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Changdeokgung Palace in South Korea

Changdeokgung Palace (Korean: 창덕궁) is located in Zhonglu District, Seoul, the capital of South Korea, so it is also known as Dongque. established afterwards.

Changdeokgung Palace was originally the palace of the Joseon king, but in the later period of the Joseon Dynasty, it was used as the main palace instead of Gyeongbokgung Palace for a long time. The palace of Changdeokgung is completely designed according to the natural terrain. It is the most natural palace in the royal palace of Joseon, and it is also the best preserved palace in the royal palace of Joseon.

Changdeokgung Palace has been rebuilt many times. The area and building volume of the palace strictly follow the relationship with the suzerain-vassal of China. At the time, there were more than 230 palace buildings. There are 13 existing buildings with more than 60 rooms, including Dunhua Gate, Renzheng Hall and Dazao Hall. , Backyard, etc. The entire Changdeokgung Palace covers an area of ​​40.5 hectares, of which the back garden covers an area of ​​30 hectares.

In December 1997, it was designated as a World Cultural Heritage along with Suwon Hwaseong Fortress at the UNESCO World Heritage Committee.

History

Zhaojian

Changdeokgung Palace was built in the third year of Yongle in Ming Dynasty (1405, the fifth year of Emperor Taizong of the Joseon Dynasty). It is located at the foot of Beiyue Mountain in Seoul, the capital of Joseon Dynasty (now Seoul, South Korea). East Que. Changdeokgung Palace is the second palace built by the Joseon Dynasty following the construction of Gyeongbokgung Palace in the 28th year of Hongwu (1395, the fourth year of Joseon Taejo). When Emperor Taizong of the Joseon Dynasty ascended the throne, the capital of North Korea had been moved from Seoul (now Seoul, South Korea) to Kaesong. In October of the second year of Yongle in Ming Dynasty (1404), Taizong returned to Seoul and ordered the construction of a new Li Palace. In October of the second year (1405), the Li Palace was completed and named “Changdeok Palace”.

Later generations explained its name: “Prosperity is prosperous, and virtue is Tao. Prosperity is called sage, and Tao is also called sage. There is sage and then there is Tao. After Tao, there must be virtue. Only then can we be prosperous”, so it was named “” “Changdeokgung Palace” is “the meaning of Mianrenjun Changde”. When Changdeokgung was founded, there were buildings such as the main hall, the Baoping hall, the main hall, and the main bedroom. In the ninth year of Yongle (1411, the eleventh year of Emperor Taizong of the Joseon Dynasty), pavilions, dormitories, stone bridges (Jincheon Bridge), and the palace of the government were added.

In the tenth year of Yongle (1412, the twelfth year of Emperor Taizong of the Joseon Dynasty), Dunhua Gate was built, and various divisions were set up. In the sixteenth year of Yongle (1418, the eighteenth year of King Taejong of the Joseon Dynasty), the Chaoqi Hall was built, and the main hall of Changdeokgung, the Injeong Hall, was moved westward to the current site, and the three rooms were expanded to five rooms. In the seventeenth year of Yongle (1419, the first year of King Sejong of the Joseon Dynasty), the south corridor of the Hall of Injeong was built. In the fifth year of Cheonshun (1461, the seventh year of King Sejo of Joseon), the main halls in Changdeokgung were named, and in the seventh year of Cheonsoon (1463, the ninth year of King Sejo of Joseon), the palace wall was greatly expanded. The main palace gate was named in the eleventh year of Chenghua (1475, the sixth year of Chengjong of Joseon).

In the early period of the Joseon Dynasty, the king mainly used Gyeongbokgung Palace, and Changdeok Palace used less. It was at Changdeokgung Palace that the great ancestor of Joseon, Lee Sung-gyu, died. After Sungjong and Yeonsan-kun of Joseon, Changdeokgung became more frequently used. In the 20th year of Wanli (1592, the 25th year of the Joseon Dynasty), the Imjin Japanese Rebellion broke out, and Japan invaded Korea aggressively.

Rebuild

The Imjin Japanese Rebellion was later quelled with the assistance of the Korean and Ming Dynasty troops. After the Joseon Dynasty returned to Seoul, the Gyeongbokgung Palace or Changdeok Palace were not rebuilt, but the residence of the Great King of Wolsan was used as a temporary palace, called the palace. Qingyun Palace (now Deokshou Palace). After Gwanghae-kun ascended the throne, the reconstruction of the palace was still mentioned on the agenda. Due to the large scale of Gyeongbokgung Palace (782 palaces) and limited financial resources, the reconstruction of Changdeokgung Palace, which is relatively small (238 palaces), was given priority.

In the thirty-seventh year of Wanli (1609, the first year of Gwanghaejun), Gwanghaejun rebuilt Changdeokgung. But this new palace was also burned down when Injo was anyway. In the fourth year of Junji (1647, the 25th year of Injo of Joseon), Changdeokgung was rebuilt again. For this reason, Ingyeonggung, which was built by Gwanghae-kun at the foot of Inwang Mountain, was demolished, and most of the palaces were demolished and built into Changdeokgung. middle.

According to the records of “Repairing the Dogeum of Changdeokgung Palace”, when the Injo Dynasty rebuilt Changdeokgung, the Ingyeonggung Gwangjeongjeon Hall was relocated to the Xuanjeongjeon Hall of Changdeokgung Palace, and the Qingshou Hall and Hongjeongjeon Hall of Ingyeonggung Palace were relocated to Changdeokgung Daejeong Hall was built, and Hwajeongdang was relocated to Heejeongdang.

In addition, Qingji Hall of Renqing Palace was relocated to Baoqing Hall, Qingwa House to Tongming Hall, Wuyi Hall to Yanghe Hall, Qingyun Hall to Yanxi Hall, and Xianzhen Hall to Yanghe Hall. For Yanqingtang, Shoulutang and Bibiansi were relocated to Jingchun Hall, the back pavilion of Qingshou Hall was relocated to Hanren Pavilion, Zhengshun Hall to Chengguang Building, and Rende Hall to Taihe Hall. , Qingning Hall was moved to Zhaode Hall.

The South Moon Corridor of Hongzheng Gate was demolished and the East Moon Corridor of Renzheng Hall was built. In addition, other halls and porches of Renqing Palace were demolished, and Chucheng Hall (the East Palace of the Prince, which was not rebuilt after it was burnt down during the reign of Emperor Yingzu), Yuhua Hall, Jingran Hall, Burning Kitchen, Lantern House, Biejian Hall and other buildings were built.

Main Palace

In the forty-sixth year of Wanli (1618, the tenth year of Gwanghaejun), the main palace of the Joseon Dynasty was transferred from Gyeongun Palace to Changdeokgung Palace. In the following 250 years, Changdeokgung replaced Gyeongbokgung Palace and has been used as the main palace of North Korea. During the reign of Renzu, Zhao Guiren, a harem who colluded with the powerful minister Jin Zidian, buried the bones of children and trees dug from the cemetery in Changdeokgung and Changgyeonggung, and cursed Li Hao and Queen Zhuang Lie, who were still the prince’s sons, and Let Zhao Guiren’s son Chongshan take the throne.

Therefore, after Joseon Hyojong ascended the throne, repair works were carried out on Changdeokgung Palace and Changgyeonggong Palace. The project started on February 16 and ended on March 25 in the ninth year of Shunzhi (1652, the third year of Emperor Xiaozong of Joseon). Due to insufficient budget, 2,000 monks were recruited and assigned to live in Renqing Palace and Guanmiao to participate in the clean-up project. Due to the continuous excavation of ferocious and filthy things in the ground, long after the completion of the project, Joseon Hyojong did not return to the palace, but lived in Gyeongun Palace.

In order to support Concubine Ciyi, in the eleventh year of Shunzhi in the Qing Dynasty (1654, the fifth year of Emperor Xiaojong of the Joseon Dynasty), the Shoujing Hall of Changdeok Palace was repaired, and the Qinjing Pavilion, Qizhengtang and Pixian Pavilion of Gyeongdeok Palace (now Qingxi Palace) were demolished. , Guanwen Pavilion, Xiehe Building, Chenghui Building, Yuzaotang, Wanxiang Building and other buildings, Wanshou Palace and Chunhui Palace were built at the position of the original Qinjing Pavilion behind the Injeong Palace of Changdeokgung. In the 43rd year of Emperor Kangxi (1704, the 30th year of Emperor Suzong of Korea), a large newspaper altar was built in the back garden of Changdeokgung Palace to worship the emperor of the Ming Dynasty. When King Jeongjo of Joseon Dynasty, Kuijanggak was set up in Joho Tower in the back garden of Changdeokgung Palace, which is famous as the royal library.

On the evening of December 13, the eighth year of Jiaqing (1803, the third year of the Joseon Dynasty), the west corridor of Xuanzheng Palace, which handles daily government affairs, caught fire and extended to Xuanzheng Palace and the main hall of Changdeok Palace-Inzheng Palace. , and threatened the Xuanyuan Hall, which is enshrined in the west of Renzheng Hall.

The fire dealt a great blow to the King and Queen Jeongsun, and 15 days after the fire, it was decreed to stop listening to politics. In the ninth year of Jiaqing (1804, the fourth year of the Joseon Dynasty), the reconstruction of Injeong Hall began in August and was completed four months later. In the 25th year of Jiaqing (1820, the 20th year of the Joseon Dynasty), the “Dongque Map” was drawn, which has become the only image material that fully depicts the ancient Changdeok Palace.

In the ninth year of Daoguang (1829, the twenty-ninth year of the Joseon Dynasty), at noon on August 1, a fire broke out in Changqing Palace during the funeral for the son of Xiaoming. While raising funds for the rebuilding of Changqing Palace, Changdeok Palace caught fire on October 17th in the tenth year of Daoguang (1830, the thirty-third year of Chunzu). The fire started in the Dazao Hall of the dormitory and continued to burn to Xizheng Hall, Chengguang Building, Jingxun Pavilion, Yuhua Hall, Yangxin Pavilion, Longqingxuan, Xingfuxuan, Qizheng Pavilion, Quiet Hall, Kesui Zhai, Qingxiang Pavilion, Jixiang Gate, Sightseeing Hall, Burning Kitchen, Xingge Gate, etc.

This was the largest fire in the Joseon Palace after the Imjin Japanese Rebellion, and the inner palace area was completely reduced to ashes. At this time, Sunjo lived in Gyeonghee Palace, so Changdeokgung Palace was idle.

Since Changdeokgung was the only large palace in North Korea at that time and was used as the main palace, reconstruction work began ten days after the fire. First, the Dazao Hall, Xizheng Hall, and Chengguang Tower (the lower floor is Jingxun Pavilion), which preserves the gifts given by the Emperor Shenzong of the Ming Dynasty, were restored. In the following year, Xingfuxuan, Longqingxuan, Yuhua Hall, Yangxin Pavilion, Qizheng Pavilion, Quiet Hall, Kesui Zhai, Qingxiang Pavilion, Jixiangmen, Xuanpingmen, Xieyangmen, Yaohuimen, Tongchun were restored. Doors and other buildings.

The restoration project consisted of 2,000 common body trees, 3,000 large log trees, and 2,000 building columns, all of which were harvested from Jinseong, Ningwol, Nangcheon, Inje and other places in Gangwon-do. In order to prepare for the timber, the North Korean government issued a closure order prohibiting entry into the mountain. In September of the 14th year of Daoguang (1834, the 34th year of Chunzu), the reconstruction of Changdeok Palace was finally completed.

Later

In April of the fourth year of Tongzhi (1865, the second year of Emperor Gojong of the Joseon Dynasty), King Heungseon Daewon, the regent, decided to rebuild Gyeongbokgung Palace. (1868) In July, the royal family officially moved to Gyeongbokgung Palace. Since then, the main palace has been transferred, and Changdeokgung has once again become the Ligong Palace. However, there were twists and turns during the period.

In the thirteenth year of Tongzhi (1874, the eleventh year of Emperor Gojong), due to the explosion of Gyeongbokgung Palace, the royal family moved to Changdeok Palace again. In June of the eighth year of Guangxu (1882, the nineteenth year of Emperor Gaozong), due to the bad omen of “horse entering the palace” in Changdeokgung, Emperor Gaozong decided to move back to Gyeongbokgung Palace. However, due to the “Renwu Mutiny” The relocation plan was discontinued due to the outbreak, and he continued to live in Changdeokgung Palace.

In December of the tenth year of Guangxu (1884, the 21st year of Emperor Gaozong), the “Jiashen Coup” broke out, and Changdeok Palace became the battlefield of the Qing and Japanese armies and was damaged, so in the next year (1885) the first month The royal family moved to Gyeongbokgung Palace. In the following 20 years, Changdeokgung was almost abandoned, and the grass was full of grass. In the first year of Yonghee (1907), the Korean Empire Junjong Li Shu, along with the Junzhengxiao Empress Yoon and Crown Prince Li Eun, moved Changdeokgung Palace from Gyeongun Palace (Deoksugung Palace). The residence of the last royal family of the Joseon Dynasty.

On August 22, the fourth year of Longxi (1910), Junjong and his ministers held the last imperial meeting of the Korean Empire in Xingfuxuan, Changdeokgung, and the meeting decided to merge Japan and South Korea. With the signing of the “Japan-Korea Merger Treaty”, the Korean Empire and the Joseon Dynasty, which lasted for five hundred years, were destroyed, and Junjong continued to live in Changdeokgung, and was called “King Lee of Changdeokgung”. In the sixth year of Taisho (1917, the tenth year of Junjong), Changdeokgung had another fire, and the Daejojeon and Heejeongdang were rebuilt afterward, but they were not restored, but had a strong Japanese style. After the death of Chunjong, the Chunzhengxiao Empress Yoon and Lee Eun’s wife, Lee Fangzi, lived in Changdeokgung’s Leshantang until 1989.

After 1954, Changdeokgung was nationalized by the government of the Republic of Korea and gradually opened to the public. In 1963, it was designated as Historic Site No. 122 by the Korean government, and the Injeongjeon Hall of Changdeokgung Palace was listed as a national treasure of the Republic of Korea. In 1997, at the UNESCO World Heritage Committee held in Naples, Italy, Changdeokgung Palace and Suwon Hwaseong Fortress were listed as World Heritage Sites.

Changdeokgung Palace was rebuilt with the original appearance as a reference, so it can still maintain the original style. There are 13 buildings and 28 pavilions. Changdeokgung Palace has a lot of historical and architectural value, and the Korean drama “Dae Jang Geum” was once filmed in Furong Pond in the palace. Since it is a world cultural heritage, a cultural heritage tour guide escort system is implemented. You must visit a designated tour guide group to enter the palace. Every Thursday, there is a free visit system. Visitors can enter the palace by themselves, but the admission fee is more expensive. Therefore, it is better to join a guided tour.