(VOVworld)- Literature on Hue Royal Architecture is one of two Vietnamese documents that were recognized as world heritages at General Meeting of the Memory of the World Committee for Asia and the Pacific (MOWCAP) on May 19 in Hue city. This special document has beautiful verses which were carved, enameled or applied with different materials on Hue Royal Court architectural pieces.
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| Literature on Hue Royal Architecture is recognized as world heritage |
In 1993, the Hue Citadel Complex was recognized by UNESCO as a world cultural heritage site. 10 years later, Nha Nhac Royal Court music was honoured as an intangible cultural heritage of humanity. This year, Literature on Hue Royal Architecture became the 3rd world heritage of Hue and one of the 6 documentary heritages of Vietnam recognized worldwide.
The verses were selected from collections by kings of the Nguyen dynasty (1802-1945) and carved, enameled or inlaid with mother-of-pearl or with ivory on wooden panels before being attached to royal architectural pieces. The poems meet all of UNESCO’s criteria including authenticity, typicality, uniqueness and national significance. Vu Thi Minh Huong, Vice Chairperson of the Memory of the World Committee for Asia and the Pacific (MOWCAP), said: “The document is unique. Only Vietnam has a system of poems on historical architecture. Vietnam’s neighbours – Japan and South Korea for example – have royal courts like Vietnam, but didn’t have this form of impressive decoration”.
Long An pavilion in the Bao Dinh palace complex, built in 1845 by Thieu Tri, an emperor famous for his poetry talent, preserves a number of documentary heritages, including “Vũ trung sơn thủy” (Country under rainfall) and “Phước viên văn hội dạ mạn ngâm” (Poetry night in Phuoc Vien). These two works written in 100 Chinese characters are considered lively evidence of the Nguyen dynasty’s literary scene.
Thai Hoa Palace, the most magnificent structure in the Hue royal citadel has the largest number of wooden poem boxes painted in red lacquer trimmed with gold. The poems praise the beauty of the country and affirm national sovereignty and independence, and aspiration for peace.
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Poems painted in red lacquer trimmed with gold
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In the buildings of Hue royal citadel, there are a total of 3,000 poem boxes plus 146 poem boxes enameled on bronze and 78 parallel sentences or verses painted on ceramics.
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| Verses are painted on ceramics |
Researchers say the decoration pattern of one poem and one picture in the Hue royal citadel is second to none. Dr. Phan Thanh Hai, Director of the Hue Relics Conservation Centre, said:“In other countries, decorations mainly use parallel sentences and horizontal lacquered boards, which are movable. But in the Hue royal citadel, a large part of the decorations are poems and prose, which seem to appear everywhere. People ask whether the Nguyen dynasty ruled the nation with literature”.
Literature on Hue Royal Architecture remains intact, serving as a rich and unique museum of Vietnamese poems and prose.