A close-up view of the tomb of King Le Tuc Tong

The Complete Annals of Dai Viet record that King Le Tuc Tong was a king who devoted himself to learning, was close to virtuous people, and enjoyed doing good deeds, worthy of being a skilled king who maintained a peaceful dynasty, but unfortunately died young.

The tomb of King Le Tuc Tong is located in Doi 1 village (Kien Tho commune, Ngoc Lac district, Thanh Hoa province). The tomb is part of the Lam Kinh National Special Monument (Tho Xuan district, Thanh Hoa province) – the burial place of six kings (including King Le Tuc Tong) and two empress dowagers of the early Le Dynasty.

The tomb of King Le Tuc Tong (photo taken on the afternoon of May 7, 2025)

PHOTO: MINH HAI

The tomb of King Le Tuc Tong is located on a hilltop, about 500 meters from the nearest residential area; and about 3 kilometers from the center of the Lam Kinh National Special Historical Site.

PHOTO: MINH HAI

There were no guard houses or guards stationed around the tomb.

PHOTO: MINH HAI

On the evening of May 3rd, officials from the Thanh Hoa Center for Historical Research and Cultural Heritage Preservation discovered signs that the tomb of King Le Tuc Tong had been vandalized, with unknown individuals searching for artifacts and relics.

PHOTO: MINH

King Lê Túc Tông, whose given name was Thuần, was the third son of King Lê Hiến Tông. In March 1499, Lê Túc Tông was appointed crown prince, ascended the throne on June 12, 1504, and passed away on December 8 of the same year. The Đại Việt sử ký toàn thư (Complete Chronicle of Đại Việt) records that King Lê Túc Tông was a king devoted to learning, close to virtuous people, and joyful in doing good deeds, worthy of being considered a skilled ruler who maintained a peaceful and prosperous dynasty.

PHOTO: MINH HAI

Surrounding the king's tomb are two rows of statues of attendants.

PHOTO: MINH HAI

After his death, King Lê Túc Tông's remains were brought back to Lam Kinh and buried at Kính Lăng, located in Kiên Thọ commune (Ngọc Lặc district, Thanh Hóa province).

PHOTO: MINH HAI

The Kính Lăng stele (of King Lê Túc Tông), located about 50 meters from the king's tomb, was recognized as a National Treasure in 2020. The stele's inscription reads: "The king (Lê Túc Tông) was intelligent by nature, filial and compassionate towards all living beings, and treated officials with proper conduct, composure, and integrity. Therefore, all officials respected him, and everything went well. His reign was effective, he upheld the established order, connected with the sages of the past, laid the foundation for future generations, and served as a cornerstone for countless generations to come. However, his lifespan was not long, causing great sorrow to both heaven and earth and all living beings."

PHOTO: MINH HAI

The tomb complex of King Le Tuc Tong

PHOTO: MINH HAI

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/can-canh-lang-mo-vua-le-tuc-tong-185250507155024013.htm