Table Of Contents
Introduction
Thieu Tri Tomb, also known as Xuong Lang, is the imperial mausoleum of the third emperor in Nguyen’s Dynasty. With its poetic surroundings, unique structures, and intricate patterns, the tomb of King Thieu Tri has become a special part of the Hue royal tombs complex.
Located on a peaceful hill, Thieu Tri Tomb has stood still with time and turned into a construction imbued with cultural and historical values. Therefore, its merit was recognized by UNESCO in 1993 as a world heritage site.
The atmosphere of ancient space and tranquil nature has fascinated many travelers. So, some might wonder what is so special about it. Now let’s look around this historical site with Vietnam Vacation Travel.
Tomb Of King Thieu Tri Travel Guide
Thieu Tri Tomb Location
Address: Cu Chanh Village, Thuy Bang Commune, Huong Thuy Town, Thua Thien Hue Province
Thieu Tri Tomb has been peacefully nestled under the vast forests of Thuan Dao Mountain, 8 kilometers away from Hue Imperial Citadel. Thanks to its location, it enjoys the views of expansive gardens and paddy fields around it.
Refer to the Thieu Tri Tomb map below:
How To Visit Thieu Tri Tomb?
Only 8 kilometers away from Hue city center, Thieu Tri Tomb is not so difficult to access. Hence, visitors have a wide range of transfer options, from scooters or motorcycles to taxis or private car rentals.
For visitors riding by themselves, we recommend the route from Dien Bien Phu Street to Nam Giao Esplanade. Then, you turn right on Le Ngo Cat Street, where you see Minh Mang Street. Turn onto that street and go ahead for 3 kilometers. And you see Thieu Tri Tomb.
If you find the route too tiring, you can choose our private cars and tours provided by Vietnam Vacation Travel. By booking with an experienced local agency like us, you don’t need to worry about how to visit. We will take care of your trip.
Contact us via email at phamvanhoa28@gmail.com or WhatsApp at +84349825119 for more information. Or you can fill out our customized tour form so that we can arrange a trip for you. Also, you might want to consider some recommendations below:
- Hue Royal Tombs Tour – 65 USD/ person
- Hue Buddhist Tour – Hue Pagoda Tour – 50 USD/ person
- Hue City Tour By Private Car With 5 Sightseeing Places – 45 USD/ sedan car.
Thieu Tri Tomb Entrance Fee
- For adults: 50,000 VND
- For children: free of charge
You can buy tickets to Thieu Tri Tomb directly at the ticket counter. Otherwise, you can have local travel agencies get them for you. If you haven’t been to many places in Hue, you can buy a ticket combo to other Hue monuments. It is more convenient and economical.
Also, you can refer to the Hue Entrance Fee to make a better choice for your trip.
Thieu Tri Tomb Opening Hours
The tomb of King Thieu Tri is open from 07:00 to 17:30 every day. It welcomes visitors even on holidays, such as the Vietnamese Tet Holiday.
Best Time To Visit
Visitors have to be outdoors most of the time when visiting Thieu Tri Mausoleum Hue, so good weather is always preferred. Thus, we recommend going from January to March when it’s cool and pleasant. It’s quite hot from April to August, but at least you have sunny days and no rain.
Thieu Tri Tomb History
Thieu Tri Emperor, whose birth name is Nguyen Phuc Mien Tong, is the first son of the Minh Mang Emperor. He succeeded to the throne at the age of 34 and passed away 7 years later at the age of 41.
Before his death, the emperor didn’t care as much about the death plans as others. As he didn’t want his people to spend too much effort building his tomb, he delayed the construction until he died in November 1847.
Thieu Tri’s son, Tu Duc Emperor, started immediate tomb construction for his father in February 1848. Only a few months later, the catacomb and main parts of Thieu Tri Tomb, or Xuong Lang, were complete. Tu Duc Emperor examined the construction by himself for the last time on June 14, 1948, before entombing his father 10 days later.
After that, other parts were successively built. Eventually, in November 1848, a stela of 2500 words written by the Tu Duc Emperor to praise his father was established, marking the end of the Xuong Lang construction. It becomes a Hue royal tomb with the fastest construction in history, within only a year.
Thieu Tri Tomb Architecture
The structure of Thieu Tri Tomb Hue is a selective combination of two predecessors – Gia Long and Minh Mang. It doesn’t take everything from them but inherits and promotes good features.
It’s a harmonious combination and new additions that make the imperial tomb of Emperor Thieu Tri so prominent among other Hue tombs. A French researcher appreciated it as “the most unique achievement of Vietnamese art in the 19th century.”
Similarly, the tomb of King Thieu Tri has two main parts: the burial area on the right and the worship area on the left. A more detailed look at these parts will clarify the similar and new features blended into this construction.
Burial Area
Xuong Lang (Thieu Tri Tomb) is the same as Thien Tho Lang (Gia Long Tomb) because it takes the surrounding mountains as La Thanh. Also, its burial and worship area separates to the left and right, like Thien Tho Lang.
On the other hand, Xuong Lang is similar to Hieu Lang (Minh Mang Tomb) in catacomb construction and in the round Buu Thanh with a semicircular lake of Ngung Thuy. Thereby, the mixture creates a very distinctive structure for Thieu Tri Tomb.
When visiting the burial area, visitors have a chance to stand amid a great vantage point of nature. The lakes of Nhuan Trach, Dien, and Ngung Thuy connect with one another, flowing around the tomb like a “water fence”.
Bai Dinh Yard
Behind Nhuan Trach Lake appears a copper gate with intricate dragon patterns leading to the large Bai Dinh Yard. It places two rows of stone statues of majestic Mandarins, horses, and elephants, representing the carving art of Hue in the early 19th century.
Bi Dinh And Duc Hinh Pavilion
Over the yard are Bi Dinh and Duc Hinh (Minh Duc) Pavilion. Bi Dinh is the stela of 2500 words written by Tu Duc Emperor to appreciate the merits of the Thieu Tri Emperor. Duc Hinh, or Minh Duc Pavilion, is set on a low hill shaped like a tortoiseshell.
The designers of Thieu Tri Tomb took some features from Minh Mang Tomb and adjusted them to the surroundings. Therefore, the Bi Dinh and Duc Hinh Pavilion of Thieu Tri Tomb have many similar features to the Bi Dinh and Minh Lau Pavilion in Minh Mang Tomb.
Unfortunately, Bi Dinh wasn’t intact anymore. And there are only the ground and some stairs left in Duc Hinh Pavilion nowadays.
Buu Thanh
When standing at Duc Hinh Pavilion and zooming out on the final part of Thieu Tri’s burial area, you will see a stunning view. Ngung Thuy Lake circles right in front of Buu Thanh, where the Emperor rests in peace.
You can see three bridges over Ngung Thuy Lake, leading to Buu Thanh. Dong Hoa Bridge is on the right, Chanh Trung is in the middle, and Tay Dinh is on the left. And you can pass by Hien Quang Pavilion on the right.
Worship Area
The worship area in Thieu Tri Tomb is 100 meters away from the burial area.
To reach the main shrine, you cross over Dien Lake to a marble gate. It is decorated with lotus, gourd, and other nature patterns with painted enamel. Among vibrant patterns, there is a frieze carved with 4 words meaning “bright merits shine far away”. It aims to commemorate the great merits of Thieu Tri Emperor.
After going up the stairs behind the marble gate, you will pass by Hong Trach Gate, which is similar to Hien Duc Gate in Minh Mang Tomb. It is a sizable gate made of wood and bricks. It leads you to Bieu Duc Shrine, the worship area of Thieu Tri Emperor and Tu Du Empress.
Bieu Duc Shrine is right in the center of the worship area. It has the structure of double roofs and duplex houses. Its roofs are made with glazed tiles and decorated with dragon or gourd patterns.
The shrine is furnished with traditional royal artifacts, such as paintings or poems with literary and educational values. In the heart space of Bieu Duc Shrine, place the altars of the emperor and his empress.
Other side constructions gather around the main shrine, embellishing its elegance. Moreover, surrounding nature, such as Bau Ho Great Rock or old pine trees, stands tall around the tomb as epic guardians.
Special Features Of Thieu Tri Tomb
Unique Feng-Shui Location
The imperial tomb of King Thieu Tri is the only one facing the West-North direction, which is rarely used in Nguyen imperial monuments. However, its position has good Feng-Shui thanks to the surrounding mountains and lakes.
Vong Canh Hill and Ngoc Tran Mountain create a harmonious location. Cham Mountain and Bau Hon Cave contribute to the natural diversity of the tomb. Huong River in the front plays the role of a “Minh Duong” element in Feng Shui (a bright place for an emperor to solve his business).
Peacefully nestled amid mountains and rivers, the tomb of Thieu Tri King has survived time, protecting a brilliant king in his eternal sleep.
Special La Thanh – Natural Surroundings
Similar to Gia Long Tomb, they didn’t build a La Thanh Wall around the tomb of King Thieu Tri. Instead, it uses its natural surroundings as La Thanh. While Gia Long Tomb has a La Thanh of mountains, Thieu Tri Tomb has hills, vast fields, and big gardens.
It’s the natural La Thanh that gives Thieu Tri Tomb Hue tranquility and peace. There is nothing too glamorous or complicated, but a simple and lush landscape. It somewhat reflects the spirit of Thieu Tri Emperor, a ruler with a sincere heart for his people.
Royal Family Tombs Around
Besides the peaceful nature, Thieu Tri Emperor is surrounded by his family. Around Thieu Tri Tomb Hue, there is a royal tomb system of his mother, wives, children, and other royal members.
His mother’s tomb, or Hieu Dong Tomb, is in front of his. On the left is Xuong Tho Lang, the tomb of Tu Du Empress, his wife. And there is a burial area for princes and princesses, who are Thieu Tri’s children.
As a deep-rooted belief, Vietnamese will have a happy life when they can gather with their family, even after death. So as a Vietnamese, Thieu Tri Emperor has been having a nice sleep around his family in Xuong Lang.
Notices For Visitors
Thieu Tri Tomb is a sacred and solemn place, so you need to pay some attention to its common regulations during your visit.
- Dress politely and avoid revealing clothes.
- Do not talk too loudly or make too much noise.
- Show respect to the monument by not touching exhibits, statues, or sculptures.
- Follow the warning signs placed inside the tomb. For example, do not take photos.
- Avoid harmful actions such as littering or drawing on exhibits.
Conclusion
The tomb of King Thieu Tri has unique designs and great historical significance. With only 10 months of construction, it is such an amazing achievement. It will treat every visitor to wonderful surroundings and stunning architecture.
Vietnam Vacation Travel hopes this article gives you useful information for your trip to Hue. Thanks for reading!