Changgyeonggung and Jongmyo Shrine connects again in 90 years

▲ This photo, shows Bukshinmun seen from Jongmyo. The Seoul Metropolitan Government announced on Wednesday that it had completed the "Changgyeonggung-Jongmyo Connection Historic Restoration Project" to reconnect Changgyeonggung and Jongmyo Shrine for the first time in 90 years. Jongmyo and Changgyeonggung, which were connected was cut off when the Japanese Empire opened the Jongmyo Pass Road (Yulgok-ro) in 1932. (Yonhap)

 

▲ This photo, shows the engraved stone which shows the year it was renovated. A press tour was held on Wednesday as it had completed the "Changgyeonggung-Jongmyo Connection Historic Restoration Project" to reconnect Changgyeonggung and Jongmyo Shrine for the first time in 90 years. (Yonhap)

 

▲ This photo, shows the restored stones of the Old Jongmyo walls. The Seoul Metropolitan Government announced on Wednesday that it had completed the "Changgyeonggung-Jongmyo Connection Historic Restoration Project" to reconnect Changgyeonggung and Jongmyo Shrine for the first time in 90 years. Jongmyo and Changgyeonggung, which were connected was cut off when the Japanese Empire opened the Jongmyo Pass Road (Yulgok-ro) in 1932. (Yonhap)

 

▲ This photo, shows the press tour of the "Changgyeonggung-Jongmyo Connection Historic Restoration Project" which was held at the upper part of the Yulgok-ro tunnel in Waryong-dong, Jongno-gu, Seoul. The city of Seoul connected Yulgok-ro, which cut off Changgyeonggung Palace and Jongmyo Shrine, by building a green space larger than a soccer field (about 8000 m²) on top of it. (Yonhap)

 

 

SEOUL, July 21 (Yonhap) --The historical space between Changgyeonggung, a royal palace during the Joseon Dynasty (1392-1910), has been connected again to Jongmyo Shrine, after 90 years since it has been separated by the imperialist Japan.

After completing the "Changgyeonggung Palace-Jongmyo Connection History Restoration Project," Seoul city held an event to be released to the media on Wednesday.

On that day, following the guidance of the city officials, as one exited the Yulgok-ro tunnel in front of Donhwamun Gate of Changdeokgung Palace, the entrance of the promenade was seen, and following the road, a walking trail stood in front.

Twelve years ago, this was a road (Yulgok-ro) for cars instead of people.

Jongmyo and Changgyeonggung were originally connected with a fence in between, but in 1932, when the Japanese government built the Jongmyo Pass Road (Yulgok-ro), they were separated. According to Seoul city, the geomancy showed that one of the main slopeof Bukhansan Mountain flowed from Changgyeonggung to Jongmyo Shrine. However, with the imperialist Japan, putting a road in between, the flow has been cut.

 

The Seoul Metropolitan Government started the restoration work in November 2010, when the mayor of Seoul was Oh Se-hoon, and had it completed in June 2022. About 8,000 square meters of a green tract of land was created to connect the broken eco-bridge, and the palace wall and the "Bukshinmun," the back door of the Jongmyo Shrine, were restored as close to the original shape as possible.

"Our first goal was to restore the historical space that was cut off by the Japanese colonial rule," said Ha Hyun-seok, the head of civil engineering at the Urban Infrastructure Headquarters in Seoul. "It also has value in that the space that the royal family used is being open to the public." 

The wall of Jongmyo, seen next to the walkway, is a mixture of clean and mottled stones. A stone engraved with the words "庚午" (Gyeongoh) was also used, which marks the year the wall was repaired.

"It is estimated that the fence was repaired once in 1870, the year of Gyeongoh," said Kim Jae-myung, executive director of KCI, in charge of the restoration work site. "About 45,000 stones were used to restore the wall, and about 9,000 of them were stones and foundation stones of the old Jongmyo wall."

In the middle of the road, traces of the old fence were displayed for the public to see.

After walking a little further, Bukshninmun was seen. As the closed door opened, the curvy road leading up to Jongmyo Shrine was revealed. The Bukshinmun is a passage connecting Changgyeonggung and Jongmyo Shrine and is the core of the restoration project. However, the gate to Changgyeonggung is still tightly closed.

"As the viewing style of Jongmyo and Changgyeonggung is different, coordination is necessary," said director Kim. "It will be properly opened after the discussion with the Cultural Heritage Administration."

A "Citizen Opening Event" will also be held there on July 21. On this day, Bukshinmun will also be opened for a while.

 

(This article is translated from Korean to English by Haemin Kim.)

 

 

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