Of the many sites we visited, the tomb of emperor Minh Mang (translation: “the bright favour of Heaven”) is one of my favorites. The serene countryside setting is incredibly peaceful, though my photos cannot reflect the enormous size and scope of the site. The expansive property is surrounded by a free form lake, and the king’s body is buried thirty meters beyond the entrance, sealed in a tunnel.
I was intrigued by implied meanings behind many design details. For example, in contrast to the the rigid geometry of the Citadel, this lake is a free form design, a symbolic inference for the release and letting go at death. Spending a morning here and starting to get a grasp of the glorious times of the old Vietnam is truly breathtaking.
The king would leave the Citadel to visit this peaceful place in the country, accompanied by his wife and concubines. The photo below shows the king’s truly king size bed, and I guess he needed one. The two monuments behind the bed honor the king and his wife, while the six smaller ones on the side table to the left are a tribute to the king’s favorite concubines.
The platform that looks like a large coffee table is where the king would take naps, and it is set high up to catch a constant breeze. Our guide informed us the emperor would typically have five concubines assist with afternoon naps and characterized the concubines as essentially expensive hookers with specific, individualized duties:
1. To fan the king to keep him cool
2. To massage the king so that he would fall sleep
3. To provide water and nourishment to the king
4. To lay by the king’s side
5. To do whatever????
Gotta love being king!
Best,
Traveling Gary
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