In Hue, an ominously large communist flag waves from an equally large and ominous concrete flag tower. Walking though the city, the 3m by 5m flag is never far from view, but even if it were, yellow starred flags hang from every other shop. They are an ever-present reminder that this is a communist country. Capitalism is taking hold however, and even in the North Americans are warmly welcomed. In the reconstructed imperial city messages of recrimination are non-existent. The wars are remembered, but no fingers are pointed. In 1968, Hue was lost in the throws of war. It was the first city to fall during the Tet Offensive and in America’s effort to recapture it, the city was carpet bombed and the Citadel was leveled.
Healthy relations between the Vietnamese and the American government have since been restored; a fact headed by the people. The focus today is on the fact that the imperial city has been rebuilt. No one dwells on the point that it was once destroyed by the very people who now take guided tours through its reconstruction.
The citadel showcases the "architectural amalgamation" that is Vietnamese design. Chinese walls enclose Japanese gardens and French colonial mansions; the mansions that once housed the emperors of yesteryear. The feudalistic imperial government is gone, but through the communist govt's recent change in policy, the grandeur that once defined it is now being restored and protected.
Outside of Hue the tombs of the diseased emperors are ornate and numerous. We had time to visit a few, but between the mosaic bas relief, the terracotta soldiers, and the elaborately engraved pagodas, we refused to rush through more. Instead we took our time with two so as not to neglect any detail.
Emperor Khai Dinh was not a popular ruler. He ran the empire for only 9 years, and in a testament to his eccentric nature he began building his tomb just days after coming into power. The construction of that tomb, lasted 3 years beyond his death in 1925. The tomb today is far better respected than he ever was. The design of it, or more probably his contracting that design, was arguably his only lasting achievement. He knew how to worship himself though, and it shows in his tomb. Terracotta warriors guard poetic inscriptions of his "brilliance", and 2 flights of stairs above them Khai Dinh's throne sits within the most elaborately decorated building I have ever seen. Khai Dinh's tomb makes William Randolph Hearst seem to have a taste for understated home décor. Gold furniture stretches across engraved marble floors, bas relief walls lead up to hand painted murals that stretch across the ceiling. Every detail was meticulously attended to by Kai Dinh. The same can not be said of his political attentiveness. During his rule the French began taking political control of Vietnam. His tomb marks the beginning of the end of the imperial line.
The second visit of our day was to the tomb of Minh Mang. Lager and more cohesive than that of Kai Dinh, the Minh Mang tomb's architectural layout is less controversial and is founded exclusively in Chinese design. The lack of French influence at this tomb removes the eeriness present at that of Khai Dinh, but while I felt better about the design of this tomb, I physically felt worse while in it. Humidity hit me over the head with a hammer, and so unless you want detail about my afternoon long water break, I don't have much to say. Weak I know but the end of the trip is looming, and with Hanoi, Sappa, and Halong bay still on the list of places to see the north was calling, and drinking water in the shade of Minh Mang's garden seemed to be the best way to answer that call.
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