Being a great poet and composing quite a few renowned but unpopular poems on the wonderful scenic spots of the ancient capital, Hue, in Chinese characters, Thieu Tri king was very interested in literature and set up an unofficial club of poetry. This club included 18 royal relatives and high-ranking mandarins. On one occasion, while His Majesty went for a walk in the Co Ha Royal Gardens, which was designed by the king himself and built under his reign, he composed 14 poems on a stretch to praise its marvelous scenery.
Next, he bade his club members to answer them with their own poems in the same rhyme. They were given paper, ink and pens to fulfill his request on the spot in the garden itself. Both the king and his courtiers were like 18 stars glittering in the sky of the Cu Ha Royal Gardens. Perhaps, Thieu Tri king club of poetry was the premise to enhance the atmosphere of literature and the spirit of poets and poem loving people, which resulted in the foundation of the Mac Van Club of Poetry headed by Lord Tung Thien Vuong and the Huong Binh Club of Poetry by Ung Binh Thuc Da and Thao Am Nguyen Khoa Vy later.
In addition to 14 above-mentioned poems, the king still liberated a great number of poems (8 on the splendid scenery of Thuan An Sea Port, 129 on the stratagem of pacifying Thailand and Champa’s invasions, 12 on the victories over sea pirates, 9 on the King’s teachings, etc…)
Born in 1807 and died in 1847, Thieu Tri King could hardly expect his death at 40, after a seven – year reign. In his dying breath, he had enough time to advise his successor on Thieu Tri Tomb construction.
Monuments in here are in close relation with natural environment. Water of the lakes are conducted by a network of underground tunnels.
As nature loving dis-positing of Thieu Tri king when he was still alive, the tomb harmonizes well with the landscape of which view from the tomb seems almost unobstructed.
Join Hue city tour with us to exploring Thieu Tri tomb and hear tour guide talk about the kings of Nguyen dynasty.