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.

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.

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.

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