In the mid-20th century, the establishment of multiple music publishing houses positioned Hue as a vital hub of Vietnamese music. As the former imperial capital, the city was both a magnet for prominent composers and a pioneering cradle that shaped the professional contours of Vietnam’s modern and traditional music through its distinguished publishing system.

“I study garden houses as a connection between Vietnamese art and culture and a deep connection with the land and spirit of Hue. Hidden cultural features still thrive in the values and identity of Hue today,” said Professor and Landscape Architect Kimberlee Stryker (University of California, Berkeley) in her “Listening to the Gardens of Hue, Vietnam” 25 years ago.