King Khai Dinh (reigned 1916-1925) was the 12th king of the Nguyen Dynasty and the last one to build a mausoleum, preparing for his "departure".
Khai Dinh Tomb (Ung Lang) was built on the slope of Chau Chu Mountain (also known as Chau E, now in Thuy Bang Commune, Hue City, Thua Thien Hue Province), about 10km from the city center. This architectural work is located in the complex of Hue Monuments, a world heritage recognized by UNESCO since 1993.
According to historical documents, Ung Lang was chosen by King Khai Dinh himself and construction began in 1920. After the king passed away and was buried in 1925, the construction process lasted until 1931 to complete.
Unlike the tombs of other Nguyen Dynasty kings, Ung Lang was built entirely of concrete and steel and decorated mainly with reliefs of ceramics and porcelain. King Khai Dinh sent people to France to buy iron, steel, cement, and terracotta tiles; and to China and Japan to buy porcelain and glass to construct the project.
Dr. Phan Thanh Hai, Director of the Department of Culture and Sports of Thua Thien Hue province, and his colleagues, said that the construction of architectural works in the Hue capital mainly took place under the reigns of King Gia Long and King Minh Mang, and was then completed under the reigns of Thieu Tri and King Tu Duc. This was the period of architectural works using traditional materials such as bricks, tiles, and wood.
But from the time of King Dong Khanh onwards, due to the influence of Western civilization, a new type of architecture appeared in the royal architecture system, using concrete and steel materials, with a neo-classical style, especially during the period of the last two emperors of the Nguyen Dynasty, Khai Dinh and Bao Dai.
Most of the Nguyen Dynasty kings, when they passed away, would hide their acupuncture points to avoid being exploited by criminals. Only the tomb of King Khai Dinh is known to later generations because it is buried right under the bronze statue in Thien Dinh Palace in Ung Lang. Today, people and tourists can visit.
The highest artistic value of the mausoleum is the interior decoration of Thien Dinh Palace. The three middle compartments of the palace are decorated with reliefs made of porcelain, ceramics and colored glass. Especially the canopy on the bronze statue, weighing 1 ton, with soft, graceful curves, makes the viewer feel that it is made of very light silk velvet. Below the canopy is a bronze statue of King Khai Dinh cast in France in 1922.
On the ceiling of Thien Dinh Palace is the painting "Nine dragons hidden in clouds" painted by artist Phan Van Tanh with both hands and feet.
What is special and strange is that the painting is hundreds of years old, the ink is still like new and there are no insects on it.
Besides the masterpiece "Cuu Long An Van" which is considered the largest ceiling painting in Vietnam, at King Khai Dinh's tomb there is also a very large sun symbol.
When explaining this relief to tourists, tour guides all say that this is the setting sun, implying that the king has passed away.
The decorative lines are sophisticated and are considered by researchers to have reached the pinnacle of ceramic and porcelain art and technique.
Researcher Pham Duc Thanh Dung, Hue Monuments Conservation Center, said this is a variation of the "one poem, one painting" decorative style.
According to researcher Phan Thuan An, although he only reigned for 10 years and passed away at the age of 41, King Khai Dinh left behind many architectural works with a novel style, harmoniously combining traditional and modern art from East Asia and Western Europe.
In addition to Ung Lang, King Khai Dinh's mark also lies in a series of other famous architectural works of the Hue royal court, such as: An Dinh Palace, Kien Trung and Thai Binh towers, Hien Nhon and Chuong Duc gates, etc., breathing new life into the history of Vietnamese fine arts.
When visiting Khai Dinh Tomb, tourists cannot help but admire the majestic and magnificent beauty of this world cultural heritage.
According to UNESCO's assessment, the conservation of Hue monuments has entered a phase of stability and sustainable development. The conservation of cultural heritage values is always closely linked to the process of exploiting, promoting and creating conditions for socio-economic development.
The work of preserving and restoring relics has so far brought about positive results, contributing significantly to the beautification of urban and residential areas, attracting visitors to Hue, and increasing revenue from tourism services.
Dantri.com.vn
Source: https://dantri.com.vn/xa-hoi/ve-trang-le-ben-trong-lang-vua-khai-dinh-20240711183607883.htm
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