Tu Duc Tomb was built in a historical context which was extremely difficult for both the country and King Tu Duc himself.
On reviewing the difficult context of Viet Nam at that time, the large-scale and costly architecture of the Royal tombs, and the words used in names such as Khiem Cung (Modest Palace) and Khiem Lang (Modest Tomb), one can recognize the King's immanent contradictions that are hardly justifiable.
Tu Duc tomb, with some 50 constructions surrounded by a 1,500 m long wall, was built during 1864-1867.
Emperor Tu Duc was expert at philosophy, Oriental history and particularly literature (he left 4,000 verses and 600 proses) yet failed to successfully rule the country. He was crowned King in the historical period of Vietnam facing the Western developing capitalism.
Having no son to succeed aggravated the situation and made him world-weary. To seclude himself, he ordered the construction of his tomb as a fairyland with poetical features, making it a lifetime recreation ground and a world for his eternal life after death.
Born in 1829, Tu Duc had reigned for over 35 years since 1848, longest among rulers of the Nguyen Dynasty. After the completion of the construction of the Tomb, the King lived for 16 years longer. He died in 1883 when he was 55 years old.
When the Court's geomancers had chosen a good site for the construction in Dong Xuan Thuong Village, the King approved the design for the Tomb in October 1864. A good date for the construction had to be selected carefully, and the construction was started in December that year.
With several palaces and specific manmade landscape, the with poetry and freedom. Perfect harmony is obtained of monuments and nature or nature improved on landscape gardening, a Vietnamese form of art. And, if un-symmetry is also a specific beauty of art, then Tu Duc tomb enjoys it.
It was estimated that the construction of the Tomb would be completed in six years and involve the participation of 3,000 soldiers and building workers, who would take turns taking their leave every three months. However, mandarin Nguyen Van Chat from the Ministry of Public Works asked for the King's permission to reduce the construction period to only three years.
The Court assigned him and mandarin Le Van Xa from the Ministry of Military Affairs to supervise the construction. The soldiers and building workers were not allowed to take leave. Furthermore, they were forced to work to the maximum of their strength in the minimum working conditions. Consequently, they all followed Doan Trung appeal for an uprising.
Origin name of Tu Duc tomb is Van Nien Co (Thousand Year Palace) – after even Doan Trung, the king sees his mistakes and change Van Nien Co to Khiem Cung Cung (Modest Palace). Khiêm or Khiem in Vietnamese mean modest, unpretentious.
The architecture of Tu Duc tomb reflects the poet-Emperor’s romantic nature, evokes pleasant surprise, creates much literary and art inspiration, makes strong impression on sightseers and arouses in them deep sympathy.
The surrounding wall encloses an area of 12 hectares and within it, nearly 59 architectural structures of different sizes are arranged in groups on complicated terrain which varies as much as 10 meters in height. However, the structures are linked together by winding paths tiled with Bat Trang bricks and a system of steps paved with stone. The architects under King Tu Duc reign took advantage of the natural source of water from a small stream and reshaped the terrain to create the poetic Luu Khiem Lake and Tinh Khiem Isle. Pavilions are built around the lake and the isle and reflect in the clean and clear water.
Every summer, the surface of the lake looks like a piece of brocade, beautified with white and red lotuses in full bloom.
After going through Khiem Cung Gate, a two-level, triple portal gate built on a rise, one finds oneself in an area of palaces, including scores of buildings of different sizes and dependent structures which were the places where the King and royal maids stayed when they visited the Tomb. Among them, Minh Khiem Hall, which is now considered the oldest theatre in Viet Nam, is almost intact and has high value in the arts of architecture and decoration.
Hoa Khiem Temple, which is dedicated to the King and Queen, still houses many royal utensils and contemporary works of fine arts.