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| Tran Dinh Son and his collection of jade antiques |
Amazingly sophisticated and perfect
The exhibition took place right at the Nguyen Dynasty’s Porcelain Museum, the first private museum, also his home, established 10 years ago at 114 Mai Thuc Loan Str., Hue City. The exhibition seems to guide ones to look for “messages of time” that were printed on ancient people’s items.
Entering the museum housed in a traditional Hue-styled beam house, viewers were immediately attracted by more than 70 unique ancient items made of jade arranged beautifully in groups in a scientific manner based on their functions such as ones for rituals, ones for worship, household objects, etc.
Such ancient items such as jade jewels, ink pots, incense burners, bowls, dishes, boxes, jars, royal seals, pots, brush rests, brooches, statuettes of various sizes in different ages are not only eye-pleasing but also exciting with stories behind them.
Most of those objects are made of blue jade, white jade, blue and white jade or precious stone from Tho Son, China. Many of them are sophisticatedly and beautifully carved and engraved to perfection, symbolizing richness and power. Jade is often admired not only because it is rare, beautiful and meaningful but also because it symbolizes eternity, mystery and happiness.
According to Tran Dinh Son, most of the objects on display were made in the Nguyen Lords’ era, the Nguyen’s era and the Le’s era to serve their royal lives, to be used at ceremonies, to be awarded to royal members and mandarins, and to mark their rankings and positions, etc.
“It’s a precious comprehensive collection”
According to Son, from ancient times in Vietnam, inhabitants in the North knew how to make jewelry of precious stone. The jewelry became more and more plentiful from the Le’s era on. Many jade antiques were found in the 18th-19th centuries, especially during the Le’s era, Lord Trinh’s era and the Nguyen’s era in the Inner Realm.
In the Nguyen dynasty, jade objects appeared more often at ceremonies. After the end of the dynasty, the treasure of most precious antiquities in the Imperial City was taken to the North. However, according to Son, besides the royal family, Hue had many phu de (princes’ and princesses’ residences) which still kept and passed down many jade objects granted by the emperors. For various reasons, they were later sold. At that time, a great number of antiques in general and jade antiques in particular were sold at Tay Loc Flea Market or at the feet of Truong Tien Bridge at very cheap prices.
“Many people who know their value bought those items for their collections,” Son explained and said that some of his jade antiques are inherited from his ancestry and the rest has been collected for nearly 50 years of his pursuing the passion for antiques. Especially many precious and rare objects were left to him by Vuong Hong Sen, a famous antique collector.
For those who love culture, this exhibition is special because of the appearance of a large number of jade antiques. There have been so far many exhibitions of antiquities, but an exhibition specializing in jade antiques which are collected professionally like this is rare. “Every jade item not only is beautiful and valuable but also tells a story behind it. It is like the connection between the past and the present,” said Nguyen Huy, a young man at the exhibition.
Nguyen Xuan Hoa, researcher and former Director of the Department of Culture and Information, was overwhelmed by the huge size and rarity of the collection. According to Hoa, the exhibition brought viewers, especially antique collectors, a nice surprise because the collection even surpasses the one at Hue Museum of Royal Antiquities.
“I’m surprised to see Son’s collection of jade antiques which is introduced to the public for the first time, including traditional statuettes for worship and royal household objects. I think this is a precious and comprehensive collection,” said Nguyen Xuan Hoa.