The reliefs on the Nine Dynastic Urns are a documentary heritage of the Asia-Pacific region

Information from the People's Committee of Thua Thien - Hue province said that at the 10th Plenary Conference of the UNESCO Asia-Pacific Region Memory of the World Committee held in Mongolia on May 8,  "The bas-reliefs embossed on Nine Dynastic Urns in the Hue Imperial Citadel" has been registered in the List of documentary heritage of the Asia-Pacific region with the consent of 23/23 participating countries.

"The bas-reliefs embossed on Nine Dynastic Urns in the Hue Imperial Citadel are honored as the pride of Vietnam in general and of Thua Thien - Hue province in particular. This has increased the brand of Hue heritage, a destination 8 heritage", informed the representative of Thua Thien - Hue province.

Nine Dynastic Urns are 9 bronze urns ordered by King Minh Menh to be cast in 1835 and completed in 1837, placed in front of Hien Lam Cac yard, opposite The To Mieu south of the Forbidden City. Each urn has a unique name corresponding to a posthumous title of each Nguyen Dynasty emperor.

On each bronze urn are carved 17 motifs and 1 painting, including themes about the universe, mountains and rivers, birds and animals, produce, weapons, etc. Nine bronze urns with 162 carved motifs display the sophistication technical of bronze casting by craftsmen in ancient Vietnam.

According to historical documents, King Minh Menh had the Nine Dynastic Urns cast to represent the longevity of the dynasty, the wealth and territorial integrity of Vietnam.

Researchers assess that this is a unique and rare source of information that is of great interest to Vietnamese and foreign researchers because it has valuable content about history, culture - education, geography, feng shui, medicine, and calligraphy.

The Nine Dynastic Urns are also a place to preserve typical and unique values in terms of form and information content, especially the values of Vietnam's socio-cultural interaction and contact with other countries in the East Asia region.

After nearly 200 years, despite experiencing many ups and downs, events of the times and the ravages of time, the Nine Dynastic Urns are still intact. These Nine Dynastic Urns are rare remaining treasures, symbolizing kingship and the existence of feudal dynasties in Asian countries to this day.

Vietnam's world and Asia-Pacific documentary heritages:

- World documentary heritage: Woodblocks of the Nguyen Dynasty; Doctoral Stele at the Temple of Literature; Imperial records of the Nguyen Dynasty.

- Documentary heritage of the Asia-Pacific region: Woodblocks of Vinh Nghiem pagoda; Poetry on Hue royal architecture; Woodblocks of Phuc Giang School; Hoang Hoa su trinh do (The Envoyship Journeys to China); Ghost chewing beer at Ngu Hanh Son scenic spot, Da Nang; Han Nom text of Truong Luu village, Ha Tinh; The reliefs are embossed on the Nine Dynastic Urns at the Hue Imperial Citadel.