Winter Sunlight at Injeongmun Gate Seoul

Bright winter sunlight pours through Injeongmun (Gate), the entrance to Injeongjeon (Hall), where the king and his officials gathered together to... more

by Joan Carroll

Title

Winter Sunlight at Injeongmun Gate Seoul

Artist

Joan Carroll

Medium

Photograph - Digital Photograph

Description

Bright winter sunlight pours through Injeongmun (Gate), the entrance to Injeongjeon (Hall), where the king and his officials gathered together to hold conferences at Changdeokgung palace. This gate is assumed to have been built in 1745. when Injeongjeon was reconstructed. This is part of the larger complex of Changdeokgung. Changdeokgung was added to the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1997. From the UNESCO web page: "Constructed in the 15th century during the Joseon Dynasty, the Changdeokgung Palace Complex occupies a 57.9 ha site in Jongno-gu, in northern Seoul at the foot of Ungbong Peak of Mount Baegaksan, the main geomantic guardian mountain. Changdeokgung is an exceptional example of official and residential buildings that were integrated into and harmonized with their natural setting. The complex was originally built as a secondary palace to the main palace of Gyeongbokgung, differentiated from it in its purpose and spatial layout within the capital. Situated at the foot of a mountain range, it was designed to embrace the topography in accordance with pungsu principles, by placing the palace structures to the south and incorporating an extensive rear garden to the north called Biwon, the Secret Garden. Adaptation to the natural terrain distinguished Changdeokgung from conventional palace architecture. The official and residential buildings that make up the complex were designed in accordance with traditional palace layout principles. The buildings and structures include three gates and three courts (an administrative court, royal residential court and official audience court), with the residential area to rear of the administrative area...The buildings are constructed of wood and set on stone platforms, and many feature tiled hipped roofs with a corbelled multi-bracket system and ornamental carvings. Changdeokgung was used as the secondary palace to Gyeongbokgung for 200 years, but after the palaces were burnt down during the Japanese invasion in the late 16th century, it was the first to be reconstructed and since then served as the main seat of the dynasty for 250 years. The property had a great influence on the development of Korean architecture, garden and landscape planning, and related arts, for many centuries. It reflects sophisticated architectural values, harmonized with beautiful surroundings."

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December 19th, 2014