Tu Duc was the Emperor of Vietnam from 1848 to 1883. He is regarded as one of the more decadent cruel Vietnamese Emperors. Although he was a dedicated Confucian, his lifestyle was unusual in all areas. At each mail he would have a choice of fifty dishes that were delivered by fifty servants and prepared by fifty chefs! He had over one hundred wives and quite a few girlfriends on the side, although he never had children. When Tu Duc drank tea, the water was collected as dew from lotus leaves. He also had one of his brothers put to death after his involvement in a revolt against him. His tomb was constructed between 1864 and 1867 and is own of the more grandiose tombs in Hue City’s surrounds. In an attempt to foil grave robbers, his body was not even buried in the tomb, and all those who were involved in the burial were beheaded. His body and treasures are at a destination that remains unknown.

The centrepiece of the tomb is a huge stone tablet that is estimated to weigh over twenty tonnes upon which are inscribed various clarifications of his rule. There are also a number of temples and other buildings within the tomb grounds, along with a nice lake with an island in the centre. Towards the end of his rule, Tu Duc spent a lot of time on this island and generally within his tomb, accompanied by his entourage. The tomb of Tu Duc is about 7 km out of the centre of Hue city.