The Perfume River – Not as Fragrant as One Would Expect

The Tombs of the Emperors was the theme of our morning activity. A boat cruise on the Perfume River is the usual mode of transportation; however, we decided to drive to the tombs and get a head start on the usual crowds that flock to these favorite tourist spots. It was a smart decision!

The royal tombs, scattered on both sides of the Perfume River (south east of the Citadel in Hue) are monuments to nine of the thirteen rulers of the Nguyen Dynasty. Most of them were built during the Emperor’s lifetime. Although the buildings reflect the individuality of the Emperor, the structures themselves share certain design conventions. The design and construction follow strict rules; at times, requiring substantial modifications to the existing landscape to ensure that the sight lines and orientation of the elements follow celestial and supernatural forces. The five requirements are (1) a courtyard with stone effigies of elephants, horses and mandarins; (2) a pavilion containing a massive stele with eulogies to the departed incumbent; (3) a temple containing an altar for worshipping the Emperor’s soul; (4) a pleasure pavilion, and (5) the tomb itself.

We would be joining the masses at the three most popular sites. The most majestic is that of Emperor Minh Mang, the second emperor in the Nguyen Dynasty. He was a staunch follower of Confucianism with many wives, concubines and a small army of children. Planned by the Emperor himself, and built shortly after his death, it is opulent and exotic, and laid out in formal Chinese style.

As we walked from the parking lot to the tomb, the surroundings were beautiful and serene. The reflection in the lake literally stopped me in my tracks.

As expected, there were animal effigies on one side of the courtyard, and the mandarins on the other.

As with many of the pavilions, the stairs are a great backdrop for a Kodak moment. The landscaping between the buildings is particularly well maintained.

Between the pavilion and the temple, Minh Mang’s “monogram” was re-created in the formal garden.

With the possible exception of Khai Dinh’s monument, no other tomb approaches the level of unity of the elements of Minh Mang's tomb. Its layout and symmetry draws the eye naturally towards the main features, and the architectural balance blends the elements into a pleasing whole.

On the return trip, the vendors (in this case many very young children) were there to greet us. “ma-dame-would-you-buy-some-ba-nan-as?” was spoken in the sweetest of voices with a staccato rhythm. Caroline couldn’t resist!

The tomb of Tu Duc, the ‘poet Emperor’, is set in an elegant garden with a magnificent lake and pavilion complex. TuDuc was the fourth Emperor and reigned from 1847-1883. The centerpiece of the tomb is simplicity itself, which is in sharp contrast to the lavish opulence of his reign (it’s really just a monument – he was buried elsewhere to thwart grave robbers).

Despite his cultural pursuits and desire to achieve a humble lifestyle, it was under Tu Duc that the Nguyen court reached its zenith of lavish opulence. Tu Duc withdrew into court life, seemingly indifferent to the people he ruled, and the brutal treatment of the three thousand artisans and workers pressed into service to build his tomb.

The entire compound at Tự Đức's tomb complex was carefully laid out according to Chinese Feng Shui principles, with angles set just right an lots of barriers (or screens) included to block and confuse evil spirits.

In complete contrast to Emperor Tu Duc's stylish creation, the tomb of Emperor Khai Dinh is of great interest as an architectural watershed, the cusp between the influences of a Chinese past and a Western oriented future. The lavish embellishments of fragments of ceramics and glass for decoration inside the tomb come as a shock after the grimy and rather somber façade and courtyard. A golden effigy of the Emperor seated on his throne under a magnificent cement canopy extravagantly decorated with ceramic fragments could be regarded as a masterpiece.

We returned to Hue for a boat ride on the Perfume River. By and large, the river did live up to the romantic analogies that I had read in many of the guidebooks. I know that its name: the Perfume River conjures up olfactory pleasantries; unfortunately, this was not the case.

The boats that were tied up on both sides of the river were reminiscent of the overcrowding on the streets in many large cities. The facilities on the boats were spartan at best; the river itself was an integral part the occupants living quarters. There were sections on the river that reminded me of “public housing” in the states.
Water travel is a significant means of transportation in Hue.

Further down the river, there were houses on the riverbanks. They appeared to be well tended.

On our way back to the hotel, we toured a crafts workshop where the women were embroidering a variety of pictures.

It was an early night for us, as we would be catching an early plan for a flight to Hanoi.
And the adventure continues…