Gilded lacquer at Hung Mieu inside Hue Imperial Citadel
Báo Dân trí•22/07/2024
(Dan Tri) - Hung Mieu relic is one of the important worshiping structures located in the complex of Hue relics. Currently, the structure has seriously degraded and needs to be restored and embellished promptly to avoid the risk of collapse.
The area of temples in the Imperial City of Hue is located in the southwest corner of the Imperial City, to the left of Ngo Mon Gate, including two main temples: The Mieu (the large temple in the middle) worshiping the Nguyen Dynasty kings and Hung Mieu (the small temple behind). During the Nguyen Dynasty, these were considered public temples, where the royal court held ceremonies, and women (including the queen) were not allowed to attend. Hung Mieu or Hung To Mieu (originally named Hoang Khai Mieu) was built in the year Gia Long 3 (1804), currently located in the administrative boundary of Thuan Hoa ward, Hue city, Thua Thien Hue province. This is the place to worship Mr. Nguyen Phuc Luan (1733-1765) and Mrs. Nguyen Thi Hoan, the parents of King Gia Long. According to data from National Archives Center 1, the temple is a double building, the main hall has 3 compartments and 2 double wings, the front hall has 5 compartments and 2 single wings. The two sides of the main temple are separated by a wall, in the middle of the wall are two doors: Duc Khanh (east side), Chuong Khanh (west side), in front is the main door of the temple. Hung Mieu was destroyed during the war (1947), then restored in 1951 and had a major renovation in 1995-1997.
Inside is a shrine to worship the tablets of Nguyen Phuc Luan (Hung To Hieu Khang Hoang De) and Queen Nguyen Thi Hoan. Both of them were posthumously given temple names and posthumous names in 1806, after King Gia Long officially ascended the throne. The interior and exterior of the temple are gilded and decorated with Chinese poems and texts in the style of "one poem, one painting". This was a popular decoration style in the royal architecture of the Nguyen Dynasty. The roof of the building is covered with glazed tiles and decorated with embossed dragons made of porcelain.
As an important worshiping structure located in the Hue Monuments Complex, Hung Mieu is now seriously degraded, with a leaky roof, rotten wooden structures, moldy and termite-infested, and at risk of collapse. Some wooden structures in the frame and roof system, although still good, need to be preserved and restored soon to ensure the safety of the entire relic. Foreign tourists visit Hung Mieu in July.
In order to promptly restore and embellish the relic, the People's Committee of Thua Thien Hue province has submitted to the Provincial People's Council for consideration and approval of the investment policy for the project "Preservation and restoration of Hung Mieu relic", with a total investment of more than 47 billion VND. At the 8th session, the People's Council of Thua Thien Hue province, term VIII, 2021-2016, passed a resolution on the project investment policy. The project will be implemented within 4 years and will carry out the demolition of the entire Hung Mieu, restore the severely damaged frame, roof, triple-wall, frame, door, triple-wall, etc., while preserving the good components. In addition, the project will carry out the restoration and reinforcement of the foundation, termite and moisture prevention; restore the ridge, eaves, cornice, and roof ridge figures; attach ceramic tiles; cover the roof with yellow glazed yin-yang tiles; restore all wooden components with gilded lacquer. According to the People's Committee of Thua Thien Hue province, investment in the restoration of Hung Mieu relic is extremely urgent to restore and promote the value of the world cultural heritage, attracting tourists to visit.
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