Hòn non bộ is the Vietnamese art of making miniature landscapes, imitating the scenery of the islands, mountains and surrounding environment as found in nature. It is a particular local development of the Chinese art of penzai, as was bonsai in Japan.
Hòn non bộ in the pond of Diên Thọ Palace in the Imperial City of Huế
Hòn non bộ which included stones, plants, little figures, waterfall and aquarium
Hòn non bộ, at the Botanical Building
The Imperial City is a walled enclosure within the citadel of the city of Huế, the former imperial capital of Vietnam during the Nguyễn dynasty. It contains the palaces that housed the imperial family, as well as shrines, gardens, and villas for mandarins. Constructed in 1803 under Emperor Gia Long as a new capital, it mostly served a ceremonial function during the French colonial period. After the end of the monarchy in 1945, it suffered heavy damage and neglect during the Indochina Wars through the 1980s. The Imperial City was designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1993 and is undergoing restoration.
Meridian Gate as viewed from the flag monument
Silk painting depicting Huế imperial court
Pavilion in Imperial City of Huế, Thừa Thiên Huế
The citadel's plan in the Đại Nam nhất thống chí. The diagram is oriented with south at the top