Seoul, Imperial Palace of the Korean Empire, Deoksugung Palace

In Seoul, you can find five palaces from the Joseon Dynasty. The five major palaces of the Joseon Dynasty are Gyeongbokgung, Changdeokgung, Changgyeonggung, Gyeonghuigung, and Deoksugung.

In the 500-year history of the Joseon Dynasty, Gyeongbokgung and Changdeokgung were primarily at the center. In contrast, Deoksugung was a palace that did not receive much attention during the Joseon Dynasty era.

However, during the Korean Empire era, Deoksugung became significant as it became the central stage of modern Korean history.

“The Beginning of Deoksugung as the Mansion of Prince Wolsan”

Originally, Deoksugung was the site of the house of Jo Yeong-dal, who was implicated in the rebellion in the first year of Yejong (1469). Due to his treason, Jo Yeong-dal’s house was confiscated by the court, and in the first year of Seongjong (1470), King Seongjong granted this place to Lady Song, the wife of Prince Yeongnyeong, Sejong’s eighth son. A year later, when Lady Song dedicated this house back to the royal palace, it was renamed Yeongeunggung and became a secondary palace of the royal family.

In 1472 (Seongjong 3rd year), it was decided to build a shrine for Uigyeong, the son of the Crown Prince. Prince Wolsan, Uigyeong’s eldest son, took charge of the ancestral rites and received this place as his residence. Thus, Yeongeunggung became Prince Wolsan’s mansion and the place where the ancestral rites of Uigyeong were performed. In 1475 (Seongjong 6th year), Uigyeong’s ancestral tablet was moved to Yeoneunjeon inside Gyeongbokgung, and Yeongeunggung remained only as Prince Wolsan’s residence.

After Seongjong, this place was known as Prince Wolsan’s residence and was nothing more than the house of a prince. However, after about a century, Prince Wolsan’s residence took center stage in history.

“Temporary Palace in Jeongreung-dong”

During the Japanese invasions of Korea, when King Seonjo took refuge in Uiju and returned after the crisis, finding all the palaces inside the city walls (Gyeongbokgung, Changdeokgung, Changgyeonggung) burnt down, he had to use Prince Wolsan’s residence in Jeongreung-dong as a temporary palace. The reason why Prince Wolsan’s residence was intact was because the Japanese forces used this place as their headquarters. However, as Prince Wolsan’s residence was too small to function as a palace, the surrounding houses were requisitioned, and the palace was expanded and connected.

Looking at the remaining buildings in Deoksugung today, except for the buildings built during the era of the Korean Empire like Jungwhajeon and Seokjojeon, the older buildings such as Jeongjodang and Seokeodang make the palace appear more like a powerful nobleman’s house than an actual palace.

King Seonjo continued to reside in Jeongreung-dong Palace after escaping to Andong during the Japanese invasions. He witnessed the completion of Changdeokgung, which was under reconstruction.

“Elevated to Gyeongungung by King Gwanghaegun”

In 1601, during the first year of King Gwanghaegun, Changdeokgung was finally completed. However, King Gwanghaegun was not satisfied with the construction and ordered supplementary work, so he stayed in Jeongreung-dong Palace for about two more years. Later, he moved to Changdeokgung, but he returned to Jeongreung-dong Palace again and stayed for a long time. The reason was probably that he disliked Changdeokgung due to geomantic reasons. King Gwanghaegun hastily built various palaces such as Ingyeongung and Gyeonghuigung mainly because he didn’t want to reside in Changdeokgung. King Gwanghaegun eventually bestowed the name “Gyeongungung” upon Jeongreung-dong Palace, officially elevating it to a palace. He conducted extensive construction within the palace grounds, including the construction of several new buildings. However, when the construction of Ingyeonggung and Gyeongdeokgung (Gyeonghuigung) began, materials became scarce, and the newly built buildings in Gyeongungung were dismantled and used for the construction of Gyeongdeokgung. He also relocated Queen Inmokbi (Queen Inmok) here.

Later, when King Injo took power through the Injo Counter-rebellion, he held his coronation ceremony in Jeongreung-dong Palace, specifically in Jeongjodang. This was not what King Injo wanted, but rather a decision made entirely by Queen Inmokbi. Although Changdeokgung was almost completely abandoned due to the Injo Counter-rebellion, Injeongjeon and its surrounding annexes, as well as a few other buildings, were fortunately not damaged in Gyeongungung. King Injo, therefore, wanted to hold the coronation ceremony in Changdeokgung to secure legitimacy. However, unexpectedly, when Queen Inmokbi ordered, “Prince Neungyang (Injo) should come to Gyeongungung himself,” a power struggle ensued between the future king and Queen Inmokbi. In the end, Prince Neungyang (Injo) came to Gyeongungung, prostrated himself before Queen Inmokbi, and only after a long persuasion ceremony was he able to hold the coronation. However, although the coronation was held in Gyeongungung, King Injo immediately left Gyeongungung and entered Changdeokgung, which had been reduced to ashes by fire.

Through King Injo’s actions, Gyeongungung was left with only two small buildings compared to the time of Jeongreung-dong Palace. Afterward, apart from establishing the Byeolgung Myeongryegung for the purpose of managing land and property within the royal family, apart from managing the royal family’s land and property within the royal family, Gyeongungung became a forgotten palace in history for about 274 years until the 1880s.

“Imperial Palace of the Korean Empire”

After the Injo Counter-rebellion, this place was neglected for a long time until about 274 years later, in 1897 (Year 2 of Geonyang), when Emperor Gojong returned to Gyeongungung after the Eulsa Treaty and the forced acts of pro-Japanese activities. Gojong lived in Gyeongungung until his death, and thereafter, important events of the Korean Empire took place in Gyeongungung. However, in November 1907, when Emperor Sunjong returned to Changdeokgung, the status of the royal palace (Hwanggung) also moved to Changdeokgung.

At the time of Emperor Gojong’s succession, Gyeongungung was in a state of near obscurity, to the extent that even the name of Gyeongungung was forgotten in private records such as “Han Gyeong Ji Ryeok.” It was introduced as ‘Myeonggyeonggung (Bright Celebratory Palace),’ a small palace of the royal family. The reason Gojong showed affection for the abandoned and narrow Myeonggyeonggung, which originally was a private residence and now only had two buildings remaining, was mainly because it was close to the Russian Legation, the American Legation, the British Legation, and other foreign legations. This area was densely populated with foreign legations. In addition to the American and British Legations, there were also the French Legation and the German Mission. Therefore, this area was called the Legation Quarter. Moreover, mainly foreign missionaries from the United States and the United Kingdom, among others, stayed in this area, making it a place similar to a Western or semi-Western area within Hanyang. As King Gojong vividly remembered the incident when the Japanese army surrounded and occupied Gyeongbokgung during the First Sino-Japanese War and the Eulmi Incident, he considered Gyeongungung, surrounded by foreign legations, especially vital as a location where no country, especially Japan, could launch a military provocation.

While staying at the Russian Legation, King Gojong prepared for his return to Gyeongungung by ordering the construction of Gyeongungung in 1896 (Year 1 of Geonyang). Gyeongungung was in a state where it had been greatly reduced in size since it was first built in the first year of Injo (1623). Originally, only two buildings, Jeokjodang and Seokeodang, remained from the original Myeonggyeonggung. Naturally, it was almost impossible to use it as a royal palace. Gojong first urgently built the necessary buildings such as Hamnyeongjeon, Bogeumgang, and Seonwonjeon, where the portraits of the ancestors of the king were enshrined. Then, in February 1897 (Year 2 of Geonyang), Gojong moved to Gyeongungung. Until Jonghwajeon, a new main hall, was completed in 1902 (Year 6 of Gwangmu), Gyeongungung used Jeokjodang for five years.

Gojong continued extensive construction to transform Gyeongungung into a royal palace. Although it was said to be renovating and reconstructing the old palace on the surface, since there were originally only two buildings remaining in Gyeongungung, it was essentially a massive construction project that was closer to building an entirely new palace. In particular, the central hall, Jonghwajeon, was built in a two-story style mimicking the architectural style of the Ming and Qing Dynasties, in contrast to the single-story Myeongjeongjeon of Changgyeonggung and the Sungjeongjeon of Gyeongheegung. While building traditional Oriental-style buildings around Jonghwajeon, new buildings were also constructed in a Western style like Dondeokjeon and a pseudo-Oriental style like Jeonggwanheon. Additionally, a stone main hall intended for use as a Western-style main hall, Seokjojeon, was also begun at this time. Perhaps due to its large scale, it was completed after the relocation of the capital.

The construction of Gyeongungung in 1902 (Year 6 of Gwangmu) was first completed to a certain extent, and major buildings including Jonghwajeon were completed. Until then, for five years, the central hall of Gyeongungung was Jeokjodang. Looking at the photos from that time, it can be seen that the size of Gyeongungung, completed in 1902, was much larger than it is now.

“Deoksugung, the Central Stage of Modern and Contemporary Korean History”

Deoksugung stood at the center of the late modern and contemporary history of Korea. It is also the place where the Eulsa Treaty was signed in 1905 (Year 9 of Gwangmu) due to Japanese coercion and the anti-Japanese movements of the March 1st Movement.

“The Harmony of Modern and Traditional Architecture”

Deoksugung was a palace that stood at the center of the history of the Korean Empire. Therefore, compared to other palaces of the Joseon Dynasty, you can see more modern architecture here. When compared to palaces like Gyeongbokgung, Changdeokgung, and Changgyeonggung, which are undergoing restoration, Deoksugung clearly embraces Western-style architecture to a greater extent.

Among the modern architectural structures, the traditional Joseon palace-style buildings coexist, allowing visitors to feel the flow of time and change from the late Joseon era to the modern era.

“Deoksugung Reduced to Less than a Third of its Size during the Korean Empire Era”

Deoksugung endured hardships during the Japanese colonial period and the Korean War. As a result, its current area has decreased to less than a third of its size during the Korean Empire era. Deoksugung has been diminished compared to its former extent.

“Gradual Restoration of Deoksugung”

Deoksugung is currently undergoing gradual restoration. However, as other buildings have already been erected on the land that was once Deoksugung, complete restoration is highly likely to be impossible.

Despite this, Deoksugung remains a prominent landmark in Seoul, creating a harmonious landscape of the past and present within the modern buildings surrounding it. The palace is open to visitors in the evenings as well, allowing them to experience the unique atmosphere of the palace grounds at night.

The entrance fee for individuals is currently 1,000 Korean Won, and visitors can also enjoy cultural explanations and events for free at designated times. Deoksugung serves as a place where you can experience a variety of sights and activities.

In summary, Deoksugung is a central site in the modern and contemporary history of South Korea. It has witnessed significant historical events, including the signing of the Eulsa Treaty in 1905. The palace showcases a blend of modern and traditional architectural styles, providing a unique perspective on the evolution of Korean history. Although its size has significantly decreased from its Korean Empire era dimensions, Deoksugung continues to hold cultural and historical significance in the heart of Seoul.

“Seoul, the Heart of Modern and Contemporary History in South Korea, Deoksugung Palace”