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Imperial Court Music, the complex of Hue monuments.

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The Nguyen dynasty, Vietnam's last dynasty,

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chose Hue as its capital in 1802.

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The royal city was inspired by the purple Forbidden City in Beijing.

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The Ngo Mon gate here is in the form of a phoenix,

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swooping down with its wings spread.

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It is an impressive and beautiful sight.

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Vietnam's last emperor announced the end of the Nguyen dynasty from here in 1945.

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The emperor was the 13th Emperor Bảo Đại.

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By his day, Hue had been colonized by France.

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The emperor himself was educated in France.

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He used music for every ceremony.

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Bảo Đại may have tried to keep his dignity with solemn court music

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as he faced strong political pressure from foreign countries.

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The musicians always played to the best of their ability.

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If not, they were told their heads would be chopped off.

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Court music is still taught at Hue University

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to pass on tradition to future generations.

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Successive emperors made their own burial arrangements while still living.

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This is Emperor Khai Dinh's mausoleum.

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He was Emperor Bảo Đại's father.

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The tomb's design was influenced by French culture.

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Emperor Khai Dinh lies beneath this statue.

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Emperor Bảo Đại's grave, in contrast, is buried in Paris

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in a cemetery near the Eiffel Tower.

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Rooms are decorated in a mosaic relief of porcelain and glass.

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The dragon was a symbol of imperial power.

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Its eyes were made from the bottoms of French wine bottles.

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Mosaic decoration techniques are still used to this day.

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The wine bottles are from France and the ceramics from China,

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but the combination of different materials

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produces a style that is uniquely Vietnamese.

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Court music is a precious heritage of peaceful times in Vietnam.

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Traditions from times past are being passed on to future generations.

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Vietnam's Cultural Heritage