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Tàng Thư Lâu is one of the major repositories of Nguyễn Dynasty documents, located in the Northeast of the Imperial Citadel, having undergone various historical changes and finally restored to its original prominence.
Tàng Thư Lâu – Repository of Rare Nguyễn Dynasty Documents
Tàng Thư Lâu in the Past
The formation of Huế Imperial City two centuries ago still marvels future generations with the extraordinary urban planning skills of our predecessors, creating a harmonious capital city blending seamlessly with nature.
Amidst over 40 large and small lakes within the Hue Citadel, alongside the famous Tịnh Tâm Lake, lies the tranquil Học Hải Lake, modestly chosen by King Minh Mạng as Tàng Thư Lâu in 1825. This architectural marvel bears special historical significance left by the Nguyễn Dynasty on an artificial island.
Tàng Thư Lâu serves as the repository for both internal and external documents. The volume of documents is so vast that just the land documents from the Gia Long and Minh Mạng eras alone amount to 12,000 volumes. At times, up to 45 people were mobilized to organize and store all of this documentation.
Nearly 125 activities of Tàng Thư Lâu concluded with the end of the Vietnamese feudal regime. Since 1945, the stored documents here have been lost and relocated to various places. Tàng Thư Lâu has been utilized for various reasons and has deteriorated to some extent.
Fortunately, its structure remained intact until restoration. However, Tàng Thư Lâu was not the first location for storing documents by the Nguyễn Dynasty.
Present-day Tàng Thư Lâu
The process of preserving and enhancing the values of Tàng Thư Lâu starts with its architectural structure. There is only one entrance road, a bridge across Học Hải Lake.
The building is scientifically designed and constructed, surrounded by deep water to prevent fires and resist the intrusion of rodents.
The lower floor is sprinkled with sulfur to repel ants, cockroaches, termites, and moths. The upper floor, where documents are stored, features multiple doors and spacious balconies to facilitate airflow and prevent dampness due to high humidity.
With 7 rooms on the upper floor and 11 rooms on the lower floor, the architecture blends Eastern and Western influences. Everything has been restored to Tàng Thư Lâu exactly as depicted in its ancient images and notes.
However, a structure cannot truly be rejuvenated with just its shell; it needs a soul. Therefore, the Hue Citadel Conservation Center has collected previously stored documents and revived the activities of this structure.
The valuable documents, each stroke of ink, each red seal, are the result of meticulous work by scientific research personnel. In addition to documents in archival storage, researchers must also collect from folk sources.
After a nearly 75-year slumber, Tàng Thư Lâu has come back to life. Every day, numerous young readers come here to explore the history of the nation. Many documents here have been digitized and stored online, facilitating convenient retrieval and serving as a reliable backup in case of restoration issues.
Huế currently boasts 5 UNESCO-recognized World Heritage Sites. Many heritage documents have been associated with the history and existence of Tàng Thư Lâu. Therefore, this is an appropriate place for research, preservation, and storage of these documents.
A documentation storage center, a heritage research center of the Hue Citadel has been established. In the future, it will become a hub connecting the values of the past to contemporary life.
According to Mytour
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Reference: Travel guide by Mytour
MytourDecember 12, 2022
