Emperor Thieu Tri, his
successor to the throne, continue this task according to his father’s plans. Emperor
Minh Mang's corpse was buried in Buu Thanh on August 20th of 1841. The construction was
fully completed in 1843.
Minh Mang's tomb is a
standard architectural complex consisting of 40 constructions (palaces, temples,
pavilions, etc.) designed on an symmetric axis running from Dai Hong gate to the foot of
La Thanh (Surrounding Wall) behind the Emperor's tomb.
The constructions are distributed into
three main parallel axis of which Than Dao path is the centre.
 Dai Hong Mon: It is the main gate to enter the tomb. The gate
presents three paths with 24 heaving roofs covered with beautiful decorations. The gate
was opened only once to bring the Emperor's coffin to the tomb, and had been tightly
closed since then. Visitors have to use the two side-gates Ta Hong Mon (Left Gate) and Huu
Hong Mon (Right Gate).
Bi Dinh: Behind
Dai Hong Mon (big gate) is the Honour Courtyard with its two rows of mandarins, elephants
and horses’ statues. Bi Dinh (Stele Pavilion) is on Mount Phung Than. Inside is the
stele "Thanh Duc Than Cong", inscribed with the Emperor's biography and merits
written by his son Thieu Tri.
The temple area:
The Salutation Court is divided into four
steps - The Hien Duc Mon (gate) leads to the worship place. In the centre is Sung An
Temple surrounded by Ta, Huu Phoi Dien (Left, Right Temples) in the front and Ta, Huu Tung
Phong (Left, Right Rooms) in the back. The Emperor and Queen Ta Thien Nhan are worshipped
in Sung An Temple. Then, Hoang Trach Mon (gate) leads to the Bright Pavilion (Minh Lau),
built on Tam Tai Mount. It is a square pavilion with two storeys and eight roofs. On both
sides of Minh Lau, two obelisks stand on the hills. In the back of Minh Lau are two flower
gardens designed as the character "Longevity".
The tomb (Buu Thanh):
Tan Nguyet (New Moon) crescent Lake
embraces the circular Buu Thanh (The wall surrounding the grave). There are three bridges
on Tan Nguyet Lake. Visitors have to climb 33 Thanh stone steps to reach the sepulchre of
the Emperor.
Besides nearly 60 word boxes of carved
poems in the Stele Pavilion, Hien Duc gate, Sung An Temple, and Minh Pavilion are also
remarkable and constitute an anthology of chosen poems of Vietnam’s early 19th
century.
Visiting Minh Mang’s tomb, one is
impressed by the majesty and symmetry of the architectural constructions.
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