{"id":7525,"date":"2026-07-18T10:53:20","date_gmt":"2026-07-18T10:53:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/artnation.vn\/en\/?p=7525"},"modified":"2026-07-18T10:53:20","modified_gmt":"2026-07-18T10:53:20","slug":"echoes-of-the-courtly-folds","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/artnation.vn\/en\/echoes-of-the-courtly-folds\/","title":{"rendered":"Echoes of the Courtly Folds"},"content":{"rendered":"

\u0110\u1ecdc phi\u00ean b\u1ea3n ti\u1ebfng Vi\u1ec7t t\u1ea1i \u0111\u00e2y<\/a><\/span>.<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

Within the Nguyen court attire system, the <\/span>thuong<\/span><\/i> (\u88f3) worn by imperial consorts is one of those categories of artefacts that, for a long time, existed almost exclusively in written records. Knowledge of the garment has largely depended on codified prescriptions preserved in historical sources, while the artefacts themselves had been for the most part dispersed or lost to deterioration. The repatriation in recent years of surviving <\/span>thuong<\/span><\/i> fragments from Europe has therefore done more than fill an archival lacuna \u2013 it has enabled direct comparison between prescriptive texts and extant artefacts, marking a methodological advance of considerable significance for art-historical research and the study of court history.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

A signifier of power in the inner court<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n

The \u201c<\/span>thuong<\/span><\/i>\u201d, also known as <\/span>nghe thuong<\/span><\/i> or <\/span>xiem<\/span><\/i>, was a type of garment worn outside to cover the two-legged trousers beneath. Its form ultimately derived from vernacular wrap skirts, particularly the <\/span>vay dup <\/span><\/i>(tubular wrap skirt) worn by women in the north. Even after Emperor Minh Mang\u2019s ban on \u201cbottomless trousers\u201d\u00b9<\/span>\u00a0as part of broader sartorial reforms intended to standardise dress, the memory of this garment has survived in folk culture to the present day, associated with the image of the <\/span>ao tu than<\/span><\/i> (traditional four-panel northern Vietnamese tunic) and the <\/span>vay dup<\/span><\/i>:<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIn the eighth month came the royal decree:<\/i><\/span>
\nthe ban on bottomless trousers struck fear into the people.\u201d<\/i><\/span><\/p>\n

Within the courtly sphere, however, the <\/span>thuong<\/span><\/i> was transformed into a highly regulated ceremonial garment. Court regulations regarded the visible display of bifurcated trousers during ritual observances as improper, and the <\/span>thuong<\/span><\/i> consequently became obligatory on formal occasions. The garment was therefore not reserved exclusively for imperial consorts, but also more broadly formed part of the ceremonial attire of members of the imperial clan and court officials.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"
Illustration of a Tai nhan (Consort of the Ninth Rank) wearing ceremonial robes and a thuong, standing in attendance to the Emperor in the Inner Court, late 19th century. Photo: Vietnam National Museum of History, Hanoi.<\/em><\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Bound to court ritual, the <\/span>thuong<\/span><\/i> became a symbolic surface upon which regulation, craftsmanship and authority were articulated through silk and embroidery. Volume 78 of the \u201cThe Collected Statutes of Dai Nam (Kham dinh Dai Nam hoi dien su le <\/span>\u6b3d\u5b9a\u5927\u5357\u6703\u5178\u4e8b\u4f8b)\u201d<\/span> compiled by the Grand Secretariat of the Nguyen court, records the rules for <\/span>thuong<\/span><\/i> worn within the inner court as follows:<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

The Empress\u2019s thuong<\/span><\/i> was made of snow-white <\/span>bat ty <\/span><\/i>silk,\u00b2<\/span>\u00a0 woven with round phoenix motifs in gold; the lining and waistband used snow-white <\/span>cao bo <\/span><\/i>cloth (fine textile used for linings and waistbands) with gold appliqu\u00e9.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

The Empress Dowager\u2019s thuong<\/span><\/i> used crimson <\/span>bat ty <\/span><\/i>silk<\/span>,\u00b2 embroidered with round phoenixes, divine flowers and waves, interspersed with Western mirrorwork; the border was of gold-ground brocade with lotus-vine scrolls; the lining consisted of cinnamon-yellow gauze and white <\/span>l\u1ee5a quyen <\/span><\/i>silk (fine silk textile).<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

In the sixth year of Gia Long, <\/span>consorts from the second to fourth ranks<\/span><\/i> were rewarded with white <\/span>bat ty<\/span><\/i> satin, embroidered with paired <\/span>loan<\/span><\/i> bird medallions or single <\/span>loan<\/span><\/i> birds.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Snow white was thus the principal base colour, while the phoenix and <\/span>loan<\/span><\/i> bird motifs served as markers of rank distinction.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Structurally, the Nguyen <\/span>thuong<\/span><\/i> consisted of two large fabric panels pleated and joined at the waistband. The essential difference between the garments worn by imperial consorts and those belonging to titled noblewomen outside the inner court lay not only in material quality, but also in the technical treatment of the pleats. Whereas garments belonging to titled noblewomen were often stitched down in order to economise fabric and maximise practicality, those of imperial consorts employed densely layered pleats requiring an extraordinary quantity of cloth while still maintaining a compact silhouette. In movement, these pleats opened and closed rhythmically, producing a visual effect that was at once fluid and solemn. Pleating therefore functioned not merely to create density, but also as a conspicuous display of courtly luxury, in which the deliberate excess of fabric became a visible index of royal status.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"
Technical drawing of thuong B showing two outer panels and two inner panels. The outer panels are decorated with circular rank patches (bo tu) and worn at the front and back.<\/em><\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

A view once held that the Nguyen <\/span>thuong<\/span><\/i> had no pleated structure and differed completely from the Chinese Mamianqun (<\/span>\u9a6c\u9762\u88d9)\u00b3<\/span> of the Ming-Qing period. This assessment requires reconsideration. In constructing its sartorial regulations, the Nguyen court referred to Ming systems, particularly through texts such as the \u201cSancai Tuhui (\u4e09\u624d\u5716\u6703).\u201d\u2074<\/span>\u00a0Structural similarities, especially in pleating techniques, were therefore inevitable. Just as the Chinese Mamianqun had multiple variants, the surviving artefacts show that the Nguyen <\/span>thuong<\/span><\/i> likewise existed in corresponding types. The latter differs from the former less in overall structure than in the dense organisation of decorative surfaces according to the Four Emblems and Five Phases, a visual system characteristic of Hue court aesthetics at the time.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

The most distinctive local adaptation of the Nguyen consort\u2019s <\/span>thuong<\/span><\/i> lay in its use of embroidered<\/span> bo tu\u2075<\/span><\/i>\u00a0as indicators of status. These insignias were not merely ornamental devices, but signs of rank analogous to the regulated colours and motifs found on imperial robes. Comparison among surviving examples reveals significant changes in the placement of these badges over time. During the early Nguyen period, they were positioned on the front and back panels of the skirt, following the convention in which the right panel overlapped the left. By the late period under Emperor Bao Dai, however, the badges had shifted to the outer sides of the lower legs, aligned with the pleated sections, while the construction itself was reversed so that the left panel overlapped the right. Such changes suggest an ongoing process of aesthetic and functional adjustment within court dress across successive reigns.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Garment and its courtly shadow<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n

In the course of direct examination of surviving artefacts, we have identified two examples, provisionally designated <\/span>thuong<\/span><\/i> A and <\/span>thuong<\/span><\/i> B. Both survive in fragmentary condition and have entirely lost their waistbands \u2013 the component most crucial for full reconstruction of their original form.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Thuong<\/span><\/i> A may be dated to the late 19\u1d57\u02b0<\/span>\u00a0century, from the later years of Emperor Tu Duc\u2019s reign through that of Emperor Dong Khanh. Measuring 138 \u00d7 80 cm, only a single panel survives, though it nevertheless preserves important technical and aesthetic features. Its embroidered rank badge combines phoenix roundels and peony motifs, creating a composition associated with auspiciousness and noble status. Beneath the hem runs a rising wave border from which motifs such as flaming pearls, coral and stylised sacred mountains emerge upward, producing a dynamic and symbolically charged decorative register. Above the badge appears a dense ornamental field composed of more than two hundred small motifs depicting precious objects familiar in Hue court art, including the Eight Treasures, ritual chimes, coral and bodhi leaves.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"
Patterns on the lining of thuong A featuring bat and cloud motifs. Photo: Tran Tien Dat.<\/em><\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Particularly notable is the use of metallic sequins scattered between the motifs in order to heighten light-reflective effects. This technique, however, has also created conservation problems, as many sequins have detached and torn the surrounding textile ground. Although only a small number survive, they nevertheless constitute important evidence for a rare decorative material among currently known Nguyen embroidered artefacts, underscoring both the extraordinary luxury of Nguyen court costume and its distinction from the dress traditions of neighbouring Sinitic courts. Traces also remain of a woven brocade border with lotus-vine motifs, now almost entirely deteriorated, while the purple-pink <\/span>linh<\/span><\/i> silk lining decorated with bats and clouds remains comparatively well preserved. On the basis of surviving regulations, the garment may tentatively be attributed to a consort of at least the rank of <\/span>Tan<\/span><\/i>.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Artefact <\/span>thuong<\/span><\/i> B is dated between the reigns of Emperor Dong Khanh and Emperor Duy Tan. Measuring 134 x 85 cm, it surpasses artefact A in the refinement of its embroidery and ornament. Its pattern system resembles the court <\/span>thuong<\/span><\/i> used by officials and titled noblewomen of the same period, specially ordered by the court from China. The use of silk-outline embroidery around the motifs \u2013 a technique characteristic of <\/span>Viet tu <\/span><\/i>embroidery\u2076<\/span>\u00a0\u2013 suggests that this was a commissioned-to-order object embroidered in renowned Chinese workshops. In the aftermath of the 1885 Fall of Hue, when the embroidery industry in Hue had stalled, overseas commissions were not only a way to meet demand in quantity, but also a means of reconstructing the authoritative image of the royal family.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"
Empress Dowager Thanh Cung wearing the Phoenix Grand Ceremonial Robe (Phuong bao dai trieu) paired with a thuong garment similar to thuong B. Photo: Nguyen Tan Anh Phong.<\/em><\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The dense arrangement of wave motifs, combined with Buddhist and Daoist Eight Treasures and interwoven with auspicious imagery such as bats, butterflies, Buddha\u2019s hand citrons and peonies, produces a richly symbolic visual programme associated with wishes for longevity. Particularly striking is the circular rank badge embroidered not with phoenix or <\/span>loan<\/span><\/i> bird, but with peony. According to court regulations, phoenix imagery was reserved for the Empress and Empress Dowager, while <\/span>loan<\/span><\/i> birds for consorts. Yet comparison with photographs of Empress Dowager Thanh Cung and other imperial women reveals that this garment possesses a level of ornamental refinement comparable to garments associated with the Empress Dowager, despite employing peony imagery instead.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

The choice of the peony \u2013 celebrated in East Asian tradition as the \u201cKing among Flowers\u201d \u2013 constituted a subtle and highly flexible symbolic strategy. During the turbulent succession crises remembered as the \u201cThree Kings in Four Months\u201d and the reigns that followed, the position of an emperor\u2019s birth mother or adoptive mother often occupied an ambiguous ceremonial status, particularly in light of Emperor Tu Duc\u2019s lack of direct heirs and the subsequent deposition of Emperors Duc Duc, Hiep Hoa, Ham Nghi and Thanh Thai. The use of the peony allowed the garment\u2019s wearer to articulate a position of exalted authority comparable to, yet distinct from, that of the legitimate imperial mother holding the title of Empress Dowager. As the foremost among flowers, the peony effectively substituted for the phoenix as a marker of royal prestige while avoiding the appropriation of symbols reserved exclusively for the principle Empress.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"
The ceremonial cap and gown of an Empress, as illustrated in the picture book \u201cCostumes des mandarins civils et militaires de l’ancien Annam\u201d (Costumes of Civil and Military Mandarins of Ancient Annam). Photo: Vietnam National Museum of History.<\/span><\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

In this sense, <\/span>thuong<\/span><\/i> B demonstrates that Nguyen court ritual was not always a rigid and immutable system, but one capable of considerable flexibility in response to political and dynastic circumstances. Through the symbolic language of floral ornament, embroiderers were able to articulate the status of imperial maternal figures within the tightly regulated visual order of the court.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

These two surviving <\/span>thuong<\/span><\/i> fragments are valuable not merely as material evidence of the attire worn by Nguyen imperial consorts, but also as integral components of the ceremonial order, tied to ritual spaces and occasions marked by imperial solemnity. As Vietnam\u2019s final monarchy, the Nguyen dynasty synthesised, adapted and reworked earlier sartorial traditions into a highly codified system, grounded in both continuity and regulation. As the old saying held, \u201cDress should befit one\u2019s virtue.\u201d The <\/span>thuong<\/span><\/i> was more than an article of clothing: it was a visible expression of dynastic aesthetics, ritual order and the authority of the inner court.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Words: Nguy\u1ec5n Huy<\/strong><\/span>
\nTranslation: Art Nation<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

[1] \u201cBottomless trousers\u201d was an older colloquial term for the wrap skirt (vay quay)<\/span>
\n[2] Bat ty silk (\u516b\u7d72) was a luxury silk woven from highly refined silkworm filaments. Fine strands of silk \u2013 typically eight individual threads \u2013 were twisted together to produce a fibre of exceptional strength, density and lustre.<\/span>
\n[3] The Mamianqun (\u99ac\u9762\u88d9) was a traditional form of women\u2019s dress in China, originating in the Song dynasty, flourishing during the Ming dynasty and remaining widely worn into the Qing dynasty.<\/span>
\n[4] The Sancai Tuhui (\u4e09\u624d\u5716\u6703), compiled during the Ming dynasty by the father-and-son scholars Wang Qi (\u738b\u573b) and Wang Siyi (\u738b\u601d\u7fa9) and first published in 1609, is regarded as one of the most extensive and important illustrated encyclopaedias in East Asian cultural history.<\/span>
\n[5] Bo tu (\u88dc\u5b50) were embroidered insignias, square or circular in form, attached to the chest and back of the garments worn by emperors, officials and imperial consorts in the courts of East Asia, including China, Vietnam and Korea.<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Discover the history and luxurious craftsmanship of the “thuong” \u2013 a symbol of power worn by the Nguyen imperial consorts.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5,"featured_media":7542,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[20],"tags":[152,154,153],"class_list":["post-7525","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-art-natomy","tag-nguyen-duc-huy","tag-nguyen-imperial","tag-tan-do-thanh-hieu-co"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nEchoes of the Courtly Folds - Art Nation<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Nguyen Duc Huy is an independent researcher and member of the Tan Do Thanh Hieu Co collective, with 15 years of experience in antiquities collecting and the study of Vietnamese heritage. Through the close study of surviving artefacts, his essay invites readers into a brief yet vividly revealing history of the thuong worn by Nguyen imperial consorts.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/artnation.vn\/en\/echoes-of-the-courtly-folds\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Echoes of the Courtly Folds\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Nguyen Duc Huy is an independent researcher and member of the Tan Do Thanh Hieu Co collective, with 15 years of experience in antiquities collecting and the study of Vietnamese heritage. Through the close study of surviving artefacts, his essay invites readers into a brief yet vividly revealing history of the thuong worn by Nguyen imperial consorts.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/artnation.vn\/en\/echoes-of-the-courtly-folds\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Art Nation\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2026-07-18T10:53:20+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/artnation.vn\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/1000004782-scaled.webp\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"2560\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"1707\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/webp\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Art Nation\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Art Nation\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"11 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/artnation.vn\/en\/echoes-of-the-courtly-folds\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/artnation.vn\/en\/echoes-of-the-courtly-folds\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"Art Nation\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/artnation.vn\/en\/#\/schema\/person\/bbc53c251ece846325437c3476449d7a\"},\"headline\":\"Echoes of the Courtly Folds\",\"datePublished\":\"2026-07-18T10:53:20+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/artnation.vn\/en\/echoes-of-the-courtly-folds\/\"},\"wordCount\":2094,\"commentCount\":0,\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/artnation.vn\/en\/echoes-of-the-courtly-folds\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/artnation.vn\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/1000004782-scaled.webp\",\"keywords\":[\"Nguyen Duc Huy\",\"Nguyen imperial\",\"Tan Do Thanh Hieu Co\"],\"articleSection\":[\"[Art]natomy\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"CommentAction\",\"name\":\"Comment\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/artnation.vn\/en\/echoes-of-the-courtly-folds\/#respond\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/artnation.vn\/en\/echoes-of-the-courtly-folds\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/artnation.vn\/en\/echoes-of-the-courtly-folds\/\",\"name\":\"Echoes of the Courtly Folds - Art Nation\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/artnation.vn\/en\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/artnation.vn\/en\/echoes-of-the-courtly-folds\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/artnation.vn\/en\/echoes-of-the-courtly-folds\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/artnation.vn\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/1000004782-scaled.webp\",\"datePublished\":\"2026-07-18T10:53:20+00:00\",\"author\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/artnation.vn\/en\/#\/schema\/person\/bbc53c251ece846325437c3476449d7a\"},\"description\":\"Nguyen Duc Huy is an independent researcher and member of the Tan Do Thanh Hieu Co collective, with 15 years of experience in antiquities collecting and the study of Vietnamese heritage. Through the close study of surviving artefacts, his essay invites readers into a brief yet vividly revealing history of the thuong worn by Nguyen imperial consorts.\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/artnation.vn\/en\/echoes-of-the-courtly-folds\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/artnation.vn\/en\/echoes-of-the-courtly-folds\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/artnation.vn\/en\/echoes-of-the-courtly-folds\/#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/artnation.vn\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/1000004782-scaled.webp\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/artnation.vn\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/1000004782-scaled.webp\",\"width\":2560,\"height\":1707,\"caption\":\"Illustration of a Tai nhan (Consort of the Ninth Rank) wearing ceremonial robes and a thuong, standing in attendance to the Emperor in the Inner Court, late 19th century. Photo: Vietnam National Museum of History, Hanoi.\"},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/artnation.vn\/en\/echoes-of-the-courtly-folds\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/artnation.vn\/en\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"Echoes of the Courtly Folds\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/artnation.vn\/en\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/artnation.vn\/en\/\",\"name\":\"Art Nation\",\"description\":\"\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\/\/artnation.vn\/en\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/artnation.vn\/en\/#\/schema\/person\/bbc53c251ece846325437c3476449d7a\",\"name\":\"Art Nation\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/artnation.vn\/en\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/art.qweb.com.vn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Art-Nation-smlg-1-96x96.png\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/art.qweb.com.vn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Art-Nation-smlg-1-96x96.png\",\"caption\":\"Art Nation\"},\"description\":\"Art Nation l\u00e0 \u1ea5n ph\u1ea9m ngh\u1ec7 thu\u1eadt song ng\u1eef duy nh\u1ea5t v\u00e0 h\u00e0ng \u0111\u1ea7u t\u1ea1i Vi\u1ec7t Nam. V\u1edbi \u0111\u1ed9i ng\u0169 bi\u00ean t\u1eadp chuy\u00ean nghi\u1ec7p, ch\u00fang t\u00f4i mang \u0111\u1ebfn nh\u1eefng \u1ea5n ph\u1ea9m ch\u1ea5t l\u01b0\u1ee3ng cao, h\u01b0\u1edbng \u0111\u1ebfn s\u1ee9 m\u1ec7nh lan t\u1ecfa gi\u00e1o d\u1ee5c ngh\u1ec7 thu\u1eadt cho c\u00f4ng ch\u00fang.\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/artnation.vn\/en\/author\/fambizdangbai\/\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO Premium plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"Echoes of the Courtly Folds - Art Nation","description":"Nguyen Duc Huy is an independent researcher and member of the Tan Do Thanh Hieu Co collective, with 15 years of experience in antiquities collecting and the study of Vietnamese heritage. Through the close study of surviving artefacts, his essay invites readers into a brief yet vividly revealing history of the thuong worn by Nguyen imperial consorts.","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/artnation.vn\/en\/echoes-of-the-courtly-folds\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"Echoes of the Courtly Folds","og_description":"Nguyen Duc Huy is an independent researcher and member of the Tan Do Thanh Hieu Co collective, with 15 years of experience in antiquities collecting and the study of Vietnamese heritage. Through the close study of surviving artefacts, his essay invites readers into a brief yet vividly revealing history of the thuong worn by Nguyen imperial consorts.","og_url":"https:\/\/artnation.vn\/en\/echoes-of-the-courtly-folds\/","og_site_name":"Art Nation","article_published_time":"2026-07-18T10:53:20+00:00","og_image":[{"width":2560,"height":1707,"url":"https:\/\/artnation.vn\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/1000004782-scaled.webp","type":"image\/webp"}],"author":"Art Nation","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"Art Nation","Est. reading time":"11 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/artnation.vn\/en\/echoes-of-the-courtly-folds\/#article","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/artnation.vn\/en\/echoes-of-the-courtly-folds\/"},"author":{"name":"Art Nation","@id":"https:\/\/artnation.vn\/en\/#\/schema\/person\/bbc53c251ece846325437c3476449d7a"},"headline":"Echoes of the Courtly Folds","datePublished":"2026-07-18T10:53:20+00:00","mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/artnation.vn\/en\/echoes-of-the-courtly-folds\/"},"wordCount":2094,"commentCount":0,"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/artnation.vn\/en\/echoes-of-the-courtly-folds\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/artnation.vn\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/1000004782-scaled.webp","keywords":["Nguyen Duc Huy","Nguyen imperial","Tan Do Thanh Hieu Co"],"articleSection":["[Art]natomy"],"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"CommentAction","name":"Comment","target":["https:\/\/artnation.vn\/en\/echoes-of-the-courtly-folds\/#respond"]}]},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/artnation.vn\/en\/echoes-of-the-courtly-folds\/","url":"https:\/\/artnation.vn\/en\/echoes-of-the-courtly-folds\/","name":"Echoes of the Courtly Folds - Art Nation","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/artnation.vn\/en\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/artnation.vn\/en\/echoes-of-the-courtly-folds\/#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/artnation.vn\/en\/echoes-of-the-courtly-folds\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/artnation.vn\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/1000004782-scaled.webp","datePublished":"2026-07-18T10:53:20+00:00","author":{"@id":"https:\/\/artnation.vn\/en\/#\/schema\/person\/bbc53c251ece846325437c3476449d7a"},"description":"Nguyen Duc Huy is an independent researcher and member of the Tan Do Thanh Hieu Co collective, with 15 years of experience in antiquities collecting and the study of Vietnamese heritage. Through the close study of surviving artefacts, his essay invites readers into a brief yet vividly revealing history of the thuong worn by Nguyen imperial consorts.","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/artnation.vn\/en\/echoes-of-the-courtly-folds\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/artnation.vn\/en\/echoes-of-the-courtly-folds\/"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/artnation.vn\/en\/echoes-of-the-courtly-folds\/#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/artnation.vn\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/1000004782-scaled.webp","contentUrl":"https:\/\/artnation.vn\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/1000004782-scaled.webp","width":2560,"height":1707,"caption":"Illustration of a Tai nhan (Consort of the Ninth Rank) wearing ceremonial robes and a thuong, standing in attendance to the Emperor in the Inner Court, late 19th century. Photo: Vietnam National Museum of History, Hanoi."},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/artnation.vn\/en\/echoes-of-the-courtly-folds\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/artnation.vn\/en\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Echoes of the Courtly Folds"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/artnation.vn\/en\/#website","url":"https:\/\/artnation.vn\/en\/","name":"Art Nation","description":"","potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/artnation.vn\/en\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/artnation.vn\/en\/#\/schema\/person\/bbc53c251ece846325437c3476449d7a","name":"Art Nation","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/artnation.vn\/en\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/art.qweb.com.vn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Art-Nation-smlg-1-96x96.png","contentUrl":"https:\/\/art.qweb.com.vn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Art-Nation-smlg-1-96x96.png","caption":"Art Nation"},"description":"Art Nation l\u00e0 \u1ea5n ph\u1ea9m ngh\u1ec7 thu\u1eadt song ng\u1eef duy nh\u1ea5t v\u00e0 h\u00e0ng \u0111\u1ea7u t\u1ea1i Vi\u1ec7t Nam. V\u1edbi \u0111\u1ed9i ng\u0169 bi\u00ean t\u1eadp chuy\u00ean nghi\u1ec7p, ch\u00fang t\u00f4i mang \u0111\u1ebfn nh\u1eefng \u1ea5n ph\u1ea9m ch\u1ea5t l\u01b0\u1ee3ng cao, h\u01b0\u1edbng \u0111\u1ebfn s\u1ee9 m\u1ec7nh lan t\u1ecfa gi\u00e1o d\u1ee5c ngh\u1ec7 thu\u1eadt cho c\u00f4ng ch\u00fang.","url":"https:\/\/artnation.vn\/en\/author\/fambizdangbai\/"}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/artnation.vn\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7525","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/artnation.vn\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/artnation.vn\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/artnation.vn\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/5"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/artnation.vn\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=7525"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/artnation.vn\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7525\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":7561,"href":"https:\/\/artnation.vn\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7525\/revisions\/7561"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/artnation.vn\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=7525"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/artnation.vn\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=7525"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/artnation.vn\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=7525"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}