However, according to Associate Professor Dr. Bui Minh Tri, former Director of the Institute of Imperial City Research (now the Institute of Archaeology, Vietnam Academy of Social Sciences ), and Head of the Project "Research, revision, evaluation of value and creation of scientific dossier for the Thang Long Imperial Citadel Relic Site," deciphering these "historical fragments" to fully recreate the architectural form and court life is a major challenge.
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Thang Long Imperial Citadel - a World Cultural Heritage site in Hanoi, recognized by UNESCO in 2010. |
Professor Nguyen Van Kim, Vice Chairman of the National Council for Cultural Heritage, stated that over the past 15 years (2011-2025), the large-scale archaeological excavations spanning more than a decade at the Thang Long Imperial Citadel, particularly at 18 Hoang Dieu (2002-2004) and the area beneath the National Assembly building (2008), covering a total area of nearly 32,000 m², have unveiled mysteries and provided new and accurate insights into the thousand-year-old Thang Long capital. He also affirmed that this is an unprecedented scientific achievement in the history of Vietnamese archaeology.
Living evidence of historical overlapping: Continuously for 1,300 years.
The site's greatest scientific value lies in the discovery of architectural ruins from various periods, superimposed consecutively over approximately 1,300 years, from the 7th to the 18th centuries. This is rare physical evidence demonstrating the continuity and succession of the Thang Long capital along a single central axis.
According to Associate Professor, Dr. Tong Trung Tin, President of the Vietnam Archaeological Association, for the first time, Vietnamese archaeology has discovered traces of Dai La architecture, with 18 architectural foundations, 7 wells, and 15 drainage channels, including a floor plan in the shape of the letter "đinh". This proves that the central location of Thang Long citadel during the Ly Dynasty was built on the old foundation of Dai La citadel, as mentioned in the Edict on Relocating the Capital in 1010 (7th to 9th centuries).
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Artifacts unearthed from the archaeological pit provide evidence of the unprecedented scientific value of the Imperial Citadel. |
The discovery of 13 architectural foundation remains, including a rectangular floor plan with a unique arrangement of diagonally positioned corner columns – seemingly the only known instance in the history of traditional Vietnamese architecture – confirms that this was indeed the "Kinh Phu," the second largest center of the Dinh-Early Le dynasties after Hoa Lu (10th century).
During the Ly Dynasty (11th-13th centuries), the most extensive, complete, and intact relics were revealed (53 traces of palace foundations, 7 wall foundations, 6 wells, and 13 water conduits).
Awakening the architectural "soul" of the Forbidden City.
“The most important achievement of the research is the successful deciphering of the architectural form of the palace – the ‘soul’ of Thang Long Imperial City. This was a difficult task because wooden architecture has been lost, and there is no direct basis for comparison,” said Associate Professor, Dr. Bui Minh Tri.
Based on research, excavation, and gradual decoding, scientists have reconstructed and established a comprehensive architectural floor plan of the Ly Dynasty palace (including 53 foundation traces) and conducted in-depth research on roof tiles and wooden components. One of the important discoveries is the bracket system, an extremely complex technique for supporting and decorating the roof. The bracket system serves both the function of bearing loads and extending the veranda, while also raising the height of the house frame, demonstrating the masterful construction skills of our ancestors.
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The 3D model of Thang Long Imperial City is attracting the attention of scientists. |
Based on scientific knowledge of bracket systems and archaeological sources, architectural models, and historical documents, the architectural form of the Ly Dynasty palace was successfully reconstructed using 3D technology (presented and displayed in the basement of the National Assembly building in 2014). This was the first time in over a thousand years that the magnificent and splendid image of the Ly Dynasty palace had been recreated, proving that the Thang Long Imperial Palace was in no way inferior to famous palaces in Asia. This complex comprises 64 structures (38 palaces/corridors, 26 hexagonal structures) that were meticulously planned.
In addition, scientists have completed a very elaborate 3D reconstruction program of the Kính Thiên Palace (2022-2023) - the most important main palace in the Forbidden City. The palace is enormous in scale (9 bays, approximately 1,188 m²), with 60 wooden columns of the Trùng Diêm type, a bracketed roof structure, and a distinctive yellow glazed dragon tile roof. The unique difference of the dragon tiles compared to contemporary East Asian architecture highlights the creativity of Vietnamese architecture.
Unraveling the intricacies of royal court life through artifacts.
"The research on organizing and classifying artifacts has yielded groundbreaking scientific discoveries, deepening our understanding of the life, economy, and culture of the Imperial Palace," affirmed Associate Professor, Dr. Tong Trung Tin.
According to Associate Professor and Doctor Tong Trung Tin, the discovery of authentic Ly Dynasty porcelain, with its excellent quality comparable to Song Dynasty Chinese porcelain, is extremely important. This provides compelling evidence of the history of Vietnamese porcelain invention dating back to the Ly Dynasty, dispelling doubts about the origin of porcelain. Thang Long imperial porcelain boasts perfect quality, even surpassing in creativity (multicolored painted ceramics with gold overlay) compared to Ming Dynasty porcelain (China). In particular, the translucent white porcelain decorated with five-clawed dragons and the character "Quan" is a unique product of Thang Long ceramics.
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Original ceramic artifacts unearthed at Thang Long Imperial Citadel are on display for visitors. |
Research on pottery bearing Chinese characters has identified items from important palaces: "Truong Lac Palace" (of Empress Dowager Nguyen Thi Hang, wife of King Le Thanh Tong) and "Thua Hoa" (palace of Empress Dowager Ngo Thi Ngoc Dao, mother of King Le Thanh Tong). These characters were marked before firing (Truong Lac kiln), confirming that these were private possessions, commissioned by the palace.
Studies of foreign porcelain collections (West Asia, China, Japan, Korea) have clarified their role and function in the Thang Long Imperial Palace. In particular, the diverse Chinese porcelain from the Song Dynasty, originating from 12 large kiln areas in 7 provinces (Ho Dien, Long Tuyen, Dieu Chau, etc.), demonstrates the extensive cultural and economic exchange between the capital city of Thang Long throughout history.
Shedding light on life in the capital city of Thang Long.
After 15 years of dedicated research, scientists have begun to decipher the secrets of Thang Long Imperial City, shedding light on royal court life through Thang Long's imperial artifacts and its role in international trade. These achievements not only deepen the site's outstanding global value but also bring the heritage closer to the public through superior exhibition methods in museum design, evoking pride in the talent and creative intellect of our ancestors.
Archaeological artifacts are on display in the basement of the National Assembly building, a project undertaken by the Institute for Imperial City Studies. |
The exhibition area in the basement of the National Assembly building utilizes modern mapping, media, hologram, lighting, and sound technologies; the image of a flying dragon from the Ly Dynasty is recreated in 3D technology in the space connecting the two basement levels, creating a profound symbol of the Flying Dragon Capital. Recreating the glorious history of the magnificent Thang Long, it is considered "an excellent and effective museum," ranking among the top in Asia and the world, becoming a model for modern archaeological museums in Vietnam.
Source: https://www.qdnd.vn/van-hoa/doi-song/giai-ma-bi-an-ngan-nam-gia-tri-khoa-hoc-vo-tien-khoang-hau-cua-di-san-the-gioi-hoang-thanh-thang-long-1011016
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