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| Subject |
A Tour of Gyeongbokgung Palace |
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1531 |
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| Author/Position |
Charles La Shure Professor |
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| Photographer |
Suh Heun-gang, Ahn Hong-beom |
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After leaving Gwanghwamun Square and the statues of Admiral Yi Sun-shin and King Sejong behind, passing through the gate of Gwanghwamun, and entering Gyeongbokgung, we forget that we had just been standing in the city center amid a forest of buildings. Now begins our journey back in time to the Joseon Dynasty.
Charles La Shure Professor, Graduate School of Interpretation and Translation, Hankuk University of Foreign Studies
Suh Heun-gang, Ahn Hong-beom Photographer
Rows of stone markers line the central path on both sides, and these marked where officials of various rank stood during audiences with the king. Of course, the higher-ranking officials stood closer to the throne hall, and it is a favorite pastime of visitors to have their picture taken next to the stone markers for the highest-ranking officials.
Our journey begins at the southern end of Gwanghwamun Square, at the intersection of Sejong-daero and Jongno. There are quicker ways to get to the palace—Exit 5 of Gyeongbokgung Station, on the orange Line 3, leads right into the palace compound, and the Seoul City Tour Bus stops in front of the main gate—but we want to take in some of the surrounding scenery first.
Gwanghwamun Square, Gateway to the Palace
Amid a sea of fountains, a statue of Admiral Yi Sun-shin towers over the southern end of Gwanghwamun Square. One of Korea’s great military heroes, he defended Korea from the Japanese navy when Japan invaded in the late 16th century. Behind the statue is the entrance to Haechi Madang, an underground plaza that leads into the subway. This is where we would have emerged if we had gotten off at the Gwanghwamun Station on the purple Line 5. Located in Haechi Madang is the Sejong Belt integrated ticketing and information center. Here you can buy tickets for nearly 30 different concert halls, art museums, and museums located in the area—including the National Palace Museum of Korea and the National Folk Museum of Korea, both of which are located on the grounds of Gyeongbokgung Palace.
Continuing north we meet one of Korea’s greatest cultural heroes, King Sejong the Great. The king sits serenely on his throne, and in one hand rests an open book, the text of the Hunminjeongeum (“Proper Sounds for Instructing the People”). This writing system is the foundation for the modern Korean script of Hangeul. Before the statue is a stone engraved with King Sejong’s introduction to the text, along with a modern translation. Other important Korean inventions are also on display here: a concave sundial, a rain gauge, and an astronomical globe clock.
We continue northward, past a bed of flowers and to the end of the plaza. Across the street, the imposing front gate of the palace, Gwanghwamun, rises before us. There are three arched gateways in the stone base, and above the base rises a two-story wooden gatehouse. Flanking the gate are two stone statues of haetae, mythical creatures that are half lion and half unicorn. They look quite fearsome, but they pose no threat to us; the haetae are here to protect against fire, the greatest threat to Korea’s wooden palace buildings.
The Outer Palace and the Seat of Power
Once inside the great front gate, we find ourselves in a broad courtyard with a flagged stone walkway leading straight to a second gate. Passing through the dark archways of Gwanghwamun and into the wide open courtyard is like emerging from a wooded trail to find a magnificent vista spread out below; you cannot help but stop for a moment to catch your breath and take it all in. Although Heungnyemun, the second gate, is smaller than Gwang¬hwamun, the empty space of the courtyard and the peaks of Mt. Bugaksan in the distant background make it look just as grand.
As we walk toward Heungnyemun we see splashes of color: bright red, blue, and yellow. Drawing closer, those splashes of color become palace guards, standing before the gate with banners and glaives. Like ceremonial guards the world over, they are no longer charged with keeping people out, but they stand their ground nonetheless, no matter what strange modern contraptions visitors might aim at them.
Once inside Heungnyemun we enter the palace grounds proper. To our right is the ticket booth, where for a mere 3,000 won ($ 2.60) we can tour the palace at our leisure (young people from 7-18 pay half price, and children under 7 enter free). The ticket booth is also where hour-long guided tours of the palace begin. English tours are held at 11:00, 13:30, and 15:30 daily.
The first thing we notice here is that the flagged stone walkway is now divided into three parts: two lower paths on each side for vassals and a raised path in the center for the king. As we continue north we cross a narrow waterway, known as Geumcheon. Streams are a common sight in Korean temples, as they symbolize crossing from the mundane world to the sacred world. Streams also serve to distinguish spaces in Korean palaces, but this distinction is political rather than spiritual—during audiences with the king, high-ranking officials stood to the north of the stream while those of lower rank stood to the south.
Once across the stream we find ourselves before yet another gate, Geunjeongmun. This gate leads us into the main courtyard of the palace, at the northern end of which stands Geunjeongjeon, the throne hall and naturally the most imposing building of the palace. Rows of stone markers line the central path on both sides, and these marked where officials of various ranks stood during audiences with the king. Of course, the higher-ranking officials stood closer to the throne hall, and it is a favorite pastime of visitors to have their picture taken next to the stone markers for the highest-ranking officials.
The throne hall itself is a magnificent two-story building that sits upon a two-tier stone base. As we climb the steps before it, stone statues of animals from the zodiac watch us from their perches atop the stone railings. At the top, we can see that the throne hall is actually one grand room with a vaulted ceiling. Dominating the room is the king’s throne, behind which is a painting of the sun, moon, and five mountain peaks. These are all symbols of the king, and thus only the king was allowed to own such a painting. It can be hard to see from outside, but if you lean over the railing a bit and look up, you can see two golden dragons at the very apex of the ceiling. Like the sun and moon, dragons are also symbols of the king.
Behind the throne hall we pass through a small door and find ourselves in a less intimidating space. It is quieter here as we stand in front of Sajeongjeon. This is where the king normally spent his time, handling the day-to-day affairs of ruling the nation with his ministers. The name of the throne hall, Geunjeongjeon, means “Hall of Diligent Rule,” a title befitting such a grand space. Sajeongjeon, however, means “Hall of Thoughtful Rule,” a name that served to remind the king of the seriousness of his duties. The two smaller buildings here, Manchunjeon to the east and Cheonchujeon to the west, were equipped with heated floors and were thus probably used during the colder months.
Before we leave the outer palace, let’s take time to look around. One of the most distinctive features of traditional Korean architecture is the sweeping eaves of the hipped-and-gabled roofs, and here we can get our first close look at these roofs. Something on the eaves of Sajeongjeon catches our eye: it is a row of small statues. In fact, these statues can be seen on the eaves of most of the major buildings in the palace, including Gwanghwamun. Here, however, we can get a closer look at them. Even at this distance it can be hard to make out individual figures, but these are actually representations of the monk Tripitaka (or Xuanzang) and his entourage, including the Monkey King (or Sun Wukong), from the Chinese classic Journey to the West. These statues were placed only on palace buildings to ward off evil spirits.
The Inner Palace and the Rear Gardens
We leave behind the outer palace, so called because this was where the king interacted with the outside world, and move on to the inner palace, the living quarters of the royal family. Directly east of Sajeongjeon is a small compound known as the “Eastern Palace,” or Donggung. This is where the Crown Prince lived, and its location in the east is no mistake; as the next in line for the royal throne, the Crown Prince, was the rising sun of the land.
North of Sajeongjeon is Gangnyeongjeon, the king’s quarters, and behind that is Gyotaejeon, the queen’s quarters. One interesting thing to note about these two buildings is that they are the only buildings without ridges at the peaks of their roofs. The Korean word for ridge (yongmaru) refers to dragons, and some say that these buildings lack ridges because the dragon symbolizes the king. After all, it would not do to have two kings in one building. It is a plausible idea, but the truth is that no one knows for sure why these buildings are different.
We make our way around the queen’s quarters and find ourselves in the only green space in the central palace complex. This is the terraced garden of Amisan, adorned with low shrubs, stonework, and beautiful flowers that bloom pink and white in spring. At the west end, a venerable pine leans out over the yard. Perhaps the most famous features of Amisan, however, are the red-orange chimneys that stand in a row at the top. These brick chimneys go beyond mere function to become works of art, decorated in relief with various plants and animals.
Continuing north, we leave the main palace complex. To our right is the living quarters of the queen dowager, and ahead are two buildings of what was once a complex for the king’s concubines. Beyond this, in the northernmost area of the palace, is Geoncheonggung, built by Emperor Gojong as a place of peace and solitude in troubled times. A lotus-covered pond punctuated by a small pavilion in the center is indeed peaceful, and visitors to the palace relax on benches nearby. The buildings of Geoncheonggung themselves present quite a different face than most of the other palace buildings. They have the same gracefully sweeping roofs, but the wood has not been painted in the deep red and bright colors we see elsewhere. They are not as grand, but possess a subtle and irresistible charm. It is hard to believe now that this peaceful place holds a darker history as the site of the assassination of Empress Myeong¬seong.
Off to the east we can see the tall pagoda of the National Folk Museum, but we instead turn west to Jibokjae. This building and the surrounding complex are perhaps one of the most intriguing sites in the palace, as they exhibit structural elements that can be found nowhere else in Gyeongbokgung. The first thing we notice is that the sides of Jibokjae are made of brick. It is also a two-story building with an actual second floor, complete with internal staircases. As we draw closer, we can see into the building itself; it is something of a surprise to see the Chinese-style round portal at the far end of the main room. This door leads into an enclosed hallway that runs west to a two-story pavilion and east to a more traditional building. Not only are the hallways enclosed, unlike most traditional Korean buildings, they are lined with glass windows. While the rest of the palace preserves the principles of traditional Korean architecture, Jibokjae and its neighbors show Korean architecture beginning to adopt some foreign and modern conventions.
Farther west, tucked in the northwest corner of the palace grounds, is a shrine complex. This is where deceased members of the royal family were brought after death, where their ancestral tablets were kept before being moved to the royal shrine of Jongmyo, and where the royal portraits were enshrined. This complex is the most isolated region of the palace, and tends to be the quietest, as it should. We linger here for a brief while in the stillness.
Now, it is time to head south again, back toward the grand gate of Gwanghwamun. One final sight awaits us: the floating pavilion of Gyeonghoeru. The pavilion sits on an island on the east edge of the square pond, and from the north, south, and west it can be seen reflected in the still waters. To the west of the pavilion are two smaller islands that are home to elegant pines. Visitors to the palace rest on the benches that surround the pond, and it is worth our time to spend a few moments here, relaxing and enjoying the serenity of Gyeonghoeru.
On the southern edge of the pond is our final stop, Sujeongjeon. When Gyeongbokgung was restored in 1867, it was rebuilt as a living quarters, but the building that originally stood here was Jiphyeonjeon, or the Hall of Worthies, the birthplace of Hangeul. We pause for a moment at this historic site before finally leaving the palace. The grand gates and palace buildings give way to the bustling streets of downtown Seoul, but with Gyeongbokgung still in our hearts and minds, we can see this modern city through new eyes, as a capital with a rich, 600-year history. |
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