Mount Inwang towers over Gyeonghui Palace in downtown Seoul, as seen on this 2015 photograph. Korea Instances photograph by Jon Dunbar
By Jon Dunbar
Korea has 4 seasons. Seoul has 5 royal palaces. These numbers have been set in stone for years, pushed into us at each alternative. However these days, we have been seeing point out of solely 4 palaces in downtown Seoul.
The Okay-Royal Tradition Pageant occurs at solely 4 palaces. Solely 4 palaces provide free entry throughout Chuseok. Nevertheless, the latter could also be attributable to the truth that the fifth, Gyeonghui Palace (or Gyeonghuigung as pronounced in Korean), by no means fees admission. Even the Korea Tourism Group neglects to say this redheaded stepchild of palaces, as a substitute directing individuals’s consideration to Jongmyo Shrine.
So what provides? The place is the love for Gyeonghui Palace?
Three international consultants on Seoul historical past and tourism contacted by The Korea Instances have been divided on the palace’s significance, however all agreed on the royal palaces in central Seoul numbering six, not 4 and never 5. And no, the sixth is just not Jongmyo, which is a royal ancestral shrine for previous kings of the 1392-1910 Joseon Dynasty.
“Gyeonghuigung is No. 6, the place you go if each different palace is closed or full,” stated David A. Mason, a retired professor of tourism. “However there’s one side of it I really like, the far-rear ‘backyard’ of naked rock, with a bit spring, which the king reportedly liked — in actual fact, why he constructed the palace there.”
He added that his choose for the fifth palace was Unhyeon Palace, which had been the residence of Heungseon Daewongun, father of King Gojong, in addition to the king himself till he ascended the throne at age 12.
Joe McPherson, founding father of The Darkish Aspect of Seoul ghost excursions, additionally stated central Seoul has six palaces, however he gave the sixth spot to Ingyeong Palace, which is modern-day Seochon.
“There are actually SIX palaces. One was beginning building and was dismantled. It is now a park,” he stated. He added that this was mentioned in The Darkish Aspect of Seoul podcast episode on Gyeonghui Palace, titled “The Most Haunted Palace in Korea.”
Gyeonghui Palace started building within the 1600s through the reign of King Gwanghaegun. It served about 10 Joseon kings. It’s located west of the opposite palaces, on a slanted piece of land, with a panoramic view of Mount Inwang to the north, which dominates the palace’s surrounding surroundings.
Surroundings of Gyeonghui Palace, April 16, 2019 / Korea Instances photograph by Jon Dunbar
Mason additionally addressed the geomantic significance of the palace’s location.
“It’s the finish level for the nice ‘pungsu jiri’ (feng shui geomantic power) that runs from the mighty peaks of Mount Inwang down by way of the Dangun and Sajik shrines, then lastly stops there,” he defined. “I do really feel a optimistic ‘power’ there and expertise happiness; the water is superb, too. Past that time additional south is dangerous pungsu jiri — Jeong-dong, which is why Taejong’s stepmother-queen’s tomb was there and why they put the foreigners there.”
Shawn Morrissey, one of many guides at The Darkish Aspect of Seoul Ghost Walks, had nicer issues to say about Gyeonghui Palace.
“I say particularly on my tour that the palace is my favourite. It is the underdog, the lesser-known one, and the one which tends to get the least quantity of consideration. I’ve sympathy for the underdog,” he stated. “Gyeonghuigung has been ignored and ignored for years. Jongmyo has been included on the record of the ‘5 Palaces’ for ages, which is weird and traditionally deceptive.”
Morrissey, who visits the palace a couple of occasions every week whereas main excursions, stated he is observed a rise in individuals utilizing the park surrounding it in current months.
Shawn Morrissey visits Gyeonghui Palace in central Seoul through the Darkish Aspect of Seoul Ghost Stroll, Nov. 15, 2023. Korea Instances photograph by Jon Dunbar
Customer statistics for the 4 different palaces (plus Jongmyo) are collected by the Korea Heritage Service (KHS), nevertheless it doesn’t monitor the variety of individuals coming to Gyeonghui Palace. An official on the KHS defined that this palace, in contrast to the others, is within the arms of the Seoul Metropolitan Authorities, which additionally runs the museum subsequent door.
The official stated this distinction in administration is the rationale why Gyeonghui Palace is just not included within the Okay-Royal Tradition Pageant.
“Ideally, the Korea Heritage Service would handle Gyeonghui Palace as effectively, however as a result of buy by Seoul Metropolis and differing pursuits, this isn’t at present the case,” the official stated.
“Not like the 4 different main palaces, Gyeonghui Palace possesses fewer archaeological options. The opposite 4 palaces nonetheless have many archaeological options to be unearthed. Though it’s a royal palace, its cultural and historic worth is taken into account diminished.”
The KHS official additionally pointed to historic causes for Gyeonghui Palace’s diminished respect.
“Gyeonghui Palace was initially a lot bigger than what stays at this time, with most of its surrounding land having been bought or granted to the general public by the Japanese colonial authorities through the 1910-45 Japanese occupation,” she stated.
In the course of the 1910-45 Japanese occupation, it was utterly dismantled and changed with a boys’ college. The varsity was constructed on the identical platform, with the identical stone stairs, probably as an indication of disrespect to Joseon’s legacy, based on some historical past consultants, however that seems to be what saved it from disappearing utterly.
After liberation, the varsity turned Gyeongsong Center Faculty, later renamed Seoul Excessive Faculty, which vacated the placement and moved to Gangnam in 1987. Reconstruction of the palace started within the Nineteen Nineties when Seoul introduced plans to rebuild the 5 Grand Palaces. Nevertheless, as a result of lack of room within the surrounding space, solely a few third of the palace has been reconstructed.
A college constructing stands on the location of Gyeonghui Palace, as seen on this historic photograph on show on the palace in central Seoul, Oct. 25, 2015. Korea Instances photograph by Jon Dunbar
Close by the palace stand Seoul Museum of Historical past and Donuimun Museum Village. It has been broadly reported that Donuimun Museum Village shall be closed, and there has even been hypothesis that the historical past museum could be relocated.
Morrissey known as the plans for the world “daft.”
“The present plans for the grounds and the world are a bit daft, tearing down the museum village particularly — although tearing down the village that was there initially was additionally daft,” he stated. “I feel the federal government and the heritage committees would possibly really feel Gyeonghuigung’s grounds are too totally different from the opposite 4 grounds, maybe lackluster compared, in order that they have not been energetic in selling Gyeonghuigung. I feel they’re going forward with this plan to spruce it up.”
McPherson dismissed the plans as mere rumors.
“There is a rumor that they are going to give Gyeonghuigung an growth and overhaul,” he stated. “I imply, there’s no less than one information article about it, however with Korean organizations’ behavior of saying s— that by no means occurs, I am calling it a rumor. Shawn and I are already getting ready to change our excursions if this occurs.”
A metropolis authorities official confirmed that particular facility plans haven’t but been finalized and shall be developed when the challenge is initiated subsequent 12 months. In the meanwhile, the town is specializing in inspecting and upkeep work on comfort amenities across the palace, with plans to hold out restore work on the deteriorating pavement resulting in Sungjeongmun, the internal gate of the palace, in addition to areas which have been eroded as a result of unevenness of the encompassing terrain.
“Seoul Metropolis acknowledges that sure palaces are clearly designated as cultural heritage websites that require strict administration, which is why the federal government invests funds to make sure their upkeep,” the official stated. “Nevertheless, within the case of Gyeonghui Palace, it isn’t acknowledged as a cultural heritage website. This lack of readability about what needs to be preserved has resulted in inadequate authorities funding and administration. Consequently, correct care and promotion of the location haven’t been adequately addressed.”
Korea Instances intern Kim Hyo-jae contributed to the reporting of this text.
