Vietnam recognizes 4 royal antiques as national treasures

Hue City, the former feudal capital of Vietnam in central Thua Thien-Hue Province, has four more royal antiques recognized as national treasures under a prime ministerial decision, the Hue Museum of Royal Antiquities reported this week.

The four antiquities are among the 33 artifacts recognized as national treasures in Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh’s recent decision, the museum said on Friday.

The newly recognized treasures include the Ngo Mon bell, a stone relief under the reign of King Minh Mang, King Duy Tan’s throne, and a dragon statue under the reign of King Thieu Tri.

The Ngo Mon bell dates to 1822 under the reign of King Minh Mang, the second emperor of the Nguyen dynasty that lasted from 1802 to 1945.   

The bronze-cast artifact is on display on Lau Ngu Phung (Pavilion of Five Phoenixes) at Ngo Mon (Meridian Gate) in the Hue Imperial City.

This is the unique original bell that was used to be placed in the southern gate, the largest of the four main gates of the Hue Imperial City.

The bell was used for administrative ceremonies and was considered a symbol of the feudal dynasty.

The stone relief, created in 1829 under the reign of King Minh Mang, is now on display at the museum’s Long An Palace.

This is the only marble artifact that retains the mark of King Minh Mang through his two poems engraved on the relief.

The throne of King Duy Tan, created in the early 20th century, is being preserved also at Long An Palace.

King Duy Tan ascended the throne in 1907 as the 11th king of the Nguyen Dynasty when he was only seven years old. 

To suit the emperor’s stature then, the court specially made a small-sized throne for use in the king’s coronation ceremony.

The dragon statue under the reign of King Thieu Tri was created in 1842 and is on display at Thai Hoa Palace under the Hue Imperial City.

The statue can be considered one of the pinnacles of bronze casting art during the Nguyen Dynasty.

It simulated the shape of an ‘imperial golden seal’ through the image of a coiled dragon.

This dragon statue was originally placed in front of the porch of Can Thanh Palace, the king’s daily living and working space in the Hue Imperial City.

By Vinh Tho & Nhat Linh – Tuoi Tre News – January 4, 2025