Vietnam and Korea seem to have nothing particular in common due to their geographical distance. But upon closer inspection, we can find that the two countries share many things — Confucian culture, colonial occupation and Chinese influence in history.
In modern times, the two have cooperated in economic exchanges since they established diplomatic relations in 1992.
In an effort to offer insight into the history and culture of Korea through a pan-Asian perspective and highlight the shared culture of the two countries, the National Palace Museum of Korea is holing a special exhibition titled “Treasures of the Vietnamese Nguyen Dynasty” through Feb. 6.
The exhibition features 165 relics and artifacts dating from the dynasty and photographs and videos of historical places in Hue, the imperial capital of the Nguyen Dynasty in association with the Hue Royal Antiquities Museum in Vietnam.
The Nguyen Dynasty (1802-1945), the last Vietnamese dynasty, relocated its capital city from Hanoi in the northern part of the country to Hue in the central region, to unite the cultures of the North and the South within the Confucian cultural sphere and established its borders to what is now present-day Vietnam. The dynasty was under the strong cultural influence of China.
The exhibition hall greets visitors with its glamorous throne of the Crown Prince from the 19th century set front and center, which symbolizes the nobility and dignity of the dynasty.
The exhibition also displays the relics used in shrines and rituals as the country is a Confucian society due to the strong Chinese influence. The rulers succeeded the traditions of previous dynasties and legitimized their authority by building the Nam Giao Esplanade, the Xa Tac Altar and the Temple of Literature.
The dynasty built a slew of shrines such as the Mieu and Thai Mieu within the Imperial Citadel of Hue. The exhibition features a tripod incense burner from 1925, along with a ceremonial sword and instruments used in various rituals.
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The middle section of the exhibition features royal attire of the dynasty that shows the styles established at the Qing royal court. The relics, which are similar to those from China, were categorized into ceremonial, formal and casual attire. The imperial family wore boots embroidered with symbolic patterns such as dragons or phoenixes, along with distinguishable hats or gold coronets depending on the ceremony. In everyday life, they wore silk shoes adorned with pearls and jade or gold accessories inscribed with a variety of titles and verses.
In the later part of the exhibition hall, sophisticated craftworks of the dynasty are on display. Items such as silver and lacquer wares were manufactured by the masters of the times and patterns representing the wearers’ dignity were also delicately engraved. Most ceramic pieces were imported while some were custom-made with a taste of the Nguyen court.
An impressive part of the exhibition is the digital reconstruction of the Hue Citadel conducted by KAIST’s Graduate School of Cultural Technology. The 3D reconstruction of the citadel can be seen in the exhibition hall to show the former splendor of the dynasty.
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