Vietnam's Imperial City Hué in Central Vietnam is situated beautifully between hillocks and rice fields by a bend in the Perfume River. The almost square citadel-city is surrounded by an eleven-kilometre wall, which contains the "Imperial City". Inside of this - once again walled in - one finds the "Forbidden Purple City" reserved for the emperor. For 143 years 13 emperors of the Nguyen dynasty ruled from here with a feudal court of Chinese influence. At first they reigned in glory and then in decadence and submission under the French colonial power. The emperors were great lovers and supporters of the fine arts; poetry especially. To this day, there is a certain state of rapture, a poetic air and melancholy mood over the city.