THE IMPERIAL TOMBS
Serein and imposing at the same time, with its oaks, pines, ponds and rivers, affluents of the Perfume River, Song Huong: no site could have been more favourable to the rest of so August characters (the name of the Perfume River comes from the incense that once embaumait the river during the feasts given in honour of the emperor). All monuments are not to be seen (some of them, there is only a statuette, wall or brisée), but we must not hesitate to go into the small aisles: Some secondary graves are full of charm with their végétation covered stelas. The strictest géomancie rules were observed in the construction of these funeral palaces. For géomanciens, tombs were required to be surrounded by vegetation, to be oriented south and to be left to a hill (sometimes located not far behind). Bad minds were feared, including those of Barbarians coming from the North. Walls also served as protection: bad geniuses moving only in the right line, they had to face these obstacles. Last precaution, it was necessary in construction to respect the elements: wood, water, sky, wind breath, earth, moon and sun.