Our favorite stop during our highlights of Hue tour was Khai Dinh Tomb. Khai Dinh was the 12th emperor of the Nguyen Dynasty from 1916 to 1925. Unlike Minh Mang, the emperor of the tomb we visited previously, Khai Dinh was not very popular since he was seen as a puppet of the French. Although he was the second to last emperor, he was the last emperor to have a royal tomb constructed in Hue.
The complex was much smaller than Minh Mang Tomb but was much more impressive due to its elaborate designs. We were able to view his tomb, which was decorated with porcelain, ceramic, and glass. There’s even a life-size bronze statue of the emperor that weighs over a ton, but the painting on the ceiling was most impressive! An interesting fact about these emperors’ tombs is that the bodies are not buried in the tombs. They are actually buried in secret places, which was done to prevent grave robbers since desecration of the body would bring great shame to the country. Insert “Who’s buried in Khai Dinh’s tomb” joke here.
