Gyeongbukgung

Alright, I'm back to blogging after a bit of a intermission. The craziness of the first week of classes prevented me from posting these last few entries. Hopefully once the groove the semester begins, I will be able to post on a consistent basis. Bear with me!

The Anyang group

March 1st marked the national holiday March 1st Movement Day. It is a government holiday that remembers the Korean freedom fighters who protested the occupation of Japan in 1919. It marked the beginning of more widespread discontent of the Japanese occupation, which set into motion both nationalistic sentiment internally in Korea as well as gave hope to the Korean government in exile in Shanghai. While it would be almost 25 more years before Korea would be free, the sacrifices of these Koreans in this movement installed the notion of a free Korea and increased the amount of protest within the colonized state. 

The main hall where the king conducted governmental affairs.

Initially for this holiday, a group of international students from Anyang were planning to visit Dongdaemun prison, which was a place where many of these freedom fighters were tortured and killed. But because of the crowds at the prison, we decided to postpone our tour of the prison and visit Gyeongbukgung Palace, which has relevance in both ancient and colonial Korean history.

The elaborate design of regal Korean architecture. 

Gyeongbukgung was built in 1395 during the Joseon dynasty. It was the largest and most elaborate palace during the Josean period. It was the main palace for the Kings of Joseon and was the location of all legislative dealings. 

Traditional floor heaters

It was destroyed first during the Japanese invasion of the 1500's and restored in 1867. It was then partially destroyed and converted into the main government hall for the Imperial Japanese government in Colonial Korea. It has been partially restored progressively since the end of the Korean war, but the scars of the past in the absent buildings on the palace grounds are evidence of its tragic past. However, restored Gyeongbukgung is a testament to the reclaiming of the history and cultural heritage of the past by Koreans today. The buildings have been restored through the detailed guides written and preserved from the original architects of the palace. While nothing can replace the original buildings that were destroyed, it is commendable that Koreans choose not to forget their history and celebrate their heritage through restoration. 

The palace gardens

One of the most interesting facets of Asian palaces is the fact that it was the only places where the king was allowed to dwell. In Korean culture much like ancient culture in many other Asian countries, the king was forbidden to be seen by commoners. As a result of this sacred nature of the king, he was never allowed outside the palace walls. The Korea he perceived was the artificial environment he was exposed to in his various palaces. He was a prisoner in a way to the system of protecting the integrity of the king by not allowing him to make his own decisions for his life. While he ruled a country, he had no control over his personal life. When you walk through the palaces, you see Korea through the eyes of the kings of the past. 

The front gate overlooks the rapidly changing skyline

Another cool thing about this palace is that it is located in the middle of the ancient part of Seoul. This area also is the center of many governmental centers and businesses. It is amazing to see the old meet the new and the graceful integration of modern Korea with ancient Josean. 

The front gate and the continuous pace of modern Korea