The Forbidden Purple City of Vietnam
The Forbidden Purple City is more than a tourist attraction; it is a striking contrast between grandeur and war, opulence and ruin. Most stunning, though, is the incredible beauty that has survived and which buries itself in the mind of travelers and residents alike. The citadel within a citadel within a citadel now allows you to walk where only royalty were meant to tread and witness a city trying to reclaim itself from the jungle.
The Forbidden City and its guards lie in Hue, former capital of Vietnam. Built for the Nguyen dynasty, the entire compound is surrounded by a 10km moat and 10 gates. The first citadel measured 10km x 10km and it was peopled by non-royals. This surrounded another citadel measuring 2km x 2km, where important ceremonies were performed. Finally, at the center, surrounded by another set of walls and moat, was the Purple Forbidden City. Besides the royal family, the only ones allowed in this inner sanctum were eunuchs who attended to the family and the emperor's concubines.
Built in the early 19th Century, the palace and grounds were informed by geomancers, or feng shui experts for optimal energy flow. The structures were also meant to resemble the Forbidden City of Beijing. Throughout the 19th and midway through the 20th Century, the Forbidden City grew to include hundreds of rooms and scores of pavilions, and while intended as a smaller scale replica of its Beijing counterpart, it was, nonetheless, imposing and vast.
What termites and typhoons weakened, war destroyed. The Forbidden City was bombed and nearly decimated. Only a few buildings remained after the war with the United States. Today, the earth has healed from the bomb scares and nature has taken over. Much of the once-formidable City is covered in rice fields.
Even though the imperial city was badly damaged, it is still very possible to see Vietnam's take on Chinese architecture, and the remaining buildings retain their sense of dignity. Today, a handful of the structures have been restored, and efforts continue to bring the city back to its former glory. The sense of bringing the city back to life is pervasive and impressive.
Vietnam is full of treasures, and the imperial city is chief among them. It is well worth a visit, the ruins and rebirth of the Purple Forbidden City offer a striking, haunting, and ultimately hopeful portrait of Vietnamese culture, life, and history.
The Forbidden City and its guards lie in Hue, former capital of Vietnam. Built for the Nguyen dynasty, the entire compound is surrounded by a 10km moat and 10 gates. The first citadel measured 10km x 10km and it was peopled by non-royals. This surrounded another citadel measuring 2km x 2km, where important ceremonies were performed. Finally, at the center, surrounded by another set of walls and moat, was the Purple Forbidden City. Besides the royal family, the only ones allowed in this inner sanctum were eunuchs who attended to the family and the emperor's concubines.
Built in the early 19th Century, the palace and grounds were informed by geomancers, or feng shui experts for optimal energy flow. The structures were also meant to resemble the Forbidden City of Beijing. Throughout the 19th and midway through the 20th Century, the Forbidden City grew to include hundreds of rooms and scores of pavilions, and while intended as a smaller scale replica of its Beijing counterpart, it was, nonetheless, imposing and vast.
What termites and typhoons weakened, war destroyed. The Forbidden City was bombed and nearly decimated. Only a few buildings remained after the war with the United States. Today, the earth has healed from the bomb scares and nature has taken over. Much of the once-formidable City is covered in rice fields.Even though the imperial city was badly damaged, it is still very possible to see Vietnam's take on Chinese architecture, and the remaining buildings retain their sense of dignity. Today, a handful of the structures have been restored, and efforts continue to bring the city back to its former glory. The sense of bringing the city back to life is pervasive and impressive.
Vietnam is full of treasures, and the imperial city is chief among them. It is well worth a visit, the ruins and rebirth of the Purple Forbidden City offer a striking, haunting, and ultimately hopeful portrait of Vietnamese culture, life, and history.
Enid Glasgow is a travel writer who recently visited Vietnam.
Article Source: Enid_Glasgow
Images: Vietnam Travel Notes @ Flickr
0 comments:
Post a Comment