The Tomb of Khai Dinh

Huế, Vietnam –

Stairs. Lots of stairs.

Good thing my knees are holding up.

Compared to the other Imperial tombs that I visited in Hue, this one is very compact, and goes pretty much right up the steep mountainside.

Definitely not handicap-friendly.

Not that any of the Imperial tombs in Hue are handicap-friendly, but this one is the least so.

Well, I guess I might as well start climbing.

I can honestly say, this was the tomb that most surprised me.

Yes, I had read about it in the typical tourist guides, along with the other tombs and historical sights I would visit.

But the descriptions hadn’t really prepared me for this.

They had mostly focused on this being the most French-influenced of the Imperial tombs in terms of style and architecture.

Yes, it was still very Vietnamese in appearance, with the stone Mandarins all standing at attention, and dragons everywhere.

And like all of the Imperial structures I saw, there was a strong Chinese influence as well.

After all, China was their next door neighbor and major trading partner, as well as having been part of China during four separate periods in the region’s history.

Of course, those periods were hundreds of years ago, the last one ending in 1427.

But still, the Chinese influence was very noticeable.

But the French influence was relatively new, their domination having started mid-19th century and lasting less than 100 years.

But Khai Dinh was installed on the throne by the French, and acted mostly as their puppet.

So it goes to reason that his tomb would most reflect that influence.

But that was still not what surprised me.

It was the lack of water or open land within the tomb grounds.

Yes, there were trees and other plants in very large pots all throughout the grounds, on every level.

But those were all in pots and containers.

And yes, there were lots of trees and open land just outside the tomb grounds, all very visible from within.

But there were none within.

It was all brick, concrete, stone, and ceramic tile.

The other tombs I visited, all had open green space within the grounds.

They also had large ponds (or small lakes, depending on how you want to look at it).

At least most of them did.

But not Khai Dinh.

There may be one other Imperial tomb in Hue that doesn’t have the water element.

I think that may have been part of the French influence.

This was more of a monument to Khai Dinh as Emperor.

The others, while monuments to the various rulers, were also spaces for meditation and contemplation.

For the spirit of the dead rulers, if not the visitors to the tombs.

Then there was the Palace, at the top of all the stairs.

Inside, there was a stature of Khai Dinh sitting on his throne.

It looked like it was on top of a sarcophagus.

But the rooms looked like they were decorated like something you might find in Paris, only with an oriental twist.

It was this blend of Vietnamese and French interior decorating.

The walls were covered with colorful tile mosaics that were designed to look like wallpaper.

There was a large mantle, also covered in ceramic tiles, with the Emperor’s picture sitting on top. It looked like a fireplace from Versailles.

Only without the actual fireplace.

Then, outside the palace, the sides of the grounds were lined with a stone fence, topped with a fleur-de-lis pattern.

It’s as if he were trying to emphasize the French colonial aspect of his rule.

After all, it was the French that chose to put him on the throne.

And his reputation was that of a French puppet, decreeing whatever they wanted.

I guess it’s only fitting that he brings out that aspect of his life in the design of his tomb.

And I can see why Ho Chi Min wanted the tombs in Hue preserved.

As a reminder of the Imperial and colonial yoke that they had cast off through years of war and rebellion.

Still, it was an impressive place.

I was struck by the use of dark green, polished Jade for the eyes of the stairway dragons on the third level.

Of course, they could have been ceramic covers for the eyes, like on the dragons on the columns throughout the grounds.

And jade may have originally been on the eyes of all the stairway dragons, on all levels, but have since come off those of the lower level.

Still, this was a detail I had not seen at any of the other tombs that I visited.

A small, but significant detail, showing a level of extravagance that must have cost a pretty penny.

Then again, if you’re the Emperor, cost is not a factor.

For more photos of Khai Dinh’s Tomb, click here.