Gyeongbokgung Palace & Secret Garden in the Rain

We were fortunate to enjoy good weather throughout our 9-day tour of South Korea except on the 5 May 2023. On that particular day when, it was raining intermittently from 9.30am to 12.30pm when we toured Gyeongbokgung in Seoul. Entry to the Secret Garden however is a guided tour. We joined the very first group who was led by a Korean lady who spoke perfect English.

The original Gyeongbokgung (景福宮) built in 1395 was the royal palace of the Joseon Dynasty. The original palace was destroyed in a fire during the Japanese invasion of Korea in the 1590's. 

During the reign of Daewongun in 1867, the royal palace was reconstructed within a massive compound that occupied almost 433,000 sq. m (43 Ha) of land. The massive complex consisted of 330 buildings and 5,792 rooms. It was then the pride of the Korea.

But similar to many countries ruled by monarchy, monarchy could not stand the test of time. The Korean monarchy too was disposed after the defeat of Japan at the end of World War II in 1945. 

In the 19th century, a very significant number of these destroyed buildings were restored. The design of these restored buildings was based on the architecture of the ancient Korean royal court.

In early 20th century, much of these restored buildings were destroyed again by the Japanese during the latter aggressive expansion of the Japanese Empire.

What we see today within the walled palace complex are buildings restored since the 1990's. Since Korea was once ruled by Kublai Khan under Mongol Empire or the Yuan Dynasty in China, much of the Gyeongbokgung has the architectural features of the Chinese old buildings of the Yuan Dynasty.

In terms of size, grandeur and extravagance, it dwarfs against the Forbidden City of China.  The Forbidden City occupies 720,000 sq. m (72 Ha) with 980 buildings and close to 8,900 rooms!

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A significant time spent in the Palace compound was touring the Secret Garden of Changgyeonggung (昌德宮). Changgyeonggung Palace was loved by the kings of the Joseon Dynasty. It is surrounded by spacious gardens and a series of lotus ponds. 

Buyongji.

An ingenious old design of door hinge.

Beautiful pavilion built next to the lotus pond.

Aeryeonji.

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Injeongjeon (仁政殿) is the throne hall where the kings had audiences with ministers, official ceremonies and receptions of foreign envoys.

This compound of Injeongjeon is quite different compared to the Forbidden City in China. There are specific designated areas for each grade of civil servants or government officials to line up and assemble. Apparently, in the old days in China and Korea, there are eighteen grades or ranks for government officials. To climb the ladder upward, an official needed exceptional quality and possessed the skill to manoeuvre through the network of bureaucracy and even the hidden power held by the concubines!