MAUSOLEUM OF MINH MANG

It is the most remarkable of all the burials, by its harmony, the regularity of its gardens and the majesty of its site. This mausoleum is a real architectural jewel not to be missed under any circumstances. Historically, from his advent, King Minh Mang was concerned about choosing a suitable place for his burial. According to tradition, the future and happiness of the dynasty could depend on the choice of this site. The mandarins of the Ministry of Astronomy and the Ministry of Rites searched for a suitable site and chose the present location. However, he left the construction of the monuments to his successor Thiêu Tri, who set to work in 1841. He named the site Hieu Son, which means "mountain of filial piety".

The construction of the tomb took two years, from 1841 to 1843. An outer enclosure surrounds the royal burial place; it is a brick wall 3 m high and 50 cm thick. It opens through three gates: the Dai Hong in the centre, the Ta Hong on the left and the Huu Hong on the right.

The central axis is flanked by two lakes (the Lake of Clarity and the Lake of the Rising Moon). At the entrance to the site, past the main courtyard, three granite staircases, one central and two lateral, lined with dragon ramps, lead to two superimposed terraces. There is a square pavilion, Phuong Dinh, built on two superimposed terraces, which houses a carved marble stele relating the significant events of the reign of the late emperor. Its function is to transmit to posterity the virtues, merits and holiness of Minh Mang.

Before entering the pavilion of the immense Grace, Sung An Diên, which contains the funeral tablets of the king and queen (it should be noted that this custom did not exist in Chinese tombs, where only the memory of the king was honoured), one crosses the mound of the apartments of adoration, Phung Than Son, reserved for the king's concubines. After crossing one of the three bridges, one enters the Clarity Pavilion, Minh Lau. Then one crosses the Lake of the Rising Moon and enters the sacred enclosure, where the imperial burial mound is located.

The sacred enclosure (Bao Thanh) is circular in shape to represent the image of the sun. Inside, there is no inscription marking the location of the royal burial place, as Emperor Thiêu Tri feared that the enemies of the dynasty would come to desecrate it, in the same way that his grandfather had the bones of the Tây-Son scattered in the lagoons of the province.