Across ancient Asia, dragons were not ornament or mythic beasts but frameworks for reading the natural world. They moved through storm and sky as bringers of rain, through rivers as an unbroken force and within mountains where opposing powers were held in balance. In every form, they carried the idea that imperial power was only legitimate when it mirrored the balance of the heavens, with rule drawn from the same forces that shaped the sky.

Nestled along the banks of the Perfume River in the southwest corner of Hué, King Minh Mạng’s funeral complex was the result of a grand vision and an extensive building program. Guided by the ancient practice of geomancy, which aligns structures with natural forces, the complex was designed to harmonise with the environment, blending the spiritual with the earthly.

Located south of the Red River Delta Region 90 km's from Hanoi, Hoa Lư was a bustling capital city in turmoil during the 10th and 11th centuries. For a short time, it was the economic, political and cultural centre of medieval Vietnam. In 968 A.D, it was strategically built in a flat verdant valley, protected between steep limestone mountains, which created a virtually impenetrable barrier to human traffic.