QUẢNG NAM A project to renovate the tomb of a 17th-century royal concubine has begun in Duy Xuyên District, the central province of Quảng Nam.

The project to renovate the tomb of Đoàn Quý Phi (1601 – 1661), the chief concubine of Lord Nguyễn Phúc Lan (1601-1648), who ruled south Việt Nam (1635-1648) from the city of Phú Xuân (modern-day Huế). The project aims to celebrate the 360th anniversary of the concubine’s death.

Local leaders present offerings to the dead concubine before starting to renovate her tomb on March 20. Photo dantri.vn

The project, set to cost VNĐ15 billion (US$647,000), includes an entrance gate, parking lot, main tomb, garden, lotus lake and the surrounding landscape with a total area of 38,000sq.m.

The tomb site, which was recognised as the national relic site in August 2011, has been upgraded three times in 1806, 1814 and 1992.

The present area is seriously downgraded, with no entrance to the tomb and a damaged surrounding concrete fence.

A view of the whole relic site. Photo dantri.vn

Đoàn Quý Phi, whose real name was Đoàn Thị Ngọc, was an official concubine of Lord Nguyễn Phúc Lan, and mother of Lord Nguyễn Phúc Tần. Lord Nguyễn Phúc Tần (1620-1687) ruled the south of Việt Nam between 1648 and 1687. After her death, Đoàn Quý Phi was awarded the title Queen Hiếu Chiêu.

When she was alive, she encouraged people to plant mulberry and raise silkworms to weave silk. People nicknamed her 'Goddess of Silkworms'. VNS

The site has been seriously downgraded after the last renovation in 1992. Photo dantri.vn