The quintessence of Hue vegetarian cuisine: The vegetarian imprint from the royal court

In the journey to discover the quintessence of Hue vegetarian cuisine, it is impossible not to mention the special role of the Nguyen Dynasty's royal court. With the tradition of "living in Confucianism and admiring Buddhism", the Nguyen Lords and then the Nguyen Kings all worshipped Buddhism and encouraged the practice of celibacy.

Build a temple in the citadel

As mentioned in previous articles, the Nguyen lords in the process of building their foundations in Dang Trong all followed the tradition of "cu Nho mo Thich", that is, using Confucianism as the ideology to manage society and Buddhism as the spiritual support for the dynasty and to comfort the people. During the Nguyen kings' time, this tradition continued, the court appointed monks, issued titles, and granted land to pagodas for cultivation. This created a solid foundation for the development of vegetarian cuisine , not only among the people but also right at the center of power - the Hue capital.

The gate of the Privy Council relic today is also where Giac Hoang Pagoda used to exist.

PHOTO: DT

To facilitate the practice of vegetarianism and Buddha recitation, the Nguyen kings also built pagodas in the capital. Specifically, in the spring of 1839, King Minh Mang built Giac Hoang Pagoda in Doan Hoa ward, inside the southeast gate of Hue citadel. This pagoda was originally a secret place, the king's residence when he was a prince. During the Thieu Tri period, Giac Hoang Pagoda was ranked 17th out of 20 famous landscapes of the capital. Although during the Thanh Thai period, Giac Hoang Pagoda was demolished to build the Privy Council Institute (commonly known as Tam Toa, now the headquarters of the Hue Monuments Conservation Center), its existence demonstrated the royal family's interest in spiritual life and vegetarianism.

Not only kings, but also ladies in the palace such as the queen mother, queen mother, queen, and concubines also had a small temple called Phuoc Tho am (in Dien Tho palace) to practice. After being restored and redecorated, this temple became a place where female visitors often come to worship and pray. The presence of spaces for practicing and practicing vegetarianism right in the imperial palace affirmed the importance of vegetarian cuisine in royal life.

Artisan Mai Thi Tra (90 years old, living in Hue City), who has many years of research on vegetarian cuisine, still clearly remembers every time her mother and the wives of mandarins prepared a feast for King Bao Dai when he went on a tour, including vegetarian dishes. Artisan Mai Thi Tra comes from a noble family, with her aunt Mai Thi Vang (wife of King Duy Tan), and her father was a district mandarin. "They used green beans and cassava, cooked and mashed into the shape of shrimp, fish, and ribs to fry, braise, and cook. With ingredients from China, they mixed them meticulously and attractively, such as lotus root stewed with mushrooms, vermicelli cooked with enoki mushrooms, shiitake mushrooms wrapped in spring rolls and stir-fried with bamboo shoots... to enhance the color and flavor," said artist Mai Thi Tra.

This shows that vegetarian cuisine in the royal court is not only about abstinence but also about the pinnacle of artistic creation, using sophisticated processing techniques to transform plant ingredients into dishes that are attractive in both form and flavor.

Hue Imperial City. PHOTO: LE HOAI NHAN

The spread and transformation of Hue vegetarian flavors

The elaborate vegetarian cuisine that originated in the palace spread to the nobles and then to the people, showing the strong influence of the royal court on Hue's vegetarian cuisine. The processing secrets, the way of shaping and the combination of ingredients have gradually become widely popularized, enriching the treasure trove of rustic vegetarian cuisine.

In the early 20th century, some of King Thanh Thai's concubines and the daughters of high-ranking officials became nuns. Since the skillful hands of nuns in the monastery, vegetarian dishes were developed, including spring rolls, cakes, stir-fries, and grilled dishes, no less than meat dishes. This shows the transfer of techniques and the quintessence of vegetarian cooking from the royal court and the aristocracy to the monasteries, contributing to the enrichment of vegetarian temple cuisine.

The scene of Giac Hoang Pagoda was drawn and printed in the collection of Royal Paintings

Photo: Document of Hue Monuments Conservation Center

However, at that time, apart from the rustic, vegetarian food was very limited with boiled vegetable dishes, braised jackfruit, mixed bamboo shoots, pumpkin soup, etc. Beans were few, even peanuts and sesame were lacking, people and temples had to use hybrid oil seeds instead of peanuts as fat to cook in soups. There was a clear difference in ingredients and sophistication between royal and aristocratic vegetarian cuisine and rustic vegetarian cuisine during this period. However, it was in the context of shortage that the creativity and ability to utilize available ingredients of Hue people were maximized.

One of the popular vegetarian dishes both among the people and in the palace at that time was "nham", which is not known to many people now. This is a mixed dish made from bean sprouts, banana blossoms, dried and shredded star fruit, and thinly sliced ​​tofu. Instead of being mixed like today's salad, "nham" must be stir-fried on the stove. This dish is both rich and fatty, sour and astringent, so it is loved by many people. Artisan Mai Thi Tra still remembers the salted Chinese plums made into dried floss eaten with figs in the cold. She shared that these dishes are "simple but very joyful". This shows respect for simple, frugal values ​​but still brings joy and satisfaction in life.

Nowadays, the raw material market is rich, many of the simple vegetarian dishes of the past are no longer maintained. However, the stories and memories of royal and folk vegetarian cuisine still live on, proving a glorious period and the deep attachment of vegetarian cuisine to the culture and beliefs of Hue people. Hue vegetarian cuisine, from royal meals to rustic dishes, is an inseparable part of the ancient capital's identity, a harmonious combination of noble taste and Buddhist spirituality.

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/tinh-hoa-am-thuc-chay-hue-dau-an-chay-tinh-tu-cung-dinh-185250909202243085.htm