Close-up of 2 Ao Dai of Lady Tu Cung on display in Hue

On May 21, many visitors to the Hue Royal Antiquities Museum expressed surprise and delight when they saw two ao dai of Lady Tu Cung. These are two artifacts that the Hue Monuments Conservation Center has just received from a Vietnamese living abroad.

Cận cảnh 2 chiếc áo dài của bà Từ Cung đang được trưng bày tại Huế- Ảnh 1. — Two shirts are on display at the Hue Royal Antiquities Museum.

The first shirt is made of red silk. The highlight of the shirt is the delicate embroidery.

The second dress is made of brocaded silk. Although the buttons are missing and there are some signs of wear and tear over time, the dress still features typical motifs of Hue royal art such as phoenixes and chrysanthemums.

Cận cảnh 2 chiếc áo dài của bà Từ Cung đang được trưng bày tại Huế- Ảnh 2. — The red ao dai has very delicate embroidered patterns.

Visiting the Hue Royal Antiquities Museum on this occasion, Ms. Nguyen Thi Lan (35 years old, a tourist from Hanoi ) shared her admiration. "I only know about the Empress Dowager Tu Cung through books and movies, but when I saw these two ao dai, I felt like I was touching a part of history. It is extremely necessary that precious artifacts like these are publicly displayed, helping us to visualize more clearly the life and costumes of the ancient royal family, thereby loving and appreciating the cultural and historical values of the nation more," Ms. Lan said.

The person who gave these two ao dai to Hue was Mrs. Cong Ton Nu Kim Chi, a descendant of the Nguyen Dynasty Royal Family, currently living in the US. It is known that Mrs. Chi is the daughter of Mr. Ung Le - the grandson of An Phuoc District King Hong Kien (the 10th prince of King Thieu Tri).

Cận cảnh 2 chiếc áo dài của bà Từ Cung đang được trưng bày tại Huế- Ảnh 3. — Ao dai with typical motifs of Hue royal art

According to Ms. Chi’s records, these two ao dai were previously given by King Bao Dai’s mother to a French woman of Vietnamese origin in the 1960s as a keepsake. This French woman was Ms. Kim Chi’s adopted sister, so these ao dai were later passed down to her and brought to America.

After many years of preservation and conservation, with the desire to return these two precious relics to Hue City, Ms. Kim Chi decided to authorize Mr. Pham Xuan Cuong (a close relative of the Nguyen Dynasty Royal Family, grandson of Mr. Buu Di, currently living in Ho Chi Minh City) to represent her in donating the two shirts to the Hue Monuments Conservation Center for preservation and conservation.

The Director of the Hue Monuments Conservation Center knows that these are relics of special historical and cultural value, associated with Queen Mother Tu Cung - an important historical figure of the Nguyen Dynasty.

After receiving the artifacts, the Hue Royal Antiquities Museum quickly put the two ao dai on display, allowing visitors and history lovers to admire and learn more about royal costumes as well as life in the ancient royal court. At the same time, the Hue Monuments Conservation Center also committed to preserving and conserving the artifacts in accordance with its assigned functions and tasks.

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/can-canh-2-chiec-ao-dai-cua-ba-tu-cung-dang-duoc-trung-bay-tai-hue-185250521115303488.htm