Over 40 artifacts of Nguyen Dynasty's King Minh Mang are on display at Ngu Phung Pavillion to mark the 200th anniversary of his reign. 

The Hue Museum of Royal Antiquities last Tuesday launched an exhibition featuring more than 40 artifacts dating to Emperor Minh Mang (reigning 1820-1839) at Ngu Phung Pavillion in Hue Imperial Citadel, a UNESCO heritage site.

Minh Mang inherited the throne in 1820 after the death of Gia Long, the first emperor of the dynasty. 

He is considered a dynamic and assertive king, introducing a series of reforms from politics to diplomacy, including the prevention of Western influence on Vietnam. Under Minh Mang’s reign, the country’s territory was expanded.

This is the first time Ngu Phung Pavillion, built in 1833, has hosted antiquities from the Minh Mang era. 

A pair of small bronze nghe, a creature with the traits of a dog and lion, crafted in 1826. They are placed on both sides of Nguyen Dynasty (1802-1945) shrines.

The seal of Quoc Su Quan, an agency that researched and compiled Nguyen Dynasty history books, established at the start of Minh Mang’s reign.

In 125 years (1820-1945), this agency compiled many valuable documents.

A bronze vase was used in a game named dau ho, originating in ancient China and introduced to Vietnam during the dynasty. 

The play set consists of a bronze vase about 30 cm, a mouth attached to two small tubes with 12 arrows that are 65-80 centimeters long, representing the 12 months of the year.

The flare cannon was used in the new year meeting during the king's rule.

A porcelain enamel urn meticulously made in the Minh Mang time.

Visitors can also view other ancient urns made of porcelain and bronze.

The exhibition attracts many culturalists and antiquities researchers. Most of these antiques will be permanently displayed at Ngu Phung Pavillion.