Fit for a King: Paintings depicting the Khiem Lang Mausoleum on display in the former royal capital of Hue. — VNS Photo Phuoc Buu

THUA THIEN-HUE (VNS)— A "getaway" tomb with a lake built by a poetic king to frolic with his royal concubines is the focus of an art camp being attended by 15 people in Hue.

The Khiem Lang Mausoleum from the Nguyen dynasty (1802-1945) already features in 28 paintings done by the artists in acrylic, lacquer and pen.

The paintings will be displayed at the tomb for visitors until tomorrow. They will then be sent to Hue Museum of Artefacts for another exhibition opening on Saturday, Nguyen Phuoc Hai Trung, the museum's director, told Viet Nam News.

Since last Friday, the camp has been set up next to a beautiful lake, man-made hill and old buildings. It is the result of a suggestion by Hue Art Association.

"This is the most beautiful in the whole system of royal tombs in Hue," said researcher Ho Tan Phan. "It is an amazing combination of facts and rituals from the past."

Phan said the tomb belonged to the dynasty's fourth king Duc Tong Anh, whose era name was Tu Duc (1847-83).

The king had the tomb built before his death to serve as a palace for himself and his royal harem to enjoy the lotus pond, fishing and composing poems. — VNS