Beauty of Simplicity of Thieu Tri (Thiệu Trị) mausoleum
Thieu Tri - the first-born child of King Minh Mang
(Minh Mạng) was enthroned in 1841. He is the one who ordered to dike,
damped up Cuu An (Cửu An) river. Regarding foreign affairs, Thieu Tri
settled diplomatic relations with Chan Lap (Chân Lạp); banned
expatriates from preaching and punished local residents who were
religious. September 1847, he was so sick and died. He was laid to rest
at Thieu Tri mausoleum that is located in Cu Chanh (Cư Chánh) village,
Thuy Bang (Thủy Bằng) commune, Huong Thuy (Hương Thủy) district, Thua
Thien Hue (Thừa Thiên Huế) province, which is about 8 kilometers from
Hue imperial city. This mausoleum is really unique since it faces North
West - a direction that is seldom applied in architecture of imperial
palaces and mausoleums under Nguyen dynasty. He was in his power for 6
years and he died at the age of 41. On February 11th 1848, Thieu Tri
mausoleum (Named Xương Lăng) was started and completed after 10 months.
Entire mausoleum consists of two areas: tomb and sanctuary.
Community of Thieu Tri mausoleum
Mausoleum
layout is a combination and selection from Gia Long and Minh Mang's
mausoleum. Xuong Long and Gia Long are similar in being without "la
thành", tomb and sanctuary are separated in parallel. The mausoleum
consists of two parts: tomb and sanctuary. The tomb is on the right
with Nhuan Trach (Nhuận Trạch) lake at its front, which is open to Điện
lake. Behind Nhuan Trach lake is Nghi Mon (Nghi Môn) leading to a large
kowtowing ground. Two rows of stone statues on the right and left are
symbols of art of statue sculpture in the first half of 19th century in
Hue (Huế). Bi Dinh (Bi Đình) and Duc Hinh castle are located on
tortoise shell-shaped hill. Bi Dinh alias Phuong Dinh (Phương Đình) has
a stele that carves 2,500 words of King Tu Duc (Tự Đức) praising his
father's merits. Passing Ngung Thuy (Ngưng Thúy) lake, there are three
bridges: Chanh Trung (Chánh Trung) in the middle; Dong Hoa (Đông Hòa)
to the right; and Tay Dinh (Tây Đình) to the left. Three-step perron
leads to Buu Thanh (Bửu Thành) where Thieu Tri's corpse is laid.
Thieu Tri mausoleum
The
sanctuary is built separately, which is 100 meter to the left of Duc
Hinh castle. Going through Nghi Mon made of marble, stepping over
three-step perron, to Hong Trach Mon (Hồng Trạch Môn) and then Buu Duc
imperial palace. This is the place which worships ancestral tablets of
the King and lady Tu Du (Từ Dũ), his wife. In the sanctum, there are
over 450 boxes on its roof and at Hong Trach (Hồng Trạch) gate, carving
poems which have great value of literature and education. Secondary
works such as Ta Huu Phoi (Tả Hữu Phối) palace (at the front), Tả and
"Hữu tùng Viện" (at the rear) all surround Buu Duc imperial palace to
enhance solemn beauty of this sanctum.
Thieu Tri mausoleum
remains in its beauty of immortality, simplicity. It leans against
Thuan Dao (Thuận Đạo) mountain's foot. In front of the mausoleum is a
vast area with green trees, fresh rice fields spreading from Hương
river to Lim bridge.
Collected (Source Centre of preservation of ancient city -Hue)