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eoksu Palace in the heart of Seoul and surrounded by skyscrapers, offers a sharp contrast between Korea¡¯s past and present. Located at the busiest intersection of downtown Seoul, just across from City Hall, Deoksu Palace is, among other things famous for its elegant stone-paved paths. A visitor taking a casual stroll along these paths will quickly find him or herself in an atmosphere of serenity as opposed to the hustle and bustle of Seoul just on the other side of the palace wall. Furthermore, the beautiful cherry blossoms during the spring make Deoksu Palace a popular dating spot for young couples. Deoksu Palace was originally a private estate of Wolsandaegun, the elder brother of King Seongjong (r. 1469-1494) of the Joseon Dynasty.
  King Seonjo (r. 1567-1607) took up temporary residence on the estate in 1593 after all the royal palaces had been burnt down during the 1592 Japanese invasion. It was elevated to the status of a palace when King Gwanghaegun (r. 1608-1623) ascended to the throne and named it Gyeongwun Palace in 1611. The name was later changed to Deoksu Palace.

  The kings who succeeded Gwanghaegun used Changdeokgung as their main palace, and thus Deoksu Palace remained vacant for more than 200 years. Deoksu briefly returned to the spotlight of Korean history after King Gojong (r. 1863-1907) declared himself emperor and changed the name of the country from Joseon to ¡°Daehan,¡± meaning ¡°Great Korea.¡± Gojong dwelled in Deoksu Palace for 10 years until he was forced by the Japanese to abdicate the throne because of the considerable threat he presented to Japan¡¯s hegemony in Korea.

  Deoksu Palace¡¯s re-entry into the mainstream of Korean history was turbulent. In late 19th century, the great powers of the time were desperately searching for new lands to colonize, and the Korean peninsula was no exception. An intense struggle between Japan and Russia for influence in Korea ensued, pitching the Joseon government bureaucracy into a state of chaos as some officials sided with the Japanese and others, the Russians. In 1896, with the king in mounting danger from these rival factions, the Russian minister, Weber successfully executed a scheme to give Gojong sanctuary within the Russian legation. This particular event turned the tide in favor of Russia, leading the Russians to gain valuable lumbering and mining rights in various regions of Joseon.

  Gojong¡¯s sojourn in the Russian legation lasted only a year until 1897 when Japan and Russia agreed to send Gojong to Deoksu Palace. It was at this point that Gojong declared himself Emperor of Daehan. Russia¡¯s influence remained paramount until her defeat in the 1904/05 Russo/Japanese War. After Japan was recognized internationally as the dominant power in Korea under the 1905 Treaty of Portsmouth, the Japanese systematically stripped the Daehan Empire of its military, law enforcement and diplomatic rights. In a desparate move to regain Daehan¡¯s sovereignty, King Gojong sent a group of emissaries in secret to the International Peace Conference of 1907 held in The Hague, Netherlands. He hoped that a direct appeal to the assembly of national representatives would prompt intervention by the great powers.

  Unfortunately, the attempt was foiled by the Japanese, costing Gojong his throne. Prince Sunjong (r. 1907-1910) succeeded Gojong but he was forced to leave Deoksu for Changdeok Palace immediately after he became king. Daehan was annexed by the Japanese Empire three years later in 1910. Gojong spent his final years in Deoksu Palace until his death Jan. 21st 1919, allegedly the result of poisoning by an unknown Japanese.

  Ancient blueprints of Deoksu indicate that the palace was much grander in scale than it is today. From 19th century onwards, the area of the palace site was gradually reduced to less than half, with numerous buildings destroyed in the process. Events that contributed to the deterioration of Deoksu Palace were the allotment of a significant portion of the palace site to accommodate the British and Russian legations in the 1880s, the huge fire of 1904 and extensive urban planning in the 1960s.

  Although Deoksu has lost most of the grandeur it once had, the palace still holds an important place in Korean history as the stage of the downfall of the Joseon Dynasty and the Daehan Empire. The stories linked to individual palace structures built amongst western-style buildings vividly reflect the grim realities of the time and foretell a disheartening future ahead for a fragile empire.

  Daehanmun
  Daehan Gate
  The main gate of Deoksu Palace, its original name was Daeanmun, but Gojong renamed it Daehanmun in 1906. The word Daehanmun translates as ¡°Great Korea Gate,¡± suggesting that the renaming of the main gate was a reflection of Gojong¡¯s determination to revive a declining nation constantly undermined by foreign influences.

  Daehanmun is also the scene for the Changing of the Royal Guards Ceremony. An officer of the soldiers on guard stands before the main gate for one minute with a box of keys in hand. The ceremony begins when a troop of reliefs arrive at the gate. Subsequently, the officers of both parties confirm each other¡¯s password. Upon the first drumbeat, the officer of the soldiers on guard delivers the key box to the relieving officer. Upon the second drumbeat, the officer of the guards exchanges salutes with the officer leading the reliefs. To bring the ceremony to an end, a guard beats the drum for the third time, whereupon the reliefs change positions with the outgoing guards.

  Junghwajeon
  Junghwa Hall
  Junghwajeon is renowned as the place where King Gojong (r. 1863-1907) declared himself Emperor of Korea. Despite the rather diminutive exterior, the interior is decorated with elaborate designs. It is interesting to note that while other palaces feature carvings of phoenixes on walls and ceilings, those at Junghwajeon are of dragons. The dragon is traditionally considered to be superior to the phoenix and is the symbol of the emperor. (National Treasure No. 819)

  Jeonggwanhun
  Jeonggwan Hall
  Completed in 1900, Jeonggwanhun was the first western-style building to be built in the palace complex. Jeonggwanhun is a European-style salon with a somewhat Chinese air to it. This building was used frequently by King Gojong to hold receptions and banquets for foreign envoys. Gojong enjoyed drinking coffee and spending his free time here. The back of the building still has a secret passageway to what was then the nearby Russian legation.

  Seokjojeon
  Seokjo Hall
  In 1905, a Briton named Sir John McLevy Brown working in the service of his company was engaged in the building of Seokjojeon when Japan assumed the property rights. From then on, an official of the Japanese finance ministry took over the project from Brown and finished the construction in 1909. The Seokjojeon is a Renaissance-style structure built in granite.

  The colossal size of the building and its rigid appearance seem to dominate all the surrounding wooden structures of the palace. Seokjojeon became a Japanese art gallery and was opened to the public after Gojong¡¯s death. Following national liberation, the meetings of the United States/Soviet Union joint commission on the future of Korea were held here in May 1946. The east wing of Seokjojeon building now houses an exhibition of palace treasure, while the west wing is used as part of the National Museum of Modern Arts.

  Hamnyeongjeon
  Hamnyeong Hall
  While at Deoksu Palace, King Gojong spent most of his time in Hamnyeongjeon. Hamnyeongjeon was where Gojong slept and later died in 1919 under the afore-mentioned suspicious circumstances that inspired the national independence movement of the same year. In happier times, the building was named Hamnyeong (lasting peace) in order to wish the same to Gojong. The east wing served as the king¡¯s chambers, while the west wing was reserved for the queen.

  Jeukjodang
  Jeukjo Hall
  Jeukjo translates as ¡°accede to the throne.¡± The building is so named because both Gwanghaegun and In-Jo were crowned here. Kwibi Om, the royal concubine of King Gojong resided here from 1907 until her death in 1911. Gojong personally wrote the sign on the front of the hall in 1905 after he became king.

  Gwangmyeongmun
  Gwangmyeong Gate
  Visitors walking towards Junghwamun, the gate of Junghwajeon, will notice Gwangmyeongmun to the left. Its name suggests that it should be a gate and that in fact was its original function. Gwangmyeongmun was the main gate to Hamnyeongjeon but during Japanese rule (1910-1945) the gate was removed to its present location to be used as an exhibition space for the Buddhist bell of Heungcheonsa Temple and the remnants of Jagyeoknu (water clock), assembled during the 29th year of the reign of King Jungjong (1534). During the afternoons, a sundial was used to measure time but on overcast days and at night the water clock was used instead. The apparatus of the water clock was known to be gigantic in scale due to its complexity. Unfortunately, all that remains today of this unique timepiece are two brass buckets and a water pitcher.

Directions -Subway: City Hall Station (Line No. 1, Exit No. 2)/(Line No. 2, Exit No. 12)

Information -Inquiries: Deoksu Palace Tourism Office Tel: 756-0045                 (English, Chinese and, Japanese spoken) -Homepage: http://www.junggu.seoul.kr/tour/korean/index.php -Hours: Mar.-Oct. 9:00 a.m.-6:00 p.m. (weekdays),                             9:00 a.m.-7:00 p.m. (weekends)              Nov.-Feb.9:00 a.m.-5:30 p.m. -Closed: Every Monday -Admission Fees:

Individuals Groups Age 19-24: 500 won Age 25-64: 1,000 won Age 65 above, 18 under: Free Age 19-24: 400 won Age 25-64: 800 won

* The Palace Treasure Exhibition is included.

Special Events
Changing of the Palace Guard Ceremony
- From the end of March to December (From Tuesday to Sunday, excepting
  national holidays), from 2:00 p.m. to 3:30 p.m.

Jonathan Choi (wonheec@umich.edu)