[경복궁] The open-air museum "The Palace of Radiant Happiness" - Part 2
The beginning of that story you can find here.
On the stony path we will go to the first building - to the Throne Room. Did you notice that this rocky path is divided into 3 parts? And the middle part is wider and higher. On it came the king. And on the two side paths all the rest. Along the path there are columns with inscriptions. These bars mean the rank of officials. Officials stood according to their rank in order to appeal to the king, ie. The higher the post, the closer it was to approach the king.
And here we have the Throne Room, in which the most important meetings and coronation ceremony took place. On the ceiling of the throne room is depicted a golden dragon, which personifies the supreme authority, i.e. the king. If you notice, besides this dragon, there is not much gold in the palace. This is one of the distinctive features of the Joseon era. And remember the Russian Petergrof ... Kings believed that decorating buildings with gold is a waste, and it is better to direct these funds to the development of the state.
The ceilings of the buildings are painted in an ancient Korean style. For this, natural paints were used, which were not washed away even by rain.
On the roof of the buildings are figures of beasts. It is believed that these figures protect the buildings and the palace from evil spirits.
Another famous building of the palace is the pavilion 경회루 (gyeonghoeru), which stands on a pond. This pavilion served as a venue for various events and meetings, because it is called the "Pavilion of Happy Encounters" . The pavilion stands on 48 columns. The pavilion is built in such a way that even in the most stifling summer days it was fresh and cool. It is believed that the very rectangular pond in which the pavilion stands is the sky, and small round islands symbolize the Earth.
Walking deep into the palace you can find a "fragrant" pond or "a pond of far-flying aroma" Hyangwonjong. It was built in the late XIX century by the decree of King Gojong. The pond was built for the queen and her court ladies. In the spring it is very beautiful. In the pond blossom lotuses and fish swim. Around the trees bloom. But the bridge, going from shore to this hexagonal pond, in the era of Joseon was the longest bridge.
Closer to the eastern gate at the palace is a folklore museum. The entrance to it is free and it is possible to get acquainted with the whole history of Korea, starting from ancient times. In the museum, there is a hall of culture and traditions. One of the exhibits is a scene of a wedding ritual. There is also a corner where you can find out about the celebration of the anniversary of parents ..., and much more.
The Gyeongbok Palace is not just a museum, it is also a park, where you can walk for hours. I would advise you to visit it in the spring or fall. In the spring cherry blossoms and the weather has for walks. And autumn in Korea is always beautiful. The whole country is wrapped in a gold-purple blanket of leaves. And, if you look in the direction of the main gate, a beautiful picture of the combination of modernity and the era of kings opens.
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