VietNamNet Bridge – Ongoing conservation efforts have saved 136 heritage buildings of the Nguyen Dynasty (1802-1945) in Hue - including  palaces, pavilions and tombs - but experts say more work is needed.

Historic preservation: A newly restored building within the mausoleum complex of emperor Tu Duc. — VNS Photo Phuoc Buu

Naoaki Furukawa of Japan’s Waseda University said conservation efforts should include both heritage buildings and the surrounding environment.

Furukawa, who has worked with the Hue Monuments Conservation Centre to preserve the environment around the royal mausoleums in Hue, said the heritage site includes rice paddies, trees, rivers and mountains.

“These should all be preserved properly to protect the scene of each site, not just the buildings,” he said at a conservation conference in Hue last weekend. "The mausoleum of the dynasty’s first emperor, for instance, included mountains and a river branch, with no fencing between the landscape and constructed buildings."

Furukawa said teaching communities about the importance of heritage sites could get them involved in preserving the surrounding environment.

Recent reports by local researchers documented that some buildings in Hue lost their authenticity after restoration, due to inappropriate conservation methods.

For example, people from different regions of Viet Nam use various methods of carving. So Hue buildings restored by artisans from the North might lose their fine patterns due to regional differences in carving styles.

Mitsuhiko Nakamura, a Japanese architect who took part in the conservation of old wooden structures in Kurayoshi City, Japan, hailed the preservation of authenticity in each restored building.

Nakamura said conservation efforts should take into consideration the risks of tourism and industrialization for best results.

Meanwhile, Vietnamese experts called for compliance with existing legal frameworks for recognized global heritage sites.

Assoc Prof Dang Van Bai, deputy chairman of the Viet Nam Association of Cultural Heritage, said conservation work conducted on heritage buildings in Hue needs to be considered carefully, including the conservation request, rules for the work and related scientific bases.

“This will help preserve Hue’s heritage, which is meaningful globally, as well as to Viet Nam,” he said.

According to the conservation centre’s director, Phan Thanh Hai, the conservation of 136 buildings has already cost 1.2 trillion Vietnamese dong, or US$54 million. The funding came from State and provincial budgets and international assistance.

Nguyen Van Cao, chairman of the People’s Committee of Thua Thien - Hue Province, which includes the former imperial capital of Hue City, pledged proper development policy and good use of financial resources for future conservation work.

VNS