A treasure of Han (Chinese scripts) inscriptions in verses and prose onarchitectural works in the Hue imperial citadel is a unique andinvaluable documentary heritage of Vietnam, said Dr Phan Thanh Hai,Director of the Hue Monuments Conservation Centre.
The inscriptions reflect special historical, cultural and art messagesof a certain period in the country’s history, he said.
Han works in verses and prose, including poems and celebratoryeulogies, were carved on palaces, steles, mausoleums and other monumentsbuilt within 1802-1945 under the Nguyen Dynasty.
The inscriptions are typical for a decoration style combining fine artand poems, which became a rule in the decoration of royal architecturalstructures, said Hai.
Though a number of importantrelics carved with many inscriptions were ruined during wartime, thereremain 2,742 gold-trimmed lacquered poem compartments in the citadel.
One of them carrying a poem considered as adeclaration of independence of the Nguyen Dynasty, the country's lastfeudal regime, is placed in the central of the Thai Hoa Palace.
The poem reads: The country has a civilisation of thousands of years/its territory stretches thousands of miles/ Ever since its establishmentunder the Hong Bang Family/ the country is prosperous and mighty.
Poems chosen for these inscriptions were works composed by Nguyenkings, royal family members and mandarins. They were arranged by topcalligraphers and carved by most talented carpenters in wooden materialsmade of precious kinds of woods such as ironwood, said Hai.
All the inscriptions carved in wooden architecture are the onlyoriginals left in the Hue ancient imperial citadel. They had not yetundergone any changes, restorations or alterations during and after theNguyen Dynasty, Hai said.
During the past decades,although restoration techniques have significantly evolved, all the Hanworks on the architectural system of the Hue imperial citadel remaineduntouched, explained Hai.
Currently, to minimise theexcessive use of the originals, all the irreplaceable treasures havebeen filmed, photographed and digitalised, he said, informing that theHue Monuments Conservation Centre will organise a number of conferencesto introduce the materials to the public and researchers.
He pointed to difficulties in the preservation of the monumentinscriptions, including the conservation of the host architecturalworks, since modern preservation technologies regulating temperature andhumidity are yet suitable.
Hai revealed that theHue Monuments Conservation Centre is working hard to compile a dossieron the inscriptions for submission to the UNESCO to seek its recognitionunder the World Document Heritage criteria.
The effortis expected to bring local preservationists a chance to access suitableconservation technologies, thus protecting the invaluable treasureefficiently.-VNA
The inscriptions reflect special historical, cultural and art messagesof a certain period in the country’s history, he said.
Han works in verses and prose, including poems and celebratoryeulogies, were carved on palaces, steles, mausoleums and other monumentsbuilt within 1802-1945 under the Nguyen Dynasty.
The inscriptions are typical for a decoration style combining fine artand poems, which became a rule in the decoration of royal architecturalstructures, said Hai.
Though a number of importantrelics carved with many inscriptions were ruined during wartime, thereremain 2,742 gold-trimmed lacquered poem compartments in the citadel.
One of them carrying a poem considered as adeclaration of independence of the Nguyen Dynasty, the country's lastfeudal regime, is placed in the central of the Thai Hoa Palace.
The poem reads: The country has a civilisation of thousands of years/its territory stretches thousands of miles/ Ever since its establishmentunder the Hong Bang Family/ the country is prosperous and mighty.
Poems chosen for these inscriptions were works composed by Nguyenkings, royal family members and mandarins. They were arranged by topcalligraphers and carved by most talented carpenters in wooden materialsmade of precious kinds of woods such as ironwood, said Hai.
All the inscriptions carved in wooden architecture are the onlyoriginals left in the Hue ancient imperial citadel. They had not yetundergone any changes, restorations or alterations during and after theNguyen Dynasty, Hai said.
During the past decades,although restoration techniques have significantly evolved, all the Hanworks on the architectural system of the Hue imperial citadel remaineduntouched, explained Hai.
Currently, to minimise theexcessive use of the originals, all the irreplaceable treasures havebeen filmed, photographed and digitalised, he said, informing that theHue Monuments Conservation Centre will organise a number of conferencesto introduce the materials to the public and researchers.
He pointed to difficulties in the preservation of the monumentinscriptions, including the conservation of the host architecturalworks, since modern preservation technologies regulating temperature andhumidity are yet suitable.
Hai revealed that theHue Monuments Conservation Centre is working hard to compile a dossieron the inscriptions for submission to the UNESCO to seek its recognitionunder the World Document Heritage criteria.
The effortis expected to bring local preservationists a chance to access suitableconservation technologies, thus protecting the invaluable treasureefficiently.-VNA
