Kim Chung-young's Suwon Microscope (11) The rear garden of Hwaseong Haenggung is a good place for contemplation

Hwaseong Haenggung was built as the largest royal secondary palace during the Joseon Dynasty. King Jeongjo constructed Hwaseong Haenggung with the intention of passing the throne to his son Sunjong when he turned 15 and then coming to live in Suwon.

The rear garden of Hwaseong Haenggung was damaged along with the demolition of the palace during Japanese colonial rule. Photographs from before the restoration project show multiple buildings in the rear garden area. The terrain and trees were damaged due to construction.

The architectural style of Joseon palaces included the creation of rear gardens as a fundamental element. Rear gardens were built in all five major Joseon palaces. A representative example is the Biwon garden of Changdeokgung Palace. Hwaseong Haenggung likewise had a rear garden, as confirmed in the Hwaseong map and Haenggung floor plan attached to the Hwaseong Seongyeok Uigwe. The rear garden of Hwaseong Haenggung contained Naeposa (內鋪舍) and Milohan Jeongjeong (未老閒亭).

Naeposa was a signal post to relay messages to the king about situations occurring in the fortress. Milohan Jeongjeong means a pavilion where King Jeongjo would rest leisurely in his old age. Among extant paintings related to Hwaseong from the Joseon period, there is a work titled "Hanjung Pumguk-do (閒亭品菊圖)," which depicts resting while leisurely appreciating chrysanthemums. This illustrates that King Jeongjo had an exceptional interest in Hwaseong Haenggung.

In 2000, during the restoration project of Hwaseong Haenggung, Dr. Lee Dal-ho, who was working as a curator at the Department of Culture and Tourism, contacted me asking if I wanted to join him in searching for the site of Milohan Jeongjeong.

Those who accompanied us at the time were Dr. Lee Dal-ho, Kim Woo-young, editor-in-chief of Neulpureun Suwon, Lee Yong-chang from the city government's photography division, Kang Ju-soo, director of the Hwaseong Research Association, and myself. As we searched through the woods behind the damaged palace, Dr. Lee Dal-ho suddenly shouted, "There are foundation stones here!" The foundation stones were buried in soil and covered with vegetation. It was the moment that proved Milohan Jeongjeong had existed in the rear garden of Hwaseong Haenggung.

During the palace restoration process, Milohan Jeongjeong was restored. Subsequently, the first phase of the restoration project was completed in 2002. The completion ceremony was held on October 9, 2003, the year the Hwaseong Project Office was established, preceding the Hwaseong Cultural Festival. The rear garden construction proceeded after the Hwaseong Haenggung restoration project was completed. The rear garden site had been severely damaged in terrain, with the hillside cut, retaining walls installed, and roads paved for building construction.

To restore the damaged terrain, demolition of artificially created facilities was first necessary. There was also one remaining concern. On the left side of the rear garden was the Yeongsan spring water site. This place had been used as a spring water location until the time of the rear garden construction project. However, it was a place that generated many complaints.

The Yeongsan spring was reportedly so efficacious that word spread nationwide that wishes would be granted if one performed prayers there. As a result, the area was always cluttered with prayer offerings and debris, creating an unsanitary environment. In front of the spring water site, there was a donation box where people would place offerings, and rumors circulated that someone collected hundreds of thousands of won weekly from it.

A decision was made to close the Yeongsan spring water site, and closure work was carried out. Instead, it was decided to create a new spring water location at that spot. For the rear garden of Hwaseong Haenggung, it was decided to follow the example of Changdeokgung Palace, where the palace's original appearance remains. Flower steps (hwagye) were to be installed directly behind the palace.

The terrain of the rear garden was steeply sloped. To moderate this slope, stairs had to be installed. Pomegranate, plum blossoms, azaleas, Chamguk chrysanthemums, and plum trees—all favorites of King Jeongjo—were planted on the flower steps. Pine trees were planted on the sloped areas of the rear garden.

It would have been ideal to relocate pine trees from Suwon, but it was difficult to find many trees in Suwon. We made inquiries throughout the country. I personally visited several places but found no suitable locations. One day, staff members said there was a good place in Yangyang, Gangwon Province, and I went to check it out. The trees we needed were indeed there.

The size and shape of the trees were good, so we decided to bring them. Thus, pine trees from Yangyang, Gangwon Province, were planted in the rear garden. That winter, however, we heard that a major forest fire occurred in Yangyang, Gangwon Province, and all the pine trees there were devastated. The pine trees relocated to Hwaseong Haenggung were indeed very fortunate trees.

The rear garden construction project was issued to include landscaping within the palace. However, we could not find suitable trees to plant within the palace. More precisely, the budget was insufficient to select appropriate trees. The plan was to plant four pine trees in the palace courtyard. To purchase such trees from the market, each tree would have cost hundreds of thousands of won.

One idea came to mind. I recalled having seen beautiful trees in the garden of the Lee Young Art Museum in Yeongdeok-ri. So I called Director Kim Yi-hwan. I told him, "Actually, we need to plant beautiful pine trees in the palace courtyard, but we haven't been able to find suitable trees." Without hesitation, he said he would provide trees. He even said, "Come and look, then choose what you want."

"Since I'm director of the Hwaseong Research Association, I should gladly cooperate with planting trees at Hwaseong Haenggung," he said.

When I mentioned the budget constraint, he said to pay whatever the budget allowed, so we obtained the trees at a very reasonable price. Later, when the palace plaza was constructed, he also provided 13 more pine trees in front of the Myeongdang spring on the palace side. I offer my sincere gratitude through this medium.

My connection with Director Kim Yi-hwan runs deep. It was in 1982 when I was working in the urban planning division. Director Kim was appointed president of Singal Golf Course in Yeongdeok-ri, Yongin County (now Taekwang Golf Course) and was in charge of golf course construction. However, half of the Singal Golf Course was included in Suwon's urban planning district and required permits from Suwon City.

Due to the work relationship at that time, when the golf course was completed, Director Kim gave me a certificate of appreciation. Years passed, and when Hwaseong was registered as a UNESCO World Heritage site, Director Kim also developed an interest in Hwaseong and came to visit. Through this connection, we met again, and I invited him to serve as chairman of the Hwaseong Research Association, and this relationship has continued to the present.

Another anecdote occurred the following year after the rear garden construction was completed, in 2006. That summer had unusually prolonged monsoon rains. With excessive rainwater seeping into the fill area, the slope weakened and soil from the rear garden was damaged up to the roof of the palace building. That day, the Hwaseong Research Association was scheduled to go on a research trip to Japan, but I canceled my participation and worked on recovery efforts, a memory that remains vivid.

Over a decade has passed since the completion of the first phase of restoration work including the rear garden of Hwaseong Haenggung. Now the trees in the rear garden have grown lushly, creating a very pleasant landscape. Especially in spring and autumn, the Chamguk chrysanthemums around Milohan Jeongjeong are exquisite. It has become a rear garden ideal for contemplation.

Suwon City is pursuing a plan to complete the unrestored buildings including Uihwagwan, Byeoljoo, and Buneobongsangsi by 2025. We look forward to seeing the complete form of Hwaseong Haenggung.