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Gyoungju Historic Areas |
The
Gyeongju Historic Areas contain a remarkable
concentration of outstanding examples of Korean
Buddhist art, in the form of sculptures, reliefs,
pagodas, and the remains of temples and palaces
from the flowering of this form of unique
artistic expression. Gyeongju City and its
surroundings have inherited traces of the
glory that flowered and withered in the ancient
Silla Kingdom (57 BCE-CE 935).
The centre of the town and its suburbs contain
many royal burial mounds and Buddhist remains
which preserve this apogee of art and culture.
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The
capital of the Joseon kingdom was moved from Gaeseong
in the north to Hanyang(today's Seoul) in 1392, but construction
on the palace actually began in October of 1404 during
the 4th year of the reign of King Taejong Construction
of the main building Jeongjeon began in February of 1405
and was completed in October of the same year.
Excavations continue to reveal the buried secrets of this
enchanted city. Before the arrival of Buddhism in the
early Silla period, Mount Namsan in Gyeongju City was
worshipped as one of the five sacred mountains. It was
the seat of a refined form of shamanism with elements
of native cults, fetishism, and animism. With the spread
of Buddhism it became the earthly representation of Sumeru,
the heavenly mountain of the Buddhist lands. Its gorges
and ridges are embellished with granite pagodas, filigree
works, pottery buried in the earth for more than a thousand
years, impressive royal graves and palace sites, and stone
sculptures and rock-cut reliefs of Buddha. It is a treasure
house of thousands of relics that embody Buddhist benevolence
and law. The Buddhism of the Silla Kingdom was intimately
linked with its sovereign power, with social and state
affairs, and with family well-being. The Gyeongju historic
areas constitute a reserve of materials for studying Buddhist
culture and the arts of the Far East. The ruins of Wolseong,
the Half Moon Palace, the many temple and fortress sites,
including Hwangnyongsa, the Temple of the Yellow Dragon,
huge royal mounds, and ancient wells and bridges have
provided a wealth of archaeological data and will continue
to do so. The legends of the Gyeongju Kim clan, the family
that ruled throughout most of the Silla Kingdom, are located
in the serene woods of Gyerim. Cheomseongdae is the most
exquisite example of an astronomical observatory in the
Orient. The Gyeongju Historic areas may be considered
to be an outdoor museum housing many cultural properties
centred on Mount Namsan and its surroundings. The craftsmen
of the Silla Kingdom worked stone and wood with spontaneity
and great artistry. |
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After
the Japanese Occupation which began in 1910 however, parts
of the palace grounds were rearranged, partially destroyed,
and even taken to Japan. As with the other palaces, Changdeokgung
Palace also had many of its auxiliary buildings removed,
and in general the grounds lost much of their authenticity.
Changdeokgung Palace was ideally located, however: to
the east was Changgyeonggung Palace, to the southeast
was Jongmyo (site of the royal family's ancestral tablets
and memorial shrines), and to the west was official residence,Gyeongbokgung
Palace.
The main structures of Changdeokgung Palace include the
gate, Donhwamun, the beautiful granite bridge Geumcheongyo,
and the Injeongjeon which served for official state functions.
The Seonjeongjeon was used for affairs of state between
the king and his ministers. The Daejojeon served as the
queen's guarders as well as the king's sleeping quarters,
and as educational quarters for the princes. The original
quarters were destroyed on several occasions, and during
the Japanese Occupation the existing quarters became somewhat
westernized. The current quarters are a combination of
both Korean and western styles.
Other major buildings on the palace grounds included Hamwonjeon,
Gyeonghungak, Gajeongdang, Eochago, Naeuiwon and Seongjeonggak,
the Gwanmulhon, the old Seonwonjeon, Nakseonje, Chwiwunjeong,
Hanjeongdang, Sangnyangjeong, Manwolmun, Sunghwaru, Samsamwa,
and Chilbunso.
A particularly distinctive feature of Changdeokgung Palace
is the fact that it was built with minimum effect on the
natural environment and designed to harmonize with nature
as completely as possible. Buildings were designed and
constructed to blend easily with the immediate surroundings
and even directions were given careful consideration in
planning and building. Space was utilized to provide distinctly
different atmospheres throughout the grounds. Also, careful
consideration was given to provide continuous yet different
views from each site on the grounds.
At the same time, however, the grounds retained a great
deal of privacy for palace life, as evidenced by the small
number of entrances. But there is a large number of artifacts
which have been preserved to inform us of life in the
inner world of the palace. And even today, Changdeokgung
Palace remains the most Korean of all palaces. |
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at Haeinsa
Temple
