00:18' 06/08/2004 (GMT+7)
[ This palace is not yet open to visitors, and there's a half secret on where exactly it is located, but if you read this article carefully, you can still discover hints on how to get there! Come on! Guess! ]
VietNamNet – Nearly 150km south of Hanoi stands an ancient structure, once the second capital of Vietnam, the Blue Capital. Almost six centuries old, the capital hides great secrets within its blue.
Dragon-shaped veranda of Lam Kinh.
Lam Kinh, which means Blue Capital, was named after the surrounding Lam Son (Blue Mountains). During the 15th century, Lam Son was a base for the insurrection against the Chinese Ming conquerors, led by the national hero Le Loi, who later became the first king of the Le Dynasty.
Lam Kinh lies 50km west of Thanh Hoa City, in Tho Xuan District, Thanh Hoa Province. The former capital borders the Dau Mountains in the north, the Chu River and the Muc Mountains in the south.
Lam Kinh had been mentioned in the ancient historic book Dai Nam Nhat Thong Chi (The History of Great United Vietnam). The Lam Kinh Palace was described in the book as "leant against the Dau Mountain at the back and the Chu River in the front, and it was surrounded by forests, rivers, and mountains. The Palace was divided into three parts which looked like the Cong character (with triangle shape), modeling as temples in that order. This was a beautiful place to build a fortune..."
High mountains and lush forests tower on both sides, creating a panoramic landscape. The capital includes the Royal Temple, built to worship the royal ancestors, and a mausoleum, in which the monarchs of the Le Dynasty once rested in peace.
Construction on Lam Kinh began in 1433, right after the death of King Le Thai To, the first of the Le Dynasty. Building a second capital, with monuments and mausoleums in Lam Son strengthened the loyalty of the people to the King and the reigning family.
Along with mausoleums, the Le Dynasty also built three rostrums in Lam Kinh.
The Wind and Cloud temple was used to pray for favourable weather for the harvests. The second was for Society, where wishes for a wealthy life were made. The third, South Communion, was where Kings made “reports” and expressed their gratitude to the heavens.
Through periods of change, the remaining relics of Lam Kinh include the diversified and varied cultural content that illustrates the history of Vietnam.
Wars and time have destroyed most of the magnificent architectures of Lam Kinh. The only things that can reminds us of a splendid capital in the past are the moss grown terraces and stone pillars, whitened by rain and sun.
After half a millennium, among eight royal mausoleums that were built in Lam Kinh, only three still remain. They are of the first king Le Thai To, the third Le Thanh Tong and the fifth Le Hien Tong of the Le Dynasty.
Relics have revealed that were once large structures with delicate stone sculptures in this area. However, most of the stele-houses of eight mausoleums have been destroyed.
Only the stone turtles that once carried the steles still sit calmly in the ruins of Lam Kinh. Among them is the biggest stele of Vietnam, named Vinh Lang, which was made in 1433 after Le Thai To’s death to commemorate his life.
Today, as in its glorious past, Lam Kinh is a beautiful, quiet place to visit and reflect on life. Many religious and symbolic ceremonies are still held at Lam Kinh each year in Tho Xuan District, a place with much historic significance.
On the eight month of the lunar calendar the festival of Lam Kinh is held to commemorate King Le Thai To’s death. It is characterised by traditional performances of the Central Vietnam, including the colourful light and dragon dances.
In recognition of its historic, cultural, artistic, and architectural value, in 1994 the Government of Vietnam instigated a project to reconstruct and repair Lam Kinh.
The Comprehensive Restoration Project will be implemented in 10 years, from 1994 to 2004. It includes the conservation of mausoleums, Le Loi temple, and the 34-hectare Lam Son forest.
Archaeologists have excavated large areas ň over 3000 square metres, but as yet, no exact description of the locations and names of palaces and temples has been made.
Experts still wonder if Lam Kinh was purely a place of ritual, or a real second centre of the nation for politics, culture and the military.
Story and photo by Minh Nguyen.
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Does somebody also know this Lam Kinh (the Blue Capital of Vietnam) in Thanh Hoá ??? Click here to see some beautiful pictures (when you get there, click on the pictures for enlargement)
http://english.vietnamnet.vn/photogal/2004/08/223907/
