The statue of King Quang Trung on Ban Mountain. (Photo: edsvn) Ban Mountain, located in An Tay ward of Hue city, is a rarevestige of the Tay Son Dynasty. It was designated a national historic sitein 1988.
This excavation has revealed more about the size and original structure of theplatform on Ban Mountain. These significant relics serve as the foundation forthe province to pursue Ban Mountain's designation as a special nationalhistoric site.
The platform was built to form three floors in accordancewith the three-element philosophy,representing heaven, earth and humans.
The results of the excavation have helped to determine this as thelocation where a leader of the peasant uprising, Nguyen Hue,was crowned to be King Quang Trung, This is also where thedetermination to drive away 29,000 Chinese Qing invaders began,resulting in the resounding victory for Vietnam in the spring of 1789.
The archaeologists believe theplatform was built during the Tay Son period. It used the natural rockyterrain, where it was carved out of the rock, and then erected. Thissymbolises the importance of completing the platform and advancing to thethrone.
In terms of construction methods, the excavation team found that Ban Mountainitself was dug into, creating three separate floors.
Because the construction site was uneven, it had been levelled withlaterite soil, pure yellow clay, or a mixture of small pebbles andcrushed stone to create a flat surface.
Architects of this period had a keen sense of planning, addingharmony, balance, and philosophy to their work. It is possible to perceive thedistinction, and uniqueness of the structure.
There are also traces of foundations, stone embankments, and walls. Theassessment of the bricks recovered, in particular, has determined the structureis from the 18th-century.
The size and colour of the bricks here are identical to those found in thearchitectural foundation bricks of the Nguyen Lords' temples and palaces,demonstrating the validity of the heaven worshipping platform built at BanMountain./.
VNA
