Not only physical beauty or behavioral style, Hue girls also encapsulate a unique cultural code: from language, clothing, voice to lifestyle. Therefore, learning about this image is touching the quintessence of Hue culture.

The "muses" of the land of the nostalgic Nervous

Purple Ao Dai and Conical Hat - "brand" of Hue

Costumes are the most important factor in creating the image of Hue girls. The most obvious feature is the purple ao dai - a symbol not only of gentle beauty but also of purity, discretion and melancholy. Purple in Hue aesthetics is considered the color of nostalgia, of silent, deep love. Hue women wear purple ao dai not only for beauty, but also as a way to express their identity, to position themselves in a unique cultural space. In many travel photos, in paintings, in the memories of those who have been to Hue, the most familiar image is a young woman in a flowing purple ao dai. That purple color is not harsh, nor is it pale, but quiet, deep, evoking feelings of longing and nostalgia. It has become the characteristic color to name Hue - "dreamy purple Hue".

The five-panel ao dai - a traditional dress from the Nguyen Dynasty - is also a symbol associated with the image of Hue women during festivals or ceremonial events. The conical hat, with images of Thien Mu Pagoda, Truong Tien Bridge, and lotus flowers appearing and disappearing when illuminated by the sunlight, has become a visual and poetic mark, associated with the gentle yet profound beauty of the girls of the Than Kinh land.

That costume is an inseparable part of the process of constructing gender identity. Hue women do not just wear Ao Dai out of habit, but by “wearing it” they are repeating – and thereby maintaining – a model of cultural femininity that has been standardized through many generations.

Next to the ao dai is the poem hat - a thin leaf hat, under the light you can see the drawing of the Perfume River, Ngu Mountain, and small verses. It is a delicate folk creation, combining the function of sun protection with aesthetic and artistic value. When Hue girls wear both the poem hat and the purple ao dai, that image has gone beyond everyday life to become a visual symbol of Hue in the hearts of international friends.

Hue Voice - auditory symbol

Hue dialect is characterized by a soft, slow tone, with local words such as “rang, mo, chi, rua”. When spoken by a female voice, it creates a sweet, sentimental feeling, both shy and intimate. This is not only a means of communication, but also a sign of identity.

In the symbolic anthropological approach, voice is not just a neutral sign system, but a means of constructing and transmitting cultural meanings. When a Hue girl greets, asks questions or expresses her feelings, her language immediately creates a cultural space: a quiet, implicit space, where words are never direct but always covered with layers of social, ethical and emotional meanings.

Charming Hue women in ao dai and conical hats
virtuous and profound

In traditional society, especially under the Nguyen Dynasty - where Confucian ethics played a dominant role, Hue women held important but discreet positions in the family and social structure. In the family, they were the ones who kept the family, preserved customs, traditions, and rituals. The images of "Hue mother", "Hue sister", "Hue lady" were always associated with the virtues of hard work, virtue, and depth.

Hue used to be the capital of the Nguyen Dynasty - a place where the aristocracy and intellectuals gathered. In that environment, Hue women played an important role in maintaining family traditions, educating children, and maintaining rituals.

Many female historical figures of Hue have become examples of wisdom and virtue: Queen Nam Phuong, a symbol of elegance and intelligence; Empress Dowager Tu Du, who was praised for her virtue and kindness. They not only contributed to the stability of the royal court but also left their mark on the culture of the female servants, rituals and customs.

Among the common people, Hue girls are also nurtured in a spirit of elegance, tact, and knowing how to behave “respecting elders and yielding to juniors”. That beauty is not ostentatious, but quietly shines in daily life.

It is also important to emphasize that it is in these “hidden” positions that Hue women accumulate and reproduce a system of characteristic habits, from speech to behavior and child rearing. That is what makes the image of Hue women sustainable through many generations.

The gentle beauty remains forever

No female image in Vietnamese culture has been poeticized as much as the Hue girl. From folk songs to modern literature, the Hue girl appears as the “muse” of the imperial land. Folk songs such as:

Who goes to the dreamy land of Hue

Buy me a conical hat and betel leaves.

Or the image in Han Mac Tu's poem:

Are you a Hue or Dong Nai girl?

Do you love me, why do you keep saying it?

The poems of Hoang Phu Ngoc Tuong, Buu Y, Thu Bon, Ton Nu Hy Khuong... all take the image of Hue girls as the center to create a lyrical and emotional space. Songs such as Who goes to Hue , Purple in the afternoon forest , Young woman by the Huong River ... have woven that image with purple, fog, slow rhythm and immense beauty.

In painting, sculpture, and photography, Hue girls often appear along the Perfume River, Truong Tien Bridge, in the royal gardens, or in front of ancient pagodas. They are endless muses for artistic creation.

Hue women are not only present as biological or social individuals, but also as collective symbols, crystallized from hundreds of years of the ancient capital's culture. In them, we find a harmonious combination of form and soul: elegant yet profound, simple yet refined.

In the modern flow, many values ​​may have changed, but the image of Hue girls is always a memory support for the community, an inexhaustible material for art and media. When mentioning Hue, people will always remember the purple dress, the sweet voice and the silhouette of a young girl by the Perfume River - a gentle beauty in the flow of Vietnamese culture.

Dr. Nguyen Thi Suu
Member of the National Assembly, Deputy Head of the Delegation of National Assembly Deputies of Hue City
Member of the Association of Literature and Arts of Ethnic Minorities of Vietnam

Source: https://huengaynay.vn/van-hoa-nghe-thuat/nguoi-con-gai-hue-bieu-tuong-dieu-dang-trong-dong-chay-van-hoa-viet-157346.html