The stylishness in the designs of the royal palaces of Hue is also reflected by the imperial mausoleums built among the hilly areas adjacent to the Huong River, southwest of the Imperial Citadel. They are grandiose, built according to the rules for royal tombs at the time. They all have a court yard, a temple, a mourning hall and protecting walls but at the same time they include a lotus pond, a house built on stilts over the water, paths and a reception hall. Some mausoleums even have a reading hall, a theater and a shooting range for the king, as in the case of the Mausoleum of Emperor Tu Duc (1847-1883). Each royal tomb has its own structure reflecting the philosophy, the spirit and aesthetic character of the monarch. But the most striking feature of these royal tombs is that they do not express sorrow at death; on the contrary, they are elegant resorts for humans to stroll for leisure or contemplation.
Aside from the royal citadel, palaces and mausoleums, Hue is also famous for its temples, especially the Nam Giao Praying Court, the Hon Chen Temple, Linh Mu and Thuy Van pagodas.
The people of the city are proud that they are associated with all the traditions and customs peculiar to a Vietnamese city of the utmost importance.
Hue has inherited a special art of decorations that originated from Chinese models but still conserve the national spirit in the characters peculiar to Hue, such as the pictures of two dragons fighting for a pearl, or two dragons kneeing before the moon, the Three Abundances (Happiness, Wealth, and Longevity), Four Sacred Animals (Dragon, Kylin, Tortoise, and Phoenix), Four Seasons, and several character types.
The kings Nguyen, as well as encouraging improvement of applied arts typical of Vietnam, also promoted research into the traditional artworks and crafts of Hue. As had the kings Le and lords Trinh, they sent delegations to China to learn about ceramics using the Nom letters (Vietnamese script) to write down poems, the names of the kings, and describe beautiful scenery of the country on ceramics. These royal artworks are known as the "Blues of Hue", and such items are much sought after by world antique collectors.
