The Center for Preservation of Hue Relics has opened an exhibition, introducing 20 beauty spots of the former capital city of Hue, through lacquer paintings by calligrapher Hai Trung, who is also director of the Museum of Hue Royal Antiques.
The Center for Preservation of Hue Relics has opened an exhibition, introducing 20 beauty spots of the former capital city of Hue, through lacquer paintings by calligrapher Hai Trung, who is also director of the Museum of Hue Royal Antiques.
The 20 beauty spots of Hue, or “Than kinh nhi thap canh,” is the named set of poems by King Thieu Tri of the Nguyen Dynasty. These poems describe the beauty of 20 landscapes of Hue, including seven natural and 13 artificial or natural-artificial landscapes. They are listed as follows:
1. Minh Vien tower in the Forbidden City
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Built in only one month, in 1827, under the dynasty of King Minh Mang, this tower is similar to Hien Lam Cac, the highest tower in the Hue citadel in the past. It has disappeared. Only its foundation is left today. |
2. Thieu Phuong garden in the Forbidden City
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This work no longer exists. There is only one gate left. |
3. Tinh Tam Lake in Hue city
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Tinh Tam Lake used to be the place where kings relaxed. Today, only Tinh Tam Than Tu Temple remains intact. |
4. Xuan Quang royal garden in Hue city
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The garden is among famous royal gardens of the Nguyen Dynasty, covering over 540m in perimeter, with many temples, houses, ponds, bridges, etc. However, all materials were removed to build Co Ha garden under the reign of King Thieu Tri. |
5. Dac Nguyet royal garden in the Forbidden City
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This was a famous royal garden in the early Nguyen Dynasty. Today only Ngoc Dich, Tieu Ngu Ha lakes and some rockworks are left. |
6. Noi Kim Thuy lake in Hue city
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There were many construction works on the lake in the past but today, only several islets and relics are left. |
7. Truong Ninh palace in Hue city
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The place used to be the home of some concubines after kings died. It was restored in 2008. |
8. Thuong Mau garden in Hue city
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This garden has disappeared. |
9. Thanh Duyen temple on Thuy Van mountain
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The temple, among four national pagodas in Hue, besides Thien Mu, Dieu De and Bao Quoc, is located in Phu Loc district. |
10. Thuan An beach
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11. Huong river
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12. Ngu Binh mountain
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13. Linh Huu Taoism Temple in Hue city
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The Temple is no longer in existence.. |
14. Thien Mu pagoda
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15. The landscape in the upstream Huong River
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16. Ha Trung lagoon
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17. Giac Hoang pagoda in Hue city
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The Temple does not exist today. |
18. Quoc Tu Giam school
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Built in 1803 by King Gia Long, the school is now the office of the Thue Thien-Hue Revolutionary History Museum. |
19. Dong Lam forest in Huong Thuy district
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20. Huong Tra hot spring
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The hot spring is located in Huong Thuy town. It will disappear when Ta Trach reservoir stores water for power generation. |
In 1844-1845, these poems were printed in books, with illustration pictures and carved on stone steles and bronze pieces. The glass pictures of these landscapes were also hung in palaces and painted on ceramic items.
At present, only 20 pictures in a book entitled “Ngu de Do Hoi Thi Tap” are intact. Bronze pieces have disappeared while 7 out of 12 stone steles have been found, besides five glass paintings and only one ceramic palate featuring Thanh Duyen temple on Thuy Van Mountain.
Based on the 20 pictures in the “Ngu de Do Hoi Thi Tap” book, calligrapher Hai Trung created 20 lacquer paintings in ten months.
These lacquer paintings are now on display at Truong Lang in the Forbidden City of Hue.
(Source: VOV)
