창덕궁 비밀의 정원 편집하기 (부분)

===Eng===
Deep within the northern part of Changdeokgung Palace lies a serene garden where Joseon kings and crown princes once rested, studied, and composed poetry with their courtiers. The Rear Garden represents the finest example of a Korean royal garden that harmonizes with nature rather than reshaping it. Far more than a place of leisure, it was a symbolic space for contemplation and learning—an embodiment of the Confucian ideal of the virtuous ruler. Because it was hidden from the public eye, it was often called the Secret Garden (<i>Biwon</i>) or the Forbidden Garden (<i>Geumwon</i>), meaning a place that only the king could enter.

The garden’s origins date back to the early 15th century, shortly after the construction of Changdeokgung Palace. King Taejong (r. 1400-1418) designed the garden to preserve the natural topography and existing forest, and it was later expanded under King Sejo (r. 1455-1468). Although most of the area was destroyed during the Japanese invasions of 1592-1598, it was reconstructed in 1610 and subsequently enlarged and restored by later monarchs.

The Rear Garden of Changdeokgung Palace consists of four main sections: Buyongji Pond, Aeryeonji Pond, Gwallamji Pond, and Ongnyucheon Stream.

Buyongji, the centerpiece of the garden, is a rectangular pond about 1,000 square meters in size, with a circular artificial island nine meters in diameter at its center. The square pond and round island reflect the East Asian cosmological principle of “a round heaven and a square earth.” 

To the south stands Buyongjeong Pavilion, built in 1793 with a cross-shaped hip-and-gable roof; it was designated Treasure in 2012. Kings hosted banquets here for successful state examination graduates. To the north stands Juhamnu Pavilion, a two-story building constructed in 1776. Its first floor served as the royal library, and it too was designated a Treasure in 2012. To the east stands Yeonghwadang Hall, where the king presided over state examinations; the hall’s name plaque was written by King Yeongjo himself.

Aeryeonji Pond, meaning “pond of loving the lotus,” was named by King Sukjong, who built the Aeryeonjeong Pavilion beside it in 1629. To the west stands Yeongyeongdang Hall, built in 1827 by Crown Prince Hyomyeong to honor King Sunjo’s reign title. In the late Joseon period, it was used to receive foreign envoys and host royal banquets. Yeongyeongdang was also designated a Treasure in 2012. 

The Gwallamji Pond area originally featured five smaller ponds, later reshaped into its current form in the early 20th century. Several pavilions, including Jondeokjeong, Gwallamjeong, Pyeomusa, and Seungjaejeong, are located here; among them, Jondeokjeong, built in 1644, is the oldest. A large mulberry tree, standing 12 meters high, grows nearby—it is the largest of its kind within Changdeokgung Palace and was designated a Natural Monument in 2006.

At the northernmost end of the garden lies Ongnyucheon Stream, meaning “stream of jade-like clear water.” Created in 1636 under King Injo, it features a stone channel carved into the bedrock that guides the flowing water into a small waterfall. The inscription “Ongnyucheon (玉流川)” on the rock is said to be the handwriting of King Injo himself. Among the several pavilions surrounding the stream, Cheonguijeong Pavilion is unique as the only remaining thatched-roof pavilion within the royal palaces.

Today, the Rear Garden remains one of the most treasured parts of the UNESCO World Heritage Site Changdeokgung Palace Complex, preserving the serene beauty of the royal landscape. Visits to the garden are by reservation only and must be accompanied by official guided tours. The tour course includes the entrance, Buyongji Pond, Aeryeonji Pond, Gwallamji Pond, Yeongyeongdang Hall, and the Juniper Path, with guided explanations available in Korean, English, Chinese, and Japanese. The garden is closed every Monday.