Once being the Imperial Capital under the Nguyen Dynasty, Hue has undergone many historical phases, and today the city is regarded as one of Vietnam’s few cities where multiple architectural traditions coexist. It brings together folk, royal, colonial, and modern styles, developing in a way that balances the architecture, landscape, and culture, forming a distinctive urban identity.

Although familiar to collectors and enthusiasts of antiques, visitors still cannot help but feel overwhelmed when standing before the artifacts displayed at the exhibition “Jade and Ivory in Religious Art” at the Museum of Nguyen Dynasty Porcelains (114 Mai Thuc Loan Street, Phu Xuan Ward).

Through an interdisciplinary approach involving cultural anthropology, sociology, linguistics, and heritage studies, the project “Core elements that create Hue’s identity, a distinctive land in Vietnamese culture - once the Imperial Capital, a center of culture - religion - arts, and a symbol of deep-rooted traditions” seeks to clarify the role and value of Hue’s identity within the broader national culture. At the same time, it suggests directions for sustainable preservation and promotion in the context of modernization and globalization.

Hue Ancient Capital is a paradise for vegetarian cuisine. On the first and fifteenth days of the lunar month, even restaurants that usually serve meat often switch entirely to vegetarian dishes. This is hardly surprising, given that Hue is one of Vietnam’s major Buddhist centers, a land steeped in spiritual traditions, where eating vegetarian food has become a beautiful cultural feature.

As a land with historical traditions and cultural depth dating back many centuries, Hue is an important political, economic, cultural and artistic center of the country, and has now expanded its area four times, from 70.67 km2 to 265.99 km2, with 29 wards and 7 communes.

Khe Trai Tunnels - a historical revolutionary site of Tri Thien Hue Party Committee in Huong Van Ward, Huong Tra town - has recently been restored, renovated, and put to use as another significant educational spot of the revolutionary traditions for the public, especially the younger generation.