The gardens and architecture of the imperial burial complexes of Vietnam as a result of the influence of Chinese culture on the countries of Woutheast Asia

Abstract

The article is devoted to the issues of borrowing and identity of the Vietnamese garden culture on the example of the burial complexes of China and Vietnam. In all countries of Southeast Asia and Indochina, where the traditions of Chinese gardening were perceived, the gardens of the imperial funerary complexes demonstrated the degree of popularity of the deceased emperor, the economic condition of the empire, modeled the emperor's “life” in the afterlife with maximum use of Feng Shui planning principles. All planning aspects prescribed by this doctrine were observed in Vietnamese burial complexes, but with a certain adjustment in accordance with their own aesthetic views, functional preferences and perceptions of expediency. The field surveys carried out by the authors of the burial complexes of Vietnam and China in the cities of Hue, Shenyang and the outskirts of Beijing served as sources for the study. Globalization trends in the field of horticultural culture from the period of the Chinese conquests of Vietnam to the period of the Nguyen dynasty, when the policy of the French administration was aimed at breaking cultural and economic ties between Vietnam and China, are considered. It was revealed that the layout and architecture of the garden and park ensembles of the imperial mausoleum parks were influenced by all three basic philosophical and religious teachings of China - Confucianism, Taoism and Buddhism. These teachings manifested themselves in an orderly layout with axes and symmetrical elements (Confucianism), compliance with the laws of Chinese geomancy Feng Shui (Taoism) and the unity of life and posthumous space (Buddhism). The gardens of the mausoleums in Vietnam were used for recreation and entertainment of the ruling elite, followed by the burial of the emperor and his family.