There is a small gate between Changgyeonggung and Changdeokgung. At one time the two palaces were park of the same complex known as 동궐 Donggwol, the east palace (the same "Dong" as in Dongdaemun, the great east gate-later on Dongdaemun). This gate is called 함양문 (Hamyangmun) and it's where the tour for 후원 (Huwon) starts.
창덕궁 (Changdeokgung) was the last palace lived in by the royal family. It was also where the last cabinet meeting was held before Japan officially annexed Korea and the Japanese colonial period began in 1910, thus really beginning WWII, something I'd argue with my American history teacher with because, yeah, I was that kid. Changdeokgung was where the Empress lived until liberation in 1945. As a result, about a third of the buildings survived intact, more than any other palace if I remember right.
I had made a reservation for the 1:30 English tour of Huwon, but we got to Changdeokgung at 12:30. We first visited 관물헌 (Gwanmulheon), the area the crown prince would live. We then walked down to the cafe to get some water and then walked around 낙선재 (Nakseonjae), the private residence of the King, Queen Dowager, and concubines.
함양문 (Hamyangmun) on the right, and on the left is the gate to Huwon.
관물헌 (Gwanmulheon)
The ondol system. 온돌 (Ondol) means "under stone." They would build fires that would then pump hot area under the building keeping them warm as they slept and sat on the ground. The smoke would be ventilated out of a chimney that stood away from the building, connected by a pipe. Underfloor heating, while not usually fire, is still very common today.
희정당 (Huijeongdang) to be visited after Huwon
낙선재 (Nakseonjae) These buildings are very plain. Apparently the king who built them like Chinese style buildings instead of the brighter Korean ones.
This was the King's quarters. It had several rooms for studying and a private garden in the back.
The concubine's residence..
Dowagere Queen's quarters
There was a small grove and pavillion next to Nakseonjae.
상량정 (Sangryangjeong) a library and pavillion.
At this point it was time to do the 후원 (Huwon) tour. Huwon is sometimes called 비원 (Biwon), the Secret Garden (Huwon just means "rear garden") because it was a gardenn for just the royal's use only. Each tour has 100 tickets, 50 available online and 50 to be bought the day of. I registered online and brought the confirmation number. I tried to give it to the ticket lady, but she waved aside and just handed us some tickets. Whoops. Maybe it's busier in the summer or weekends. While waiting around, I was one of my favourite sights. In the above picture, the guy in red is a Tibetan Buddhist monk. His companion was a nun who translated for him. Right before the tour, the monk was walking around chatting on a Samsung Galaxy smart phone. The nun during the tour took pictures on her Galaxy tablet. It was such a dissonance of lifestyles, I could help but love it.
Some info about Huwon
주석정 (Juseokjeon), the library
영화당 (Yeonghwadang), Main entertaining pavilion
부용지 (Buyongji), an artificial pond. There was a round island in the middle, Men used to have poetry contests on boats, and if someone didn't finish a poem or lost the contest, they'd be deserted on the island.
부용전 (Buyongjeon), a study pavilion
영화당 (Yeonghwadang)
불로문 (Bullomun), the gate of eternal youth. It was said that if you touched the gate every time you passed under it, you'd have eternal youth.
Looking into 의두합 (Uiduhap), the crown prince's quarters.
의두합 (Uiduhap)
불로문 (Bullomun)
에련지 (Eryeongji) and 에령정 (Eryeongjeong), another artificial pond and a pavilion looking over it.
This tree was very old, but I don't remember much more than that.
관랑지 (Gwanrangji) and 관랑정 (Gwanrangjeong), Another pond and pavilion
존덕정 (Jondeokjeong), an 8 sided pavilion with a double level roof.
승재정 (Seungjaejeong)
존덕정 (Jondeokjeong)
The inside ceiling. In the middle was a dragon and there were bats worked into the lattice work. Bats are considered lucky in Korea.
폄우사 (Pyeomusa) which I remember being a studying place of the prince, but "사" usually means a shrine. I do remember wondering how the heck the didn't freeze to death in the winter with open walls on three sides.
The two roofs. You might be able to make out the bats.
취규정 (Chwigyujeong) I got a much better picture of this later.
취한정 (Chwihanjeong)
농산정 (Nongsanjeong)
태극정 (Taegeukjeon)
소요암 (Soyoam) A "waterfall" and the orgin of the Ongnyucheon stream.
There's a three characters : "玉流川" inscribed by King Injo, translating as "Jade flowing stream"
청의정 (Cheonguijeong)
취한정 (Chwihanjeong) from the back
취한정 (Chwihanjeong) from the front
취규정 (Chwigyujeong), this time without a bunch of people in front of it.
장략문 (Jangryangmun) the entrance to 연영당 (Yeongyeongdang), built for the royal couple.
The women's side
And the men's side, built with a higher roof to accommodate riding through on a horse.
Stables
반빗간 (Banbitgan)
This was the gate between the two compounds. I made Justin go through to illustrate how small the door was.
농수정 (Nongsujeong)
향나무 (Hyangnamu) This is a Chinese juniper tree, thought to be over a 750 years ago. It's sometimes called a incense or aromatic tree because it was used to make incense. This tree marked the end of the tour.
At this point, we were getting pretty fatigued, so I can't remember the rest of Changdeokgung very well. It was HUGE and labyrinthine, and we had the disadvantage of starting at the back and following the signs out of order. We took a small break at the cafe to get more water and Justin ordered an iced plum tea. I had a sip and it was very good- I highly recommend.
희정당 (Huijeongdang)
희정당 (Huijeongdang) The hall where the last cabinet meeting was held before Korea was annexed by Japan by an illegal treaty signed in 1910.
Gate into 대조전 (Daejojeon), the private residence of the Empress until the end of the war. Treasure No. 816
Ondol
Ondol chimney
At this point, I'm completely lost in the narrative, so just enjoy some pretty pictures.
I believe this was 선정전 (Seonjeongjeon), the smaller throne room where the king used to deal with everyday matters with his ministers.
Small throne
Courtyard of 인정전, Main throne room, National treasure No. 225.
숙장문 (Sukjangmun)
진선문 (Jinseonmun)
Aaaaand, now I'm lost again. I think this is the entrance into 홍문관 (Hongmungwan)
The doors were tiny!
Yeah, so this part was just made up small buildings, courtyards, and gates. It was awesome but very easy to get turned around in.
After getting massively lost in 홍문관 (Hongmungwan), we made our way out to the main gate, 돈화문 (Donhwamun) and the end of Changdeokgung.
The back of 돈화문 (Donhwamun). I'm really sad that I didn't take a picture of the bridge located 90 degrees to the left from here. It's 금전교 (Geumcheongyo), the oldest bridge in Seoul built in 1411.
돈화문 (Donhwamun)
Changdeokgung was an hour before the Huwon tour, 90 minutes for Huwon, and then another hour after Huwon. It was huge, and I'd recommend at least four hours to really enjoy all of it. After we left, we took the subway back to the flat and rested for a few minutes before heading off to the cafe of the flat owner to pick up the wifi device we'd rented. Then we booked it to Myeongdong again to meet some friends of mine from high school. We went to a pretty well known restaurant, Myeongdong Gyoja (Myeongdong station, exit 8, turn left down the street and keep walking-after the first intersection, it's on the right. If that one is busy, there's another one up the street). They have four things on the menu, but we all ordered 갈국수 (kalguksu "knife noodles") and 찐만두 (jjinmandu or steamed dumplings). The kalguksu was pretty good and the mandu was heavenly, but the kimchi was the weirdest I'd ever had. I'd been warned that it was very garlicky- understatement of the century. I didn't like it and I LOVE garlic. There was a little bit of misunderstanding with the waitress who wasn't listening to me very well when we ordered and brought us only two bowls of soup after we'd ordered and paid of for four. Even after we'd gotten it all worked out and taken care of, she looked like she was about to cry. Poor girl, I hope she didn't get yelled at by her boss. There's not picture because I was so hungry after not having anything since bindaetteok that morning and it was 11 hours later.
So I wasn't done ruining my diet, so I insisted we go to a bingsoo place recommended by Justin's and mine Korean friend called 설빙 (Seolbing). It's a chain that started in Busan, but now has locations EVERYWHERE. I think there are three in Myeongdong alone. 삥수 (bingsoo) is shaved ice topped with sweet red beans (I think they're adzuki beans?), fruit, and sometimes sweetened condensed milk. Seolbing is unique in that they shave the sweetened milk instead of ice. I'm not usually a huge fan of bingsoo, but this was SO GOOD. Here's a picture so you can be jealous:
Justin and I split the strawberry one. They are enormous.
After that, it was back to the flat and collapsing into bed.
