Admire the Nine Urns of Hue Imperial Palace - World Documentary Heritage

VOV.VN - The reliefs cast on nine bronze cauldrons in the Hue Imperial Palace, which have been recognized as Asia- Pacific Documentary Heritage, are the pride of Vietnam in general and Thua Thien Hue province in particular, contributing to enhancing the Hue heritage brand, a destination with eight heritages.

The nine urns are named respectively: Cao Dinh, Nhan Dinh, Chuong Dinh, Anh Dinh, Nghi Dinh, Thuan Dinh, Tuyen Dinh, Du Dinh and Huyen Dinh. The names of the urns are also the temple names of each Nguyen Dynasty king corresponding to the altars in The To Mieu. Cao Dinh is the temple name of King Gia Long, Nhan Dinh is the temple name of King Minh Mang, Chuong Dinh is the temple name of King Thieu Tri, Anh Dinh is the temple name of King Tu Duc, Nghi Dinh is the temple name of King Kien Phuc, Thuan Dinh is the temple name of King Dong Khanh, Tuyen Dinh is the temple name of King Khai Dinh; only Du Dinh and Huyen Dinh have not been honored with this temple name by any king.

The sophisticated bronze casting skills of Vietnamese craftsmen, with 162 carvings of various themes on the Nine Dynastic Urns, and many hidden values behind them, have brought the Nine Dynastic Urns beyond the national level. This is a unique and rare source of information that is of great interest to Vietnamese and foreign researchers because it carries historical, cultural, educational , geographical, feng shui, medical, and calligraphic values. In particular, it highlights the status of women under the feudal regime, of which the image of Vinh Te Canal on Cao Dinh is a clear demonstration.

With typical and unique values in form and information content, especially the values of the cultural and social exchange and contact between Vietnam and countries in the East Asia region, recently on May 8, 2024, at the 10th Session of the UNESCO Memory of the World Committee for the Asia- Pacific Region held in Ulan Bator city (Mongolia), Vietnam's "Reliefs on nine bronze cauldrons in the Hue Imperial Palace" were officially listed in the UNESCO Asia- Pacific Regional Documentary Heritage List.

The reliefs cast on nine bronze cauldrons in the Hue Imperial Palace are currently the only intact positive copies. They are historical "witnesses" to the rise and fall of a dynasty.

The Nine Dynastic Urns - Hue Royal Palace was ordered to be cast by King Minh Mang (King Minh Mang) in 1835 and completed in 1837, placed in front of the yard of The To Mieu from its inception until now. King Minh Mang ordered the casting of the Nine Dynastic Urns to represent the longevity of the dynasty, the wealth and unity of the entire territory of Vietnam.

All nine cauldrons have the same shape: round, narrow neck, flared mouth, two handles on the mouth, three legs below the cauldron. Each cauldron is 2.3-2.5 m high, with separate handles and legs. Each cauldron weighs from 3,200 to over 4,300 kg. On the body of the cauldron are notes in Chinese characters about the year, weight and name of the cauldron, along with embossed images of mountains, rivers, and cultural relics of Dai Nam in the 19th century.

After nearly 200 years, through many devastating wars, the Nine Tripod Cauldrons are still intact as they were at the beginning. These are the original and only copies. Since their formation, the Nine Tripod Cauldrons have never been repaired, not even in a small detail. Therefore, they have unique value and cannot be replaced.

The Nine Tripod Cauldrons are not just simple decorations but are actually our country’s first illustrated and annotated handbook on biodiversity. Of the 162 relief motifs on the bronze cauldrons, 90 are images of flora and fauna typical of Vietnam. These motifs vividly depict flora and fauna, with many places carving in great detail the outstanding characteristics of the species.

The images on the Nine Tripod Cauldrons are both royal and folk, closely associated with the lives of the majority of Vietnamese people. Therefore, viewers can see noble images such as dragons, royal boats, the sun, peacocks, parasol trees... and also ordinary images such as rice plants, betel plants, jackfruit trees, onions, turmeric plants, perilla leaves, chickens...

The Nine Tripod Cauldrons of Hue is a unique work of art, of high cultural and historical value to the Vietnamese people, containing the ideological content of an era, people's thoughts and ideas about the country, the universe and nature.

In 2012, the Nine Tripod Cauldrons were recognized by the State as a National Treasure, and have now been officially honored by UNESCO as a Documentary Heritage of the Asia-Pacific Region Memory of the World Program.

Correspondent Le Huy Hoang Hai/VOV.VN

Source: https://vov.vn/van-hoa/di-san/chiem-nguong-cuu-dinh-hoang-cung-hue-di-san-tu-lieu-the-gioi-post1094047.vov