Returning names to ancient bridges in Hue

The stone stele is one way, the bridge name is another.

Right on the right side of Hue Citadel, Kim Long Street runs along the Huong River through Kim Long Ward leading to Linh Mu Pagoda with a bridge across Ke Van River, originally named Bach Ho Bridge.

Recently, when implementing the Hue Green Urban project with a total investment of more than 1,000 billion VND with many construction items on traffic, urban areas, roads, bridges, parks, urban embellishment, drainage, environment..., Bach Ho bridge was also upgraded and expanded but had a nameplate: Kim Long bridge.

Bach Ho Bridge was renamed Loi Te Bridge under Minh Mang's reign. After being upgraded and expanded, it was renamed Kim Long Bridge.

According to historical documents, the bridge was originally built around the year of Mau Thin 1808, during the reign of King Gia Long, using wood. Initially, this construction was called Bach Ho Bridge. During the reign of King Minh Mang, the bridge was renamed Loi Te Bridge. The book Dai Nam Nhat Thong Chi , Tu Duc edition (Thuan Hoa Publishing House, Hue 1992) also recorded: "Loi Te Bridge was formerly called Bach Ho Bridge, and in the 20th year of Minh Mang, it was renamed to its current name."

Currently, at the foot of the bridge, there is a stone stele "Loi Te bridge" (Loi Te bridge), 98 cm high including the base, still intact. The stele has the inscription "Minh Mang nhi thap nien Ky Hoi ngu nguyet cat nhat tao", meaning: Minh Mang 20th year (Ky Hoi year), good day, May, built.

The stone stele with the name Loi Te Bridge (Bach Ho Bridge) erected under King Minh Mang's reign has been returned to the bridge corridor.

When the Bach Ho bridge expansion project was implemented, the ancient stele was moved. At the time the stele was moved, answering Thanh Nien reporter, Mr. Hoang Viet Trung, Director of Hue Monuments Conservation Center, said that Loi Te bridge was being invested in expanding, the "Loi Te bridge" stele was moved to An Dinh palace and will be re-erected after the bridge is completed.

Now that the bridge is complete, the stone stele bearing the bridge's name has been returned and placed on the road leading to the bridge corridor, but both sides of the bridge are marked with signs saying Kim Long Bridge. The historical name of the bridge has not been returned.

Huyen Hac Bridge turns into Bach Yen

According to researcher Nguyen Xuan Hoa, in the past, the naming of bridges followed the yin-yang principle of Hue citadel feng shui. The bridges were named by combining the five elements (metal, wood, water, fire, earth), five colors (white, blue, black, red, yellow), five directions (west, east, north, south, center) and four symbols (green dragon, white tiger, vermillion bird, black tortoise).

Huyen Hac Bridge located right in front of the main north gate facing north has been renamed Bach Yen Bridge since 1997 until now.

Specifically, the naming of constructions also follows the above principles of divination. Constructions in the southwest often start with the word "white", such as Bach Ho Bridge, Bach Yen Bridge, etc. In the southeast, there is Thanh Long Bridge, Thanh Tuoc Bridge (later renamed Dong Hoi Bridge). Behind the citadel, belonging to the north, the water element corresponds to the color black (black, black tortoise)... Huyen Hac Bridge is located in front of the main north gate (ie the Hau Gate) and Bach Yen Bridge is located in front of the main west gate of the citadel, so they are named as such.

Both bridges span the Citadel system and were built in 1808, located on two different sides of the citadel: one on the north side (at a location of the Dao River) and one on the west side (at a location of the Ke Van River).

However, in 1994, Huyen Hac bridge was rebuilt with reinforced concrete, completed in 1997 and renamed Bach Yen bridge.

According to researcher Phan Thuan An, this is a move of "putting the beard of one father on the chin of the other mother", because the north belongs to the water element, corresponding to the black color (huyền, Huyền Vũ, hence the name Huyen Hạc Bridge), while the white color (bạch, in the name Bach Yến Bridge) belongs to the metal element, in the west. This way of doing things has contributed to distorting history. Therefore, Thua Thien-Hue province and Hue city government should review all bridge and road constructions with incorrect names to restore the correct names to the constructions associated with the history of Hue citadel.

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/tra-lai-ten-cho-nhung-cay-cau-co-xu-hue-185240913234230264.htm