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EN
Stepping through the gate of time
We arrived at Minh Mang Mausoleum one morning after a night of rain. The path leading up Hieu Son Mountain was drenched in dew, and droplets of water still clinging to the pine branches gently fell onto our shoulders. The air was fresh, cool, and so quiet that we could clearly hear the rustling of palm leaves and the soft sound of our footsteps on the dark red fired bricks. I told myself I had to walk very slowly, as if afraid of disturbing the eternal slumber of an emperor.
The entrance to Minh Mang Mausoleum is shaded by lush green trees.
In front, the Great Red Gate – the main gate of the mausoleum – stands majestically against the pale gray sky. The gate, 9 meters high and 12 meters wide, was only opened once to receive the coffin of Emperor Minh Mạng into his final resting place. Since then, the gate has remained silent in the shadows of time, closing off a sacred realm. Visitors can only enter and exit through the two side gates, the Left Red Gate and the Right Red Gate.
The main gate of the Great Red Gate
A side gate for visitors to enter the mausoleum.
Stepping through the gate, the space unfolds like an ancient painting. Mountains, rivers, and lakes – these three elements blend together to create a landscape symbolizing "gathering water and generating wealth," representing complete blessings and prosperity. The spacious Bai Dinh courtyard is paved with red bricks, flanked by rows of stone statues of mandarins, elephants, and horses – sacred animals that protected the king on his journey to the afterlife. Further on is the Bi Dinh pavilion, situated on Phung Than Mountain, its curved tiled roof gracefully soaring like a bird's wings. Every detail exudes solemnity, order, and precision – in keeping with the Confucian spirit revered by King Minh Mang.
The Memorial Pavilion on Phung Than Mountain
The imprint of poetry blends with nature.
Leaving the Imperial Pavilion, we entered the vast ceremonial courtyard. At the end of the courtyard, the Hien Duc Gate appeared solemnly, opening the way to the imperial chambers – the place where the soul and memories of the dynasty are preserved. The wind swept through the horizontal plaques and couplets in Chinese characters at the Sung An Palace, where the ancestral tablets of Emperor Minh Mang and Empress Ta Thien Nhan are worshipped, creating soft sounds like the recitation of poetry by the ancients. On the horizontal plaques, pillars, and stone walls, nearly 600 poems in Chinese characters, composed by Emperor Minh Mang himself, are carved. These poems not only praise the scenery but also reveal the soul and philosophy of life of the wise ruler. Perhaps that is why many scholars call Hieu Lang "a museum of poetry amidst the sky and earth of Hue."
The ceremonial courtyard behind the Bi Dinh
Sung An Palace, where the ancestral tablets of King Minh Mang and Empress Ta Thien Nhan are worshipped.
Further on, the Hoang Trach Gate led me to a poetic expanse: the tranquil Truong Minh Lake, reflecting the trees leaning in the early morning sun. The lake's surface was so still that all sounds seemed to vanish, leaving only the distant chirping of birds. Three bridges, Ta Phu, Trung Dao, and Huu Bat, connected the two banks of the lake, like three soft brushstrokes painting a watercolor picture amidst the mountains and forests of Cam Khe. From here, every step led towards Minh Lau, the pavilion situated in the center of the sacred axis – the intersection of earth and sky.
Minh Lau - Where light illuminates the soul
Minh Lau, also known as the "bright pavilion," is a square, two-story, eight-roofed structure situated atop Tam Tai Son, a small hill surrounded by a lake. This structure holds special symbolic value: the square shape represents the earth, while the roofs reaching towards the sky symbolize the king's aspiration for harmony between heaven, earth, and humanity. Looking down from Minh Lau, the entire mausoleum appears perfectly harmonious and symmetrical: each step and each pathway lies along the sacred axis, stretching over 700 meters, a straight line connecting the Dai Hong Mon gate to Minh Mang's final resting place.
Minh Lau on the summit of Tam Tai Mountain
It is said that Emperor Minh Mạng often came here on clear, moonlit nights to admire the moon, read books, write poetry, and contemplate the fate of the nation. Standing in Minh Lâu today, I also feel something very close to that feeling – a profound solitude, yet also sparkling with the light of wisdom and compassion.
Aspiration to embrace the entire earth and sky.
Leaving Minh Lau, we crossed the Thong Minh Chinh Truc bridge, spanning Tan Nguyet lake. The lake's surface curved like a crescent moon, enveloping Buu Thanh. This circular citadel, symbolizing the sun, is where the king's tomb is located. From the foot of Khai Trach Son, 33 steps lead up to the gate of Buu Thanh, like steps guiding people from the earthly realm into eternity. I paused at Khai Trach Son, gazing at the tranquil lake. The concentric circles from the lake, citadel, mountain to the horizon seem to depict the late king's aspiration to embrace heaven and earth – the man who laid the foundation for the Nguyen dynasty to reach its peak of power and culture.
The Intelligent and Upright Bridge spans Tan Nguyet Lake.
The entire architecture of Minh Mang Mausoleum is harmoniously and symmetrically arranged, following the subtle principles of yin and yang. Approximately 40 large and small structures are arranged consecutively along the sacred axis, from Dai Hong Mon to Buu Thanh. Each structure carries its own symbolism, but when placed together, they form a harmonious whole, like a symphony of stone, wood, water, and trees.
Standing in the mausoleum, I was reminded of Emperor Minh Mạng – a man who was both meticulous and talented. He reigned for 21 years, the second emperor of the Nguyễn dynasty, perfecting the administrative system, consolidating culture, expanding the territory, and laying the foundation for national stability. But amidst these monumental political achievements, he still dedicated a part of his soul to art – the gentle light reflected in every tile and every tree here.
In 1993, the Minh Mang mausoleum complex, along with other relics of the ancient capital of Hue, was recognized by UNESCO as a World Cultural Heritage site.
Among the royal tombs in Hue, Minh Mang Tomb is the most massive in scale, with the natural landscape harmoniously integrated with the architecture.
As evening fell, gray clouds gathered over Hieu Son peak. I left the mausoleum, the small path winding around the mountainside covered with fallen pine needles. Looking back, the Great Red Gate remained closed, silent in the twilight. A feeling suddenly arose within me, as if I had just passed through another realm – where past and present touch through the breath of the earth and sky, through the whispers of souls who have fallen asleep.
