Buyongjeong Pavilion of Changdeokgung Palace

The path from Changdeokgung Palace to its rear garden runs along a walled passage that skirts, on the left, the building complex now known as Naeuiwon, the royal clinic. The passage rises gently and then bends left into a downward slope, from which point the scene around Buyongji Pond comes into view. Surrounded on three sides by slopes that converge at its centre stands Buyongji, a square pond. "Buyong" means "lotus flower", and this is the representative square pond of Changdeokgung Palace's rear garden. It measures 34.5 m from east to west and 29.4 m from north to south. The square pond and its round island reflect the idea that "heaven is round and earth is square". The pond is faced with long rectangular stones, and at its southern corner is carved a single fish, a carp leaping above the water's surface, a motif likening the relationship between king and subject to that of water and fish. Buyongjeong Pavilion stands on the southern edge of this pond, its south side facing a low hill. The east side, where the name plaque hangs, is the building's front, because the terrain here is enclosed by low hills on the south, north and west, leaving only the east open. Around the building, the southern hill has been fashioned into a garden with a three-tiered flower terrace planted with flowers and set with ornamental rocks; in the pond to the north a single island has been built up, behind which, on higher ground, Eosumun Gate and the Juhamnu Pavilion complex come into view. To the left of Juhamnu stands Seohyanggak Hall, and behind Juhamnu, on a two-tiered stone platform, stands a small building with a plaque reading Jewolgwangpunggwan. Higher up, behind Seohyanggak, stands Huiujeong Pavilion. To the west of the pond stands Sajeonggibigak, a stele pavilion. According to the Gungwolji, a record of the palaces, a building called Taeksujae was built on this spot in 1707, the 33rd year of King Sukjong's reign; it was later rebuilt during the reign of King Jeongjo and renamed Buyongjeong. The Dongguk Yeoji Bigo records: "It stands by the pond south of Juhamnu. Within the pond is a boat with painted decoration and silk sails; this was where King Jeongjo admired the flowers and fished." Here the king held banquets to congratulate newly successful examination candidates, and enjoyed flowers and composed poetry with his officials; it is said that in 1795, after returning from Hwaseong Fortress in Suwon, King Jeongjo went fishing here with his officials. Ten hanging couplets inscribed with poems on the scenery of this place hang on the pillars. In plan, Buyongjeong is a pavilion of five bays across the front, four bays deep and three bays at the rear, forming, when viewed from above the south side of the pond, a shape based on the character for "ten"; half-bay extensions were added at the south-east and south-west corners to improve circulation. The east and west sides are symmetrical about the north-south central axis. Two octagonal stone posts were set up within the pond, topped with slender round columns, on which delicate two-tiered bracket sets were assembled to suit the proportions of the building. Inside the pavilion are four rooms, the rear room set one step higher than the others. The roof is a single-storey hipped-and-gabled roof with double eaves. In external appearance, the north side is simple while the south is ornate, so the building presents different aspects depending on the viewpoint; to emphasise this richness of form, the balustrades and window frames also vary in style according to position. The balustrades combine plain rails with curved rails, and the balustrade on the north, pond-facing side is set one step higher than elsewhere for variety. As for the windows, only the sections projecting toward the pond have lattice doors of a squared "a"-shaped pattern, while all other openings have straight-lattice doors; these can be hung up on hooks to open the pavilion on all sides. Inside, latticed doors and windows with octagonal lattice openings clearly separate the inner and outer spaces. Buyongjeong Pavilion is a wooden-floored pavilion built beside Buyongji, the representative pond at the entrance to the rear garden of Changdeokgung Palace, laid out according to the principle that heaven is round and earth is square. Set beside the pond, it recreates an idealised natural landscape and stands as a leading example of Korean pavilion architecture, built for cultivation of the spirit through refined leisure. With its distinctive ten-shaped plan, its spatial composition and its architectural ornament, all rendered in outstanding proportion and contrast, it represents the pinnacle of architectural beauty and holds high historical, artistic and architectural conservation value.

AI Translation

Where it is

Region

Jongno-gu, Seoul

Designation

Treasure · 보물