 The colourful entrance to Thúông Qùôc-Hôc High School (above); at Hué Market (right) |
 Have you ever seen a street full of people in purple plastic raincoats? This colour, usually reserved for cardinals and the “ultra-high” of the spectrum of humanity, has been appropriated by Hué as its civic theme-tint. The lowliest of houses are painted in subtle shades ranging from light purple through to mauve. This “passion for purple” comes from the colours of the Purple Forbidden City, in the inner sanctum of the Imperial City.
Two other colours can widely be seen in this gracious city: the red-vermilion shades of old villas and school buildings, and the all-pervasive yellow ochre that colours the formerly French buildings and some Chinese temples. Occasionally you will also spot a light turquoise or sky-blue trim around verandahs and eaves, and the royal blue of the intricate carpets of Hué. Is it any wonder then that this city has been called “a colour designer's dream”?
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