Ngọ Môn is the main southern entrance to the Imperial City, located in front of Thái Hòa Palace, facing the Flag Tower. It is the most beautiful construction in Huế Imperial City, built by architects thoroughly applying the Yin-Yang principles, five basic elements, and the Eastern Book of Changes.
Noon Gate is a huge construction, U-shaped and consisting of two parts: below is a foundation made of Thanh brick and stone (from Thanh Hóa province) and Quảng stone (from Quảng Nam, Quảng Ngãi), above is a pavilion made of wood and roofed with tiles, functioning as a rostrum.
Its foudation is 57.77 meters long, 27.06 meters wide and about 5 meters high. Behind it, there are two open staircases built on both sides. There are five entrances (symbolizing the five basic elements). The main one is Noon Gate, paved with Thanh stone and with red-lacquered doors, reserved for the king. The two side-entrances, the Left and Right Gates, were for civil and military mandarins and, inside the branches of the U shape, are two more gates called Left Dich Mon and Right Dich Mon (or can be called round gate) with L shape, used by soldiers who lined up to receive the Kings.
The upper part is the Ngu Phung Pavilion (Pavilion of Five Phoenixes) in the middle, flanked by two side belvederes of two stories – Left Duc Lau and Right Duc Lau. Seen from above, the 9 pavilion roofs gather together into a row of 5 roofs and 2 lines of 2 roofs, resembling a group of five phoenixes with beaks joined and wings spread wide. Surrounding the palace is a roofed corridor. Ngu Phung palace has 100 pillars, symmetrical with each other by the line called “Dung dao”.
The middle roof is covered with yellow enameled tiles (yellow is the symbol for the king) and others with dark green ones. They are roofed following the Yin and Yang principle. Many designs are along the roof ridges, including head-turning dragons, banyan leaves and bats with golden coins. Panels along the eaves are decorated with ceramic mosaics of prunes, orchid, chrysanthemum and bamboo, which are bright and harmonious, very resistant against the effects of rains, typhoons and the passage of time.
The lower story was vacant except for the middle compartment which is paneled and equipped with glass doors. That was the place for the king to attend special festivals. Behind his seat were a big bell and a large drum. When the festival began, the drum and bell were beaten (it was also used daily to herald the closing time of the Imperial City). At this signal, sentries would fire the cannons of the Flag Tower. Defending on this fire, guards would know when to open or close the gate of the Imperial City.
The upper story was built with wooden partitions and was only for the queen mother and the emperor’s wives in the Forbidden Palace. They could look through windows in the shape of circles, gongs or fans, but with curtains which prevented them from being seen from the outside.
Two Chinese characters meaning “Noon Gate” on the corner of the old main entrance had originally been gilded with genuine gold. All structural components such as partitions, columns, rafters, doors and banisters are lacquered red and yellow. Noon Gate was seriously damaged during the two 20th century wars and then restored several times.
Beside its function as entrance, Noon Gate was also the place where the king attended public ceremonies and festivals such as the Ceremony of the Proclamation of the List of Doctors (successful candidates in the national examination), Calendar Offering Day, etc.
Source: vietnamnay.com
