The most prominent feature of Hue Citadel's feng shui is Ngu Binh Mountain, which was chosen as the front screen. So what is special about this mountain?
According to the Thua Thien-Hue Geography, Ngu Binh Mountain, briefly called Ngu Mountain, formerly known as Hon Mo or Bang Mountain (Bang Son), is a 103 m high dirt mountain on the south bank of the Perfume River, about 4 km south of Hue Citadel. Ngu Mountain is trapezoidal in shape, with a flat top, and two small mountains on both sides, called Ta Phu Son and Huu Bat Son. When building Hue Citadel, the Nguyen Dynasty chose this mountain as the front screen of the massive, solid defense system.
Ngu Binh Mountain is located on the main axis of Hue Citadel. According to Dr. Phan Thanh Hai, this is the main axis, going straight northwest - southeast, running through the center of the Citadel. On the main axis are the Ky Dai, Ngo Mon, Thai Hoa Palace, Can Chanh... to Hoa Binh Gate. This axis also runs through the center of the citadel system, including: Kinh Thanh (outer citadel), Hoang Thanh and Tu Cam Thanh (inner citadel), facing back, built based on the terrain of Ngu Mountain and Huong River.
Ngu Binh Mountain in the overall mountain range is the front screen looking from Thai Hoa Palace to Ngo Mon Gate - Ky Dai.
VT
Because the mountain has such a shape, when Lord Nguyen Phuc Thai (the 5th Lord, reigned: 1687 - 1691) moved the capital of Dang Trong from Kim Long village (in Huong Tra district, Thua Thien province) to Phu Xuan village (where Hue Citadel is today) in 1687, he used that mountain as a screen (a barrier) in front of the capital. Later, when Lord Nguyen Phuc Khoat (reigned: 1738 - 1765) built Phu Xuan citadel (completed in 1739), and King Gia Long built Hue Citadel (1805), he also used Bang mountain as a screen.
The book Dai Nam Nhat Thong Chi of the National History Institute of the Nguyen Dynasty wrote: "In the northeast of Huong Thuy, rising up on a flat land like a screen forming the first layer of the screen in front of Hue Citadel, commonly called Bang Mountain, under the Gia Long Dynasty it was given the current name (Ngu Binh), the mountain top is flat, pine trees are planted everywhere".
The book Dai Nam Du Dia Chi Uoc Bien by General Cao Xuan Duc also wrote about this mountain as follows: "Ngu Binh Mountain, commonly known as Bang Mountain... square and solid like a screen, is the most important screen in front of the Citadel".
In 1822, King Minh Mang, while on his royal visit to Ngu Binh, named the two small mountains on either side as Ta Phu Son and Huu Bat Son. In 1836, when casting the Nine Urns, the image of Ngu Binh Mountain was engraved on the Nhan Dinh.
Ngu Binh Mountain is one of the 20 scenic spots of the Capital chosen by King Thieu Tri and had a poem written in the collection of royal poems. The poem was engraved on a stone stele, measuring 1.35 m x 0.52 m x 0.175 m, placed in a solid brick-built stele house with an arched shape, located right at the foot of the mountain. To this day, the entire stele is still intact, although the stele house has been severely damaged.
Since the reign of Gia Long, a rule was set that all mandarins, regardless of rank, must each plant a pine tree in Ngu Binh, so through the reigns of kings, Ngu Binh became a pine forest with stunning scenery. Because of its beauty, many people came to visit the mountain and wrote poems about it, among them were King Minh Mang and King Thieu Tri.
Ngu Binh Mountain seen from Ky Dai to Phu Van Lau facing southeast.
Bui Ngoc Long
Vase under feng shui perspective
Doctor of Han - Nom Doan Trung Huu, who has many years of studying feng shui, believes that according to the advice of Trang Trinh Nguyen Binh Khiem, Nguyen Hoang went to Thuan Quang to start his career. But from Ngang Pass to Hai Van, there is no special mountain that has all the elements to be a precedent for the imperial land like Ngu Binh Mountain.
Firstly, Ngu Binh mountain rises in the middle of a flat land with moderate height, balanced mountain shape, on both sides there are two small mountains, Ban Son (where Tay Son placed the Nam Giao altar) and Tam Thai mountain supporting. Secondly, the mountain is located at an ideal distance from the Huong River to be chosen as a front table, if the mountain is located right next to the river or too far away, it is not good. In terms of feng shui, Ngu Binh is the first table: the king's table!
That is why, in the introduction of the Royal Poetry of King Thieu Tri, there is a description: "The high mountain rises from the flat land, with many mountains bowing back, towering up to the sky, creating a screen for the capital."
According to Dr. Doan Trung Huu, from a feng shui perspective, all other elements of the Hue Citadel are hidden and rarely revealed, with only Ngu Binh Mountain being the most prominent example. (continued)
Nowadays, Ngu Binh mountain has been encroached by people to build a cemetery from the foot of the mountain up nearly half of the mountain on all four sides. Currently, the People's Committee of Thua Thien-Hue province has assigned the People's Committee of Hue city to implement the project to clear and relocate graves and renovate the Ngu Binh mountain area. The project to renovate and promote the landscape value of Ngu Binh mountain and the landscape of the Quang Trung monument area is carried out in stages to ensure it is suitable for the resources of the province and the city. In particular, phase 1 prioritizes the relocation of the cemetery area at the foot of Ngu Binh mountain from Ngu Binh street to the mountain with a scale of about 9 hectares in parallel with site clearance, building infrastructure in the area to create land funds to have investment capital for the next phase; striving to complete the entire area in 2024.
Thanhnien.vn
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