Kenneth E. Harker
2008 Korea - Changdeokgung

We visited Changdeokgung on a hot, sunny Saturday morning. Changdeokgung was one of the five major royal palaces in Seoul built for the kings of the Joseon dynasty (which ruled Korea from 1392 to 1910). It was first constructed over a seven year period from 1405 to 1412 by King Taejong. The palace was burnt to the ground by the Japanese during the invasion in 1592 and rebuilt by King Seonjo in 1609. From 1609 to 1872, when Gyeongbokgung was rebuilt, it was used as the primary seat of royal government. Unlike the more formal Gyeongbokgung, the layout of the palace is asymmetric, and designed to harmonize with the natural shape and aesthetics of the land, retaining most of the indigenous tree cover. The palace is also well known for the "secret garden", a 78 acre (32 ha) walled garden with 26,000 trees that was reserved for use of the royal household. Changdeokgung is recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site and can only be visited by guided tour.

These photos are copyright © 2008 Kenneth E. Harker. All rights reserved.

	Donhwamun Gate, the main gate to Changdeokgung. Originally built in 1412, this gate dates back to the restoration of 1609, making it about 399 years old. The tri-color circular symbols painted on the gate underneath the higher roofline are called sam taegeuk. The red represents heaven, the blue represents earth, and the yellow represents man. A two-color taeguk with just red and blue is used prominently in the South Korean flag, and is often used as a nationalistic symbol.
	Many of the trees inside Changdeokgung are over 300 years old.
	A water canal inside the palace grounds. To take this photo, I was standing on Geumchongyo Bridge, the oldest stone bridge in Seoul, built in 1411. It was believed that entering the palace by crossing over flowing water was auspicious and would prevent harm.
	Injeongmun Gate, the gate leading to the courtyard with the royal throne building.
	Injeongjeon, the throne hall for the king of Korea. In Korean royal palaces, the relative importance of a building could be ascertained by the number of figures decorated the rooflines. Injeongjeon has nine figures on each roofline, indicating that it is the most important building in the palace.
	Injeongjeon was the largest and most imposing building in the palace.
	Stone markers in the courtyard in front of Injeongjeon. These stone indicate where various civil and military courtiers were to stand during official court ceremonies and affairs of state.
	A stone lion decorating a staircase at Injeongjeon.
	The traditional style and colors of painting on the underside of the roofs in the royal palace is called dancheong, which literally means "cinnabar and blue-green" in Korean. Almost all of the palace buildings we visited were painted in dancheong colors and designs. The chicken wire is to prevent birds from trying to nest in the roofs.
	More of the dancheong decorations underneath the roof of Injeongjeon.
	The royal throne inside Injeongjeon. A copy of the same royal screen painting behind the throne would be present at every royal palace in Korea. The painting features five mountain peaks, the sun, and the moon. The painting reinforces the idea that the king is central to the connections between the heaven and the earth and creating a balanced universe. The screen painting began being used by Joseon kings in the mid-sixteenth century.
	The European-style electric light chandeliers were added by Emperor Sunjong, the last monarch of Korea, in 1908.
	Our tour group walking in front of the gated entrance to Heuijeongdang, the king's residence.
	The gate into Heuijeongdang.
	The blue tile roof of Seonjeongjeon as seen from the courtyard of the king's residence. This building was used by the king for dealing with state affairs on a day-to-day basis. The building was most recently rebuilt in 1647 and is the only building in Changdeokgung with a blue roof.
	Some of the details on the roof of Heuijeongdang. It was difficult to take a good photo of the entire building, as the courtyard around it was so close.
	The dancheong on Heuijeongdang.
	Details on the tiles topping one of the courtyard walls surrounding the king's residence.
	The decorative details on the side of the roof of Heuijeongdang include a repeating swastika pattern common in Buddhist religious symbology.
	Some of the furnishings inside Heuijeongdang. This is representative of how the residence might have been furnished in the late nineteenth century or early twentieth century.
	A covered walkway connecting two buildings in the compound of the king's residence.
	Our tour guide, standing in front of Daejojeon, the queen's residence. Like Heuijeongdang, it was difficult to photograph the entire building because of surrounding courtyard buildings.
	Some of the furnishings inside Daejojeon, typical of the final decades of the Joseon dynasty.
	The dancheong on the underside of the roof of Daejojeon.
	A sundial in the palace.
	This electric light fixture is an example of some of the renovations made to the palace in 1908 by Emperor Sunjong.
	Our tour guide explains that this basin held water primarily for use in first response to fires. At the end of the tour, she told us that we were her first English language guided tour of the palace.
	A corner of Daejojeon, showing some details of the windows, and one of the chimneys for the underfloor ondol heating system.
	Another covered walkway connecting palace buildings together. Because of the underfloor heating systems, the ground floor was sometimes several feet above ground.
	One of the chimneys behind the queen's residence.
	The decorative tile in the chimneys included cranes, fruit, and other auspicious symbols.
	Many of the buildings in Changdeokgung were close to shade trees like these pines.
	A major portion of the Changdeokgung palace was Huwon, the "secret garden" adjacent to the queen's residence, much of which was simply natural woodland with walking paths.
	Some of the trees in Huwon.
	Two garden pavilions. The one on the left is called Seohyanggak and the one slightly higher up the hill on the right is Juhamnu. The small gate in front was locked.
	Some gnarled trees in front of the small gate leading to Seohyanggak Pavilion. The paint on the pavilion in the background was quite faded and in need of being restored. On the larger gate, you can see sam taegeuk symbols.
	Buyongjeong Pavilion, partially extending over Buyongji Pond.
	Buyongjeong Pavilion. This pavilion did not have an underfloor heating system and would probably not have been used in winter. In the background is Eosumun Gate.
	This pavilion was called Yeonghwadang. It had a couple of small enclosed rooms, but was mostly open to the garden.
	Yeonghwadang Pavilion from another angle. This pavilion did have an underfloor heating system for winter use.
	Seohyanggak Pavilion, as seen across the Buyongji Pond. Our tour stopped at this pond for fifteen minutes before proceeding.
	Ken and Jen.
	Tom and Ken.
	Jen and Tom. The modern building in the background housed restrooms and a kiosk selling drinks.
	Some of the palace buildings behind a garden wall.
	Aeryeongjeong Pavilion at Aerjeongji Pond, another pond filled with lotus plants. To enter the portion of the garden with this pond, we all had to pass through the Bollomun Gate, whose name translates roughly to "Longevity Gate".
	A stone staircase on one of the paths through the woods in the Huwon Garden.
	A wooded hillside inside Huwon Garden.
	Nakseonjae and surrounding outbuildings. Nakseonjae was originally used as the residence of the crown prince, but the complex of buildings was renovated in 1847 and used as the personal residence of King Heonjong (1827-1849, reigned 1834-1849). The small pavilion in the upper left center of the photo is called Chwiunjeong, and it was built in 1686. Unlike other parts of the palace, none of these buildings are decorated with dancheong artwork. This complex of buildings was used as the final royal household and was occupied by Crown Princess Bangja Lee until her death in 1989.