collapse of the south, as symbols of Vietnam's royal past were left to decay by the victorious communists--a policy which changed sharply in 1990, as the potential for tourism was realised. In 1993 UNESCO declared Hue a World Heritage Site, and currently restoration and conservation work continue apace.

Originally part of the Kingdom of Champa, Hue first became part of Vietnam in 1306 when King Jaya Sinhavarman III capriciously renounced all Cham territories north of the Hai Van Pass in exchange for the hand of Huyen Tran, a beautiful Vietnamese princess. In 1558 Hue--then known as Phu Xuan--became capital of the Nguyen Lords of the south. In 1802 Nguyen Anh, the last of the Nguyen Lords, defeated his northern rivals and proclaimed the city capital of a reunited Vietnam, changing its name to Hue and his own to Gia Long, first of the Nguyen Emperors. Three years later Gia Long ordered the construction of Kinh Thanh, Hue's moated Citadel. This vast structure is an unusual hybrid, built according to the notions of Chinese geomancy but in the style of the noted French military architect Sebastien de Vauban. Thus the complex is oriented south-east towards Nui Ngu Binh, or 'Royal Screen Mountain'--a low hill believed to deflect harmful influences from the Nguyen capital. To reinforce this auspicious aspect of its location, massive brick walls about 6m (20ft) high, 20m (65ft) thick and almost 10km (6 miles) long protect the Citadel. These walls are ringed by lotus-filled moats and punctuated by towers, with crenellated ramparts, an earth glacis and no fewer than 24 Vauban-inspired bastions.

Access to the Citadel is by way of ten fortified gates, each of which is reached by a low, slightly arched stone bridge across the moat. In imperial times a cannon would sound at 5am and 9pm to mark the opening and closing of the gates. The area within the Citadel--in all, 520 hectares (1300 acres)--comprises three concentric enclosures, the first of which was formerly used to accommodate the Imperial Ministries and which today constitutes a pleasant area of parks, gardens and quiet residential districts. Here may be found the Nine Holy Canons, kept in buildings flanking the gates on either side of the Flag Tower. The massive but symbolic weapons were cast on the order of Gia Long to protect his new capital. Made from bronze captured from the defeated Tay Son army, the nine canons are said to represent the Four Seasons and the Five Elements--earth, metal, wood, water and fire.

A second moat and defensive wall within the Citadel guard the Hoang Thanh or Yellow Imperial City, modelled by Gia Long on the Forbidden City in Beijing. This inner city, generally referred to as Dai Noi or 'Great Enclosure', has four gates the chief of which--in direct alignment with the Flag Tower to the south-east--is called Cua Ngo Mon or 'Meridian Gate'. This majestic entrance, constructed by Emperor Minh Mang in 1833, is considered amongst the finest surviving examples of Nguyen architecture. There are five entrances--the central way, reserved for the emperor alone, is flanked by lesser openings for mandarins and court officials; these in turn are flanked by two much larger entrances for the royal elephants. Above the massive stone slabs of the main gateway rests Five Phoenix Watchtower where the emperor sat enthroned on state occasions. Above this pavilion is a small room reached by a concealed staircase where ladies of the royal court could see through finely-carved grilles without being observed.

David Henley / CPA

Thai Hoa Dien (Hall of Supreme Harmony), Hue.

Beyond the Ngo Mon Gate Kim Thuy Kieu, the 'Bridge of Golden Waters' which only the emperor was permitted to cross, leads between two tranquil, lotus-filled ponds to Thai Hoa Dien, the 'Hall of Supreme Harmony'. This palace, the throne room of the Nguyen Kings, is the most splendid of Hue's surviving palaces. Originally built by Gia Long in 1805, it escaped serious damage during the Tet Offensive but was in an advanced state of decay until restoration work started in 1991. The yellow-tiled roof is supported by eighty massive wooden columns lacquered a deep red and decorated with golden dragons, the emblem of the Nguyen Dynasty.

Immediately behind the throne room Dai Cung Mon or 'Great Golden Gate' permits access to the Tu Cam Thanh or Forbidden Purple City, formerly the sole preserve of the emperor, his queen, nine separate ranks of concubines, and female palace servants. No man but the king could set foot in this 10 hectare (25 acre) city-within-a-city on pain of death--his own sons were banished when they reached puberty, and the only non-females permitted within the inner sanctum were palace eunuchs. In imperial times the Purple City consisted of more than more than 60 buildings arranged around 20 courtyards, but it was seriously damaged by fire in 1947, a tragedy compounded by the disastrous Tet Offensive in 1968. Fortunately photographs and detailed plans have survived; restoration work is currently under way, though the process will be long and expensive. At present much of the former Purple City is given over to vegetable gardens, though in the north-eastern quarter the Thai Binh Lau or Royal Library, an elegant two storey structure built during the reign of Minh Mang (1820-1841) survives and has been recently restored.

Before leaving the Citadel it is worth visiting The Mieu or 'Temple of the Generations', dedicated to the Nguyen Emperors who built Hue. Located in the south-west of the Imperial City and currently under restoration, the temple houses ten funerary tablets honouring Nguyen rulers from Gia Long to Khai Dinh (1802-1925). In the courtyard facing The Mieu stand nine large bronze vessels. These are the famous Cuu Dinh or Dynastic Urns of the Nguyen Dynasty. Cast on the orders of Emperor Minh Mang in 1835, they weigh about two tons each. Decorated with elegant bas-reliefs rich in symbolic detail--dragon, phoenix, elephant, tiger, sun, moon, stars--they played an important part in the cult of imperial ancestor worship.

David Henley / CPA

Hien Nhon Gate, Hue Citadel.

Still within the Citadel but on Le Truc Street, just outside Cua Hien Nhon, the Imperial City's north-eastern gate, the Imperial Museum is well worth visiting. Housed in the Long An Palace, a fine old building dating back to 1845, the walls are inscribed with poetry written in chu nom or 'Southern Writing', a demotic script employing modified Chinese characters which was developed in the 15th century and, by Nguyen times, had become the chief vehicle for vernacular Vietnamese literature. The exhibits consist chiefly of royal paraphernalia and assorted gifts from past emperors.

Beyond the Citadel Hue has numerous widely scattered attractions. To the north-east of the citadel is a large, triangular island lying between Dong Ba Canal and the Perfume River. Here, in the busy, congested streets of Phu Cat, the former Merchants' Quarter, much of Hue's commerce is still carried on. At 120 Chi Lang Street, deep in this quarter, may be found the small mosque which once served Hue's Tamil Muslims, business people originally hailing from the French colony of Pondicherry in South India. Unhappy at the strictures of a socialist economy, Hue's Muslims have long since departed, but the mosque remains and today functions as a private house.

On the north bank of the Perfume River, about 4km (2.5 miles) south-west of the Citadel, stands the famous Thien Mu Pagoda, long considered a symbol for the City of Hue. Originally founded in 1601 by Lord Nguyen Hoang, the most striking feature of the temple is a 21m (68ft) high octagonal tower, the seven storey Thap Phuoc Duyen or 'Tower of the Source of Happiness', which stands atop a small hillock overlooking the Perfume River. Two pavilions close by house, respectively, a stone stele erected in 1715 which records the history of Buddhism in Hue, and a large bronze bell, cast in 1710, which weighs over 2000 kilograms. The sound of this bell is said to reach over10km (6 miles), and in times past could clearly be heard in the Citadel and throughout the surrounding villages. As an ancient poem has it:

The breeze cradles the swaying stems of bamboo
The Thien Mu Bell rings out
And the crowing cockerels of Tho Xuong village respond...

If Thien Mu is considered the religious heart of Buddhism in Hue, then Van Mieu, the Temple of Literature, holds the same status for Confucianism. Founded by Gia Long in 1808, the temple, situated on the north bank of the Perfume River about 1km (1/2 mile) west of Thien Mu, was intended by the Nguyen Emperor to replace the long-established Temple of Literature in Hanoi. In fact Hue's Van Mieu is a much less imposing structure than the capital's venerable complex, but it is still worth a visit, both for the views of the nearby Perfume River and to see the inscribed doctoral stelae of the Nguyen Emperors.

On the south bank of the Perfume River, beyond the former French quarter now known as Khu Pho Moi or 'New City' is Dan Nam Giao or the Altar of Heaven. During the years of Hue's primacy this was the most important religious site in the country, though today there isn't a lot to see beyond a series of three raised terraces. The first, square terrace represents man, the second, also square, represents earth, whilst the topmost, round terrace represents heaven. Here, approximately every three years between 1806 and 1945, the Nguyen Emperors reaffirmed the legitimacy of their rule through a series of elaborate sacrifices to the Emperor of Heaven.

Scattered across the countryside to the south and west of the city, the Tombs of the Nguyen Emperors are, together with the Citadel, Hue's greatest attraction. Although thirteen rulers sat on the imperial throne between 1802 and 1945, only seven were given the honour of their own royal mausoleum. The seven tombs, all of which have features of outstanding architectural merit, are often strikingly different and merit at least two days of exploration. They can be reached by bicycle or motorbike-both readily available for hire in Hue-and make at least two rewarding day trips.

The Vietnamese word for tomb is lang, and this is used as a standard prefix for all the royal tombs. Lang Duc Duc (pronounced "Zuc Duc") is the tomb nearest to Hue, but also one of the hardest to find. Located just south of the railway line on Tan Lang Lane, it was constructed as recently as 1899 but had fallen into a bad state of disrepair and is currently undergoing a rather desultory restoration. Duc Duc, the nephew and adopted son of Tu Duc, reigned for a mere three days in 1883. Dethroned as a result of court intrigue, he later starved to death in prison. According to legend, he was being carried to a common burial when the mat in which he was being carried split open, so he was summarily buried on the spot.

Six years later in a twist of fate his son, Thanh Thai (1889-1907) became emperor and erected a mausoleum for Duc Duc over the spot where he had been buried. While Duc Duc is considered to have been sympathetic to the French, his son Thanh Thai and grandson Duy Tan were opposed to colonial rule and are considered 'patriotic kings' by the ruling communists. Thanh Thai was deposed by the French in 1907 as was Duy Than in 1916. Both father and son were exiled to Réunion. Thanh Thai returned in 1953, died in Vung Tau a year later and was buried in his father's tomb the same year. The remains of Duy Tan, who was killed in a plane crash in Africa while fighting for the allies in World War II, were brought back to Vietnam after the communist victory and finally interred in the family mausoleum in 1987.

About 6km (4 miles) south-west of Hue, set amidst pine-covered hills in Thuy Xuan district, is the splendid mausoleum of Emperor Tu Duc (1848-1883). Lang Tu Duc, built between 1864 and 1867, is perhaps the most exquisitely designed of the Nguyen mausoleums. It's built on a grand scale, but with a perfect eye for detail. Designed by Tu Duc himself, the mausoleum is set amidst fragrant pines and frangipani trees, surrounded by tranquil, lotus-filled waters. It was Tu Duc's habit to recline here in the gorgeous Xung Khiem Pavilion composing poetry and reflecting--one might suspect--on the transience of mundane existence. A lovely place indeed, but not without its dark side. When Tu Duc expired he was buried secretly, reputedly with great treasure. Reportedly all 200 of the servants involved in the burial were subsequently beheaded to keep the Emperor's final resting-place hidden from tomb robbers and safe from desecration!

An unsealed road leads south-east from Lang Tu Duc to Lang Dong Khanh, the mausoleum of Emperor Dong Khanh (1885-1888). Like Duc Duc, Dong Khanh was the nephew and adopted son of the childless Tu Duc. His mausoleum, the smallest of the Nguyen Tombs, is in exquisite taste and unusually well preserved. The exterior of the main temple is elaborate yet delicate. The interior shows signs of French cultural influence already impinging on Nguyen tastes--look in particular for the engravings of Napoleon and the Battle of Waterloo which hang from the red-lacquered ironwood pillars supporting the roof.

Head south along the Perfume River about 1.5km (1 mile) from Lang Tu Duc before turning east for a short distance to find Lang Thieu Tri, the mausoleum of Emperor Thieu Tri (1841-1847). One of the smaller tombs, it lacks the usual walled gardens and is divided into two sections. To the west is the actual tomb, whilst to the east a finely executed temple stands all but surrounded by small lakes.

David Henley / CPA

Tomb of Khai Dinh, near Hue.

To reach Lang Khai Dinh, the mausoleum of Emperor Khai Dinh (1916-1925), head south along Dien Bien Phu Road to Dan Nam Giao Road then continue south along Minh Mang Road. It's about 10km (6 miles) to the extraordinary architectural melange which marks Khai Dinh's final resting-place. Built between 1920 and 1931, the tomb rises through a series of stairs and courtyards on the side of a low hill. The architect clearly sought to combine Vietnamese and French cultural traditions in this tomb, and the result--which is distinctly flamboyant--is not altogether unsuccessful.

Perhaps the most impressive of all the Nguyen Tombs, Lang Minh Mang, the mausoleum of Emperor Minh Mang (1820-1841), is located on the left bank of the Perfume River about 12km (7 miles) from Hue. Planned in Minh Mang's lifetime but executed after his death, the complex--which includes elegant portals, bridges, lakes and pavilions, as well as the Sung An Temple dedicated to the Emperor and Empress--blends harmoniously with the surrounding countryside.

The last of the Nguyen Tombs, Lang Gia Long, mausoleum of the first Nguyen Emperor Gia Long (1802-1820), is also located on the left bank of the Perfume River a 20 minute boat ride and subsequent short walk south of the Minh Mang ferry crossing. Remote from Hue and badly damaged during the Second Indochina War, relatively few people visit this tomb which is currently undergoing restoration.

If time permits, an interesting side trip may be made to Ho Quyen, the Royal Arena of the Nguyen Emperors located 4km (2.5 miles) south-west of Hue near the village of Phuong Duc. In times past tigers were forced to fight elephants in this amphitheatre, and the elephant--seen as a symbol of imperial power--was expected to win. Consequently the contests were rather one-sided, with the unfortunate tiger having its claws removed and its mouth sewn shut before it entered the ring. Fortunately the last fight was held in 1904.

A visit to Hue might be considered incomplete without a boat trip on the outstandingly lovely Perfume River. Boats are readily available for hire, either for an exploratory trip in the vicinity of Hue, or for a longer journey upstream to the tombs of Minh Mang and Gia Long. It's hard to explain the uncanny beauty of the river, though doubtless the irridescent, aquamarine waters, together with the profusion of colourful craft and boat women sporting non la--the ubiquitous cream-coloured conical hat of Vietnam--all contribute to the effect. On a clear, sunny day the Perfume River can indeed be magical.

Text copyright © Andrew Forbes / CPA 2002.

An extended version of this article appears in Apa Compact Guides Vietnam.

David Henley / CPA

Vietnamese girls, near Hue.

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