| Visitors holding cheongsachorong (traditional Korean lanterns) pass by Injeongjeon, the main throne hall of Changdeok Palace and National Treasure No. 225, during the Moonlight Tour. Korea Times photo by Choi Won-suk |
By Bae Eun-joo
South Korea's daily coronavirus cases have been reaching triple digits daily since last week and the government has announced stricter control measures.
The government announced a ban on large gatherings such as local festivals, church gatherings and wedding ceremonies with more than 50 estimated attendees indoors or 100 outdoors. This includes the re-suspension of royal palace tours, which had resumed Aug. 13 for a month-long run amid the then seemingly falling number of infections.
| Changdeok Palace, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is the best-preserved palace of all the royal palaces from the Joseon Kingdom. Korea Times photo by Choi Won-suk |
| Royal guards stand at the gates of Changdeok Palace. Korea Times photo by Choi Won-suk |
The Korea Times was fortunate to join the highly touted Changdeok Palace Moonlight Tour during the brief opening period amid the pandemic crisis.
The government started to promote nighttime palace tours in order to revive the growing tourism industry by offering visitors a unique traditional cultural experience in the center of the dynamic Seoul metropolitan city after the sun sets.
Changdeok Palace, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the country's most historically significant attractions, was the principal palace for many kings of the Joseon Kingdom (1392-1910) and is the best-preserved of the five remaining royal Joseon palaces in central Seoul.
| Subtle lighting is seen after sunset during the Changdeok Palace nighttime tour. Korea Times photo by Choi Won-suk |
Originally built in 1405 by King Taejong, the third ruler of Joseon, Changdeok Palace was rebuilt in 1610 after all the royal palaces in Seoul were burnt down during the 1592-98 Japanese invasions of Korea. From then on, it was the primary palace for over 270 years where 13 kings, including the last monarch, reigned over the kingdom.
| Cheongsachorong lanterns guide the way for visitors throughout the tour. Korea Times photo by Choi Won-suk |
The buildings and pavilions of Changdeok Palace, located at the foot of a mountain, were positioned more naturally than the other palaces, following the contours of the land. This created a more relaxed atmosphere, while maintaining the dignity of a royal palace. The whole Changdeok Palace compound covers an area of about 462,000 square meters. Inside the palace is Biwon, or the Secret Garden, which accounts for two-thirds of the total grounds.
| All visitors to the palace are required to wear face masks to help prevent the spread of the coronavirus. The Changdeok Palace Moonlight Tour is currently suspended due to a spike in the number of virus infection cases. Korea Times photo by Choi Won-suk |
First landscaped in 1623, Biwon served for centuries as a royal retreat and represents the characteristics of traditional Korean landscape gardening that minimizes artificial factors and pursues harmonization with nature.