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Phu De - Residence under the Nguyen Dynasty
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Tuy Ly Vuong residence
Under the Nguyen dynasty (1802 - 1945), many “Phu” and “De” (residences) of royal family members and mandarins were constructed. While princesses stay in "De" after getting married, "Phu" is where princes live. These residences are located in Hue Imperial City and the outskirt of Hue City Kim Long, Vy Da, Gia Hoi, and the An Cuu riverbank are the most crowded areas. Like garden houses, every residence is planned and constructed in traditional architecture.
Tuy Ly Vuong residence

An elderly French tourist holds an old photo, a memento of a family member who used to hold the position of Chief of Staff and Nuncio in Trung Ky, especially under the photo of the donor's French handwriting and accompanied by a signature revealing the true nature: Phung Hoa Cong.

He asked, “Do you know who is Phụng Hoa Cong?” I am happy to say, Cong means “He is” He thought I was kidding him - by misunderstanding. Guest: Why me? I had to explain for quite a long time, Cong was “the one I respect”, Cong means “Duke” in the ranks: Duke, Marquess, Earl, Viscount, Baron. Phung Hoa is the name of Phung Hoa district of Ninh Binh province. Phung Hoa Cong is the title of Thanh Thai emperor conferred on Prince Buu Dao - son of emperor Dong Khanh in 1906. And this Hue-loving guest also has a desire to find the address, the residence of Phung Hoa Cong in the past.

The French who are far away from Hue for more than half of the earth but look for the story of "the old time" in the style of Tu Duc emperor "smashing the glass to find the image", such an impossible thing. Yes, the visitor is looking for that PHU DE, not good that I have to "learn" him about the architectural heritage of the palace.

* WANDER TO FIND OUT ABOUT THE SHADOW OF THE FORMER RESIDENCE

Due to old age, I gave up the housework for my wife to take charge; every day I rode on iron horses, pedaled all over the streets and suburban areas; sometimes I was inspired to penetrate the district. Go with the mood, regardless of the wind and rain. Travel broadens the mind, know a little more to create joy and pleasure when drinking tea and "argue with friends" to find out new things.

The place for the prince or the eldest prince to live before the day of the throne. It is the residence that has flourished as a launch pad for his master to become the heavenly son and rule the world in the true sense. Over time, Phung Hoa Cong residence became An Dinh Palace today, shining on the Loi Nong River in the sun and rain with many other residences such as  Tung Thien, Kien Hoa, Kien Thai, My Hoa...

Since the middle of the 19th century, Tung Thien Cong built Tieu Vien and Ky Thuong Vien to take his mother, Mrs. Thuc Tan, from the Forbidden City in 1849, there have been many royal members who also followed to establish a residence on the Phu Cam River, a part of the Loi Nong River with communal houses, temples, markets, making the river scene, the market town more bustling and beautiful.

In 1939, the writer of the biography Tuy Ly Vuong, writer Tran Thanh Mai, commented on the appearance of Ky Thuong Vien: "Not a day, the number of writers meeting, less than half a hundred people; Tung Thien Vuong was like a small Manh Thuong Quan" to pay homage to the two poets of the Nguyen Dynasty whose reputation spread to China.

The Book of Tung Thien Vuong (1819 - 1870) was published by his descendants, Ung Trinh and Buu Duong Thi, in 1970 to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the death of his grandfather, his grandfather gave people an idea of the image of Phu De:

“As a rule, the 18-year-old princes must leave the palace, that is, they must go out of the Forbidden City, separate their families as Vo Xuan Can said, please for the Royal members, Princes. Tung Thien Vuong is on the same level as Tuy Ly Vuong, in Liem Nang ward in the capital, east of Luc Bo…”

Liem Nang Ward now belongs to Thuan Thanh Ward in the inner city. The location of the second Phu De of Tung Thien - Tuy Ly brothers is behind and opposite the Hue Monuments Conservation Center. Before 1815, the center was the residence of Prince Nguyen Phuc Dam, the fourth son of King Gia Long. This place is located in Doan Hoa ward, that year Prince Nguyen Phuc Dam was honored to be crown prince in Thanh Hoa palace in the Forbidden City, 1817 he left it to his younger brother Prince Nguyen Phuc Chu and his mother and win the favor of his father.

Unfortunately, a talented and pious person like Prince Chan, the ninth son of Gia Long Emperor, died early on September 5, 1824 (October 26, 1824) at the age of 22. Later Emperor Minh Mang posthumously conferred on Thieu Hoa, Nguyen Phuc Chan as Thieu Hoa Quan Vuong.

According to scholar Phan Van Dat in 1839, Minh Mang in the 20th year of the emperor "remembered his life as a monk", so he built Giac Hoang pagoda. The king granted Thieu Hoa Quan Vuong's son Thieu Khue elsewhere. Comparing the two copies of Dai Nam Nhat Thong Chi of Tu Duc and Duy Tan dynasties, the reader can easily see the difference in address and time of the establishment of Thieu Hoa Quan Vuong Tu. The Tu Duc one stated: "Thieu Hoa Quan Vuong Temple: in Vi Da Thuong Commune, Phu Vang District... in the fifth year of Minh Mang in 1824 the ordination and establishment of a temple. As for one of Duy Tan periods, it is written: "Thieu Hoa Quan Vuong Temple: in An Cuu commune, Huong Thuy district, built in the 12th year of Minh Mang, 1831.

In 1995, Nguyen Phuc Toc The Pha published the book: Thieu Hoa Temple of the Thieu Hoa Quan Vuong in Vy Da (Phu Vang, Thua Thien). Sense something wrong, I went back to Vy Da village to know the year of establishment of the village before Lord Tien Nguyen Hoang.

** AS THE HISTORY OF THE NGUYEN DYNASTY HAS RECORDED ABOUT THE RESIDENCE

Phu De is the term printed by the heading with large text in the table of contents at the end of the book Dai Nam Nhat Thong Chi translated into Vietnamese.

Written during the reign of Tu Duc, published before 1875 it took nearly 10 years to complete. The Institute of History translated on pages 52 and 53 said that Phu De consists of 5 establishments: Doan Ban house, Chi Thien house, Phuc Thien house and Phu De of the princes, and the princesses.

The old history writing is sharp, with few words and deep meaning. Translating the word "Duong" as home is a bit forced. Reading the two halves of pages 52 and 53 it is easy to see how the image and shape of Phu De and De Trach are different.

The palace is the residence of royal members, princes, and crown princes who have been ordained after having passed a three-term exam. De Trach is the residence of the princesses, the queen has been crowned as the married princess. The king's son-in-law is Pho Ma, the daughter-in-law is Phu Thiep.

Also on the Table of Contents page, the book Dai Nam Nhat Thong Chi, has the title to clarify the date of December 8 the 3rd Duy Tan (1910) on page No.1, and the section on Phu De only lists 3 establishments: Doan Ban Duong, Chi Thien Duong and Phuoc Thien Street related to the potential place of the three emperors Minh Mang, Thieu Tri and Tu Duc.

Of course, the book of the Duy Tan period did not clearly tell the location, architecture and quota were clearly defined as in the Tu Duc period.

1. Phu De of royal members: On the left side of the capital, the main house and the front house both have 3 areas and 2 spaces, the door sign is inscribed with the words: "Mo Cong Phu".

2. De Trach of the Princesses: On the right side of the capital, the regulation is the same as the residence of the princes, the door sign is inscribed with the words "Mo Cong Chua De".

"Mo" implies that the title will be written to fully determine the place of the owner. It is customary to take the district names of the provinces to choose the names of each Prince's Phu De or Princess's De Trach.

The book Dai Nam Thuc Luc has listed a series of names of Phu De of each royal member and prince:

- In August of the year Dinh Suu (1817): To promote Quan Cong Ton That Thang as Phuc Long Cong, the 5th prince is Dai as Kien An Cong, the 6th prince is Binh as Dinh Vien Cong, the 7th prince is Tan as Dien Khanh Cong, the 8th prince is Pho as Dien Ban Cong, the 9th prince as Thieu Hoa Cong, the 11th prince is Cu as Thuong Tin Cong; gave silver books, silver seals one for each person. The documents must have the title and the name. (Phuc Long Cong Than Mo for princes, Mo Cong Than Mo for royal members, in other documents are Mo Cong and Diet Mo). The papers delivered by the servant used Bam.

Không có mô tả ảnh.

Tuyen Hoa Vuong residence

THE RESIDENCE IS CALLED PHU

Thus, history itself also opens up perspectives on the image and reality of Phu De. In February of that year, Ung Hoi (1875) Vinh Loc Quan Cong of Mien Tri (Chi) borrowed 1,000 yuan to repair Phu De (the previous decree: Prince repaired Phu De, lent 1,000 yuan, annually repaid 300 yuan). Only one month there is nothing left, he asked for a salary two to three years in advance, Ton Nhan Mien Dinh official took the admonition, was afraid of not being persuasive, and talked to the king.

Phu De is the prince's inheritance and property, the private property of other folks like parents who let their sons go apart to take care of their own career as a momentum forward.

In July 1818, Emperor Gia Long set a ban on the city, including 26 articles, of which Article 12 related to the palace, specifically as follows: "The Prince and Queen's Phu De, the houses of the mandarins rank 1st to 4th, choose a person to take care of the land and clearly state the prohibition to protect the family."
Royal members, and princes study at Duong Tap Thien, Duong Doan Ban. Teachers are talented, experienced mandarins called Giao Tho. The princesses were taught in the inner court by female mandarins. Ms. Thanh Quan is one of the famous female mandarins of talent and virtue under Minh Mang emperor; Ms. Nguyen Nhuc Thi under Tu Duc emperor.

From the official history to the current books related to court activities, Nguyen Phuc royal family affirms: The residence of princes at birth is called the Phu, Cong Phu, Vuong Phu; the residence of princesses and when they have been married and ordained is called De, De Trach and the establishment of the residence is called "Xuat Cac" or "Xuat Phu". The residence of princes and princesses in human life is not necessarily a certain place and can be changed. Usually, the last place to settle down is Phu De, De Trach, which sometimes depends on the context, the way people are used to call Phu De for short. The old men advised the readers to “keep an eye out” to realize the meaning.

Mr. and Mrs. Vinh Ngo are all over 90 years old. He is a descendant of Prince Nguyen Phuc Mien Thu, the 9th son of Minh Mang emperor, who was in Xuan An hamlet, Phu Xuan village, Huong Tra district, later moved to Phu Hoi ward, Nguyen Cong Tru street, the sign of the place of worship today is Ham Thuan Cong Tu. Separated by a commoner's garden is the place to worship An Thuong Princess (sister of Ham Thuan Cong):

The midday sun, the breeze on the road

Full of passersby, sound of kites

Here An Thuong princess rests

Middle the bamboo grove, graceful shape

(Dong Di Do Ha)

Sister's garden is near brother's house, in front is Cho Cong street, behind is Tho Loc river turning the way to Huong river. On one side is Phu, on the other side is De.

De does not mean younger brother or sister, but the abbreviation of De Trach. Characteristics of these two "Phu" and "De": Cousins marry each other. Mr. Vinh Ngo said that when he was a child, he used to live here in a warm "father and mother's family" situation. Each time Phu and De worshiped the Earth God, the old man could clearly hear and see that the literature clearly wrote two different names: Ham Thuan's side was "Phu De Ton Than", An Thuong Princess's side was "De Trach Ton Than". The official meaning is so clear-cut. In terms of folklore, in the spoken language, people used to call it "Phu Tu" because its master (he or she) had died.

can canh vuong phu rong 2000m2 chua nhieu do co doc dao o hue

Tuy Ly Vuong resident

THE TEMPLE ON THE MOTHER OF THE KING'S SIDE

The word "Phu" and the word "Tu" are very meaningful, wide in both court and folklore terminology. The temple on the mother of king's side is called “Tu”. On the banks of the Huong River from Linh Mu Pagoda towards Bach Ho Bridge, there are temples: Vinh Quoc Cong Tu, Dien Quoc Cong Tu, Qui Quoc Cong Tu, Tho Quoc Cong Tu, Phuoc Quoc Cong Tu, Duc Quoc Cong Tu. The word "Tu" is translated as "Den" and is recorded by the national chronicle in the section of Quan Tu in conjunction with Quan Cong, Thien Phi, Tien Y temples, temples of each mountain and hill related to Son Lang, the concubines... even to Thieu Hoa Quan Vuong - Nguyen Phuc Chan as mentioned at the beginning of this article. It is complicated about the meaning of the words “Phu” and “Tu” in the Vietnamese language. Foreign visitors who have intensive study are also difficult to translate for them to understand the meaning of the word.

Therefore, it is impossible to bind these 6 temples as Phu De as the press has written and taken the image of Lac Tinh Vien garden house in Phan Dinh Phung street, An Hien garden house of Ms. Tuan Chi - Dao Thi Yen... to illustrate the article to make young readers, especially students today bewildered.

Dấu xưa vương phủ

An Hien garden house

"Phu De" in the Nguyen Dynasty continued and promoted the royal family tradition of the royal family. Being disciplined and religion since Lord Nguyen Phuc Khoat proclaimed the king, renovated the hamlet capital, the precursor of Hue citadel. In the past, under the Nguyen Dynasty, Ton Nhan Phu directly managed and operated the Phu De in the capital and districts so that when the emperor died, the discipline of the country was maintained to avoid the abuse of power by the mandarins combined with the unjust royal power, even the forces outside the country manipulated excess when the times was chaos. During the period of Tu Nguyet Tam Vuong after Tu Duc emperor passed away, causing the country to fall: not only did the royal family quickly collapse, but the persecution suffered from the situation of national destruction.

Photo: Internet