Spring flowers welcome visitors to the back garden of the Nakseonjae, a residential compound inside Changdeokgung Palace, one of the five main palaces during the Joseon era (1392-1910). The garden is decorated with cherry blossoms, apricot flowers and other flowers, covering the flower beds and floral walls decorating the garden. This garden, made for the women who lived inside the palace a few hundred years ago, is in harmony with the palace buildings.

The Nakseonjae is the only compound inside the palace built without dancheong, the traditional multicolored paintwork on wooden buildings. It was built in 1847 as a library and a detached house during the reign of King Heonjong (1827-1849), the 24th king of Joseon. It was later used as a residence for bereaved queens. The last Joseon royal family members, like King Yeongchin, or Yi Eun (1897-1970), the last crown prince of the Joseon line, and his consort Yi Bangja, or Princess Bangja (1901-1989), spent their later years residing in the Nakseonjae.

Ever since its last resident, Princess Bangja, passed away, the Nakseonjae has been open to the public, but its back garden has been closed in order to preserve the cultural assets and for safety reasons. It has now been re-opened to the public.




The three mountain-shaped stones placed in the back garden represent the world of a Taoist hermit, blessing the garden with the great elements of nature. People during the Joseon era believed that placing a stone shaped like a mountain, or a Taoist heaven, in one's garden would make the place a paradise, a palace office explained.


The palace opened the Injeongjeon, the main hall, to the public last year and received favorable responses from visitors. The palace office said it would open more areas in the years to come as it conducts research and maintenance.

By Yoon Sojung
Korea.net Staff Writer
arete@korea.kr