If you’re keeping up with the posts then you know we previously visited the burial city of Minh Mang. I would have liked to put more than just Minh Mang in that post. But there is just too much information that needs to be shared. The rest of the posts on Huể are sure to be just as packed. Filled with more great stories, historical information and anecdotes. I hope everyone enjoys the maps in the previous posts. The maps give a lot of context to the information, and I will definitely use them more in the future. So let us continue now, further into the amazing history of the Ancient Lords and modern Emperors of Vietnam.
The Bamboo Dragon – Emperor Khải Định
Europe comes to Indochina
We pulled out of Minh Mang’s burial city and headed just a few miles down river to the Burial site of Khải Định. Khải Định has the unfortunate distinction of being the last man to die as emperor. The years following Minh’s reign were fraught with strife and hardships. French colonial powers were continuing to grow in the region. The pressures of the technologically advanced western nations were more than the feudal Empire could overcome.
France Takes Position
As I touched on in the last post Minh Mang’s grandson, Emperor Tự Đức, was faced with a major problem. Several rebellions had broken out in the heartland around the capital. Tự Đức tried to fight these off, but the French had also amassed an expeditionary force to the south near modern day Saigon. The expeditionary force began pushing north and Tự Đức was losing ground to the rebellion.
Why Were the French There
Prior to France’s expeditionary force landing in Vietnam, the French tried persistently to establish a permanent presence there. Minh Mang had outlawed missionaries over a decade prior and France officially honored the decree. However, the church and its missionaries weren’t as obliging. They would often stowe aboard French official ships that would go to Vietnam and the captains would often help smuggle them ashore. This tactic was occurring even in the earliest days of Minh Mang.
The ignoring of the decree eventually led the Emperor to order the searching of any trade vessels far off shore. And limiting access to only Da Nang bay. This ultimately resulted in the suspension of trade entirely. But by the time Tự Đức was Emperor, there was a large group of missionaries, and a growing Catholic population. Tự Đức eventually ordered the execution of Christian missionaries in 1848, and diplomatic ties with Europe began to breakdown. For many years the executions continued with little or no response from the French. However, in 1857 two missionary executions happened to be Spaniards not Frenchmen.
A Few Circumstantial Problems for Tự Đức
The Spanish had a rather large military presence in their colony of the Philippines. France had previously been occupied with other issues. The French Revolution, the Napoleonic wars, the Bourbon restoration, the July Revolution to name a few. France had not been in a great position to respond to previous Christian executions. The 19th century was a dificult time for France. But in a bit of more positive circumstances France had a good position and no desire to let the Spanish into Vietnam France had courted and diligently tried to colonize for decades.
The French were also enjoying a stable, if not short lived, period of growth and good fortune. The French had aligned themselves with the British and were currently campaigning with Britain north of Vietnam in the Second Opium War. A division of the Naval fleet there swung south, Joining with Spanish forces and took Da Nang in 1858. The coalition did not, however have enough land forces to push out beyond the city. Casualties also began to mount from disease and the city was held for just under three years. During the occupation much of the fleet sailed south in 1859 to try a different strategy.
The Food Supply
The coalition forces landed north of the Mekong river delta late in 1859. The now southern fleet was intent on the capture of Saigon and ultimately disruption of the Vietnamese food supply. The river delta was just as valuable to feeding the peninsula then as it is now. Again, manpower was an issue, and the French and Spanish forces laid siege to Saigon. The siege pushed on for two years, but the coalition forces could make no substantial gains.
More Bad Luck for Tự Đức
Late in 1860 the Second Opium war came to an end. This would be the final circumstance that sealed the fate of Vietnam. The majority of forces in Asia suddenly found themselves free of duty. French Admirals Charner and Page made their way directly towards Vietnam with an armada of 70 ships and thousands of men. The armada included steam powered gunboats and frigates as well as corvettes, transports, lorchas and even a hospital ship. It proved to be far more than any small Empire could withstand.
A Decision that Changed History
Tự Đức had finally run out of options and in 1862 he had a decision to make. If the rebellion overran him he would surely be executed. He also could not continue fighting two fronts. He decided the only way to survive would be to capitulate to France. If he accepted French dominance, then he could negotiate terms to remain Emperor even if only as a puppet. He would then have the resources he needed to squash the rebellion. Tự Đức signed the Treaty of Saigon on the 5th of June, 1862.
France would take direct control of Southern Vietnam known as Cochinchina. Tự Đức would maintain his kingdom to the north, but only as a protectorate of France. With the stroke of a pen the first French colony in Indochina was born. The French would continue to cede more land and areas in the region until the time of Khải Định. When he would be Emperor in name only.
A Shell of an Emperor
Khải Định became emperor on 18 May, 1916. The French government placed Khải Định on the throne after ousting and exiling his two predecessors. The French had adopted a policy of complete control by 1916, and did not tolerate anything short of blind obedience from their Emperors. Only holding the throne for the sole purpose of maintaining a semblance of nationality for commoners. Even if only a facade.
One thing being a shell of an Emperor did bring you however, was lots of money. Khải Định did not have the largest burial complex, but it was by no means paltry. We arrived at the base of the tomb complex and I couldn’t be sure where we were. The only thing I could see was a massive staircase and large gates at the top. Khải Định’s burial city was arranged in a similar format as Minh Mang’s. With two major differences. The first was that it was compact and climbing a mountain. The second was that the housing was in the front and the mandarins and stele house came second. This was reversed at Minh Mang’s burial city.
A Map of the Burial Site
The Housing Tier
We climbed to the first tier, quite a number of steps up. It was unassuming. So unassuming, that I didn’t realize it was the housing tier until after we left. The houses were now faced with turnstiles and drink machines. Nothing to indicate the resting place for a royal court. Oblivious to the significance of the tier we continued upward. At the top of the next series of steps was a door of Enlightenment. A very large version of the doorways that stood at each end of the bridge in Minh Mang’s city.
The Second Tier
We topped the stairs and immediately came to face the stele house. The mandarins, elephants and horses flanked the tier, and two large obelisks stood guard in its back corner. Everything in this burial sight was beautiful. Ornately decorated and articulated to wonderful detail. The Dragon imagery was particularly so. The staircases were railed with dragons, and intricately carved versions laced the corners of the roofs and towers.
At this point the heat had become almost unbearable and Diem and the girls took refuge in the stele house. I left them behind and headed further up the three tiers towards the temple above. The site was not as sprawling. Nor as peaceful in feel as Minh Mang’s site had been. But, it was definitely more powerful in presence, intense, and majestic.
The Temple
Each tier going up was 14 steps at a steep incline. This gave the temple a powerful presence above. The doors of the temple are at least 20 feet in height and the entire building was incredibly impressive, even if the Emperor inside was not. Cameras are off limits in the temple and guards are posted to ensure compliance. The interior is beautiful and palacios as one would expect. Portraits of the Emperor lined in gold frames hang on the walls. Beautifully ornate chandeliers and heavy, perfectly carved furniture. A few glass cases with some of his posessions and a television showing a video of his life and times.
I snuck around to a side entrance and took a few shots of the interior from the outside. It isn’t the best picture of the interior, but I think it will give you an idea. By this time Xu had come looking for me. Obviously tired of sitting in the stele house awaiting my return. I turned to head back down the stairs and stood for a moment and enjoyed the view. The temple overlooked the countryside and it was a spectacular sight. After a moment of silence, I moved on to collect the rest of the party and we took our leave.
The Bamboo Dragon
Khải Định died of tuberculosis on the 6 of November 1925 at the age of 40. Having relinquished what little autonomy Vietnam had left. One of his last acts as Emperor was to allow the French to raise taxes on the poor, crippling the peasantry. A portion of the taxes collected would go to building of the palatial tomb I stand at now.
A young Vietnamese author known as Nguyễn Ái Quốc, published a play in 1922 titled Le Dragon de Bamboo. It is the story of an antique collector who fashions a toy dragon from bamboo. The plant takes on the regal shape of the dragon, while retaining the primal and less noble qualities of bamboo. Proud to use the name and image of the dragon, in reality the avatar is a useless imitator. The satire was, of course, an attack on Khải Định. However, it’s the author of the play whose legacy lives on. The Author known as Nguyễn Ái Quốc, would later change his name to Hồ Chí Minh, the enlightened one.
In an even stranger twist of fate, Khải Định’s son Bảo Đại would become Emperor upon his death. Bảo Đại would abdicate the throne on August 25, 1945 to Hồ Chí Minh himself. Bảo Đại would end his days exiled in Paris where he died on July 30, 1997. Officially bringing to a close the age of the Emperors.
Click Here to read the post on Minh Mang in case you missed it.
Interesting history, Dennis. As always, thoughtful and well written. Stay safe during your adventures. We all miss you. Gil
Thank you. The history here has been really rewarding to explore and learn. I miss everyone too. I will see you again. Until then stay safe as well. Dennis