Hanyangdoseong Audio Guide 4_Lost Wall and Inwangsan Trail

[Hanyangdoseong, lost road and forgotten time]
* Course : Site of Namji Pond – Site of Sodukmun – Jeongdong-gil – site of Donuimun Gate – Haengchon-dong Village – Inwangsan Mountain Trail

If different civilizations crush each other, it will be damaged or disappeared. But there is something being with us like invisible wind. Even though civilization could be disappeared, there is something definitely existing, it is ‘spirit’. Hanyangdoseong Excursions Trail is lost and damaged in history. But searching for trace of lost wall, we come to know its spirit is still alive now.

For this time, we are going to walk on a road of lost wall and Inwangsan Mountain Trail. From Seoul Station Exit 3, it ends at Gyeongbokgung Station Exit 2. In spite that the wall is lost, if we walk with new heart and view, unforgettable thing will come to us. From now on I am going to introduce the road.

From Seoul Station Exit 3, go straight. At right of the end, there is the memorial stone of ‘site of Namji Pond’, southern pond. From there let’s cross a street direction to the Korea Chamber of Commerce & Industry. A sign on the wall is written that the wall of Hanyangdoseong built in 1396, was restored on 2005. I think because it is in front of building, the wall might be restored like low fence. Along this road, walk to ‘site of Donuimun Gate’.

At the end of a road, there is the memorial stone of site of Sodukmun Gate at right of street with an overpass. Sodukmun Gate has another name, Seosomun Gate which was built but tore down in Japanese colonial ear. Stand there and look around. Pyeong-an Church is shown. Cross a street at a crosswalk in front of JoongangIlbo building, then take a side road between Pyeong-an Church and Gyeongnam Bank.
Check a sign of ‘site of Donuimun Gate, Hanyangdoseong’, then keep walking. Right side, we can see Baejae Building and Baejae Park. Baejae Park is an old site of Baejae(or Paichai) Hakdang(means a school),which was established by the American missionary Henry G. Appenzeller who taught western education and culture. This was a cradle of new culture. Cross the park and get out of it, let’s walk to Chungdong First Methodist Church. (Chungdong is the same pronounce with Jeongdong)

Chungdong First Methodist Church is the first Korea Protestant church established in 1885 by Appenzeller, a Principal of BaejaeHakdang. In 1918 the first pipe organ was installed and the first western style wedding ceremony held in there. And an independence activist Yu Gwan-sun’s funeral was conducted too.
At the front of the Church, Chongdong Theater is placed. And at side road of theater there is Jungmyongjeon which was imperial library built in 1899. Gojong, the first emperor of Joseon, was staying here from fire on Deoksugung Palace in 1904 till he forced to abdicate the throne in 1907.This is misfortune place of Eul-sa-neuk-yak, the Protectorate Treaty between Joseon and Japan concluded in 1905.

Jeongdong-gil, as Modern Cultural Heritage No. 1, was where the newest educational institution, a foreign embassy and organs of public opinion was placed. It was the center of culture and diplomacy to intercourse actively. New and old, eastern and western civilizations clashed and absorbed each other so that new values were created. This new values have changed people and formed new culture.

On this street with lost wall, who can remembers lost wall? Pagoda Tree of Jeongdong would be the one that endured around 500 years. Pagoda Tree in front of Canada Embassy is 17m height and 5.16m circumference. Canada Embassy constructed new building considering the tree’s root in 2003. Jeongdong-gil is the road teaching us to respect for history and life.

At Jeongdong intersection, we can see ‘site of Donuimun Gate’ of wooden wall beyond traffic lights. Passing that site, walk a slope. Then parking lot of Gangbuk Samsung Hospital will be shown. At the entrance of it, ‘Gyeonggyojang’ is placed. Gyeonggyojang was the last government office building of Provisional Government of the Republic of Korea. Baekbeom Kim Koo was staying for 3 years 7 months till he was assassinated in 1949. It is designated as historical site No. 465 and its inside is restored.

Baekbeom Kim Koo wrote an article ‘My Desire’, which awakes our spirit all the time.
“I want our nation to be the most beautiful in the world. By this I do not mean the most powerful nation. Because I have felt the pain of being invaded by another nation, I do not want my nation to invade others. It is sufficient that our wealth makes our lives abundant; it is sufficient that our strength is able to prevent foreign invasions. The only thing that I desire in infinite quantity is the power of a noble culture. This is because the power of culture both makes ourselves happy and gives happiness to others.”
Hanyangdoseong is cultural heritage making our nation beautiful, too. Following its trace, we have to find out whether our spirit is lost or not.

Out of Gyeonggyojang, turn left and keep walking. There is a sign of a top of Inwangsan Mountain at right side along Seoul Welfare Foundation building. Following a sign we will see Woram Neighborhood Park. Pass thru it. Then a sign of ‘site of Ernest Thomas Bethell’s house’ is shown. Bethell from British came Korea in 1904 then on September found Korean Daily News to support anti-Japan media activity.

Out of the park, there is an alley beside narrow housing development. Go to the dead end, we will see fork. Turn right then soon turn left. After a road, we will come to the entrance of Sajik Neighborhood Park’s healing forest leading to Inwangsan Mountain. This is Haengchon-dong Village where is good to see inner and outer wall of Hanyangdoseong. Firstly I suggest you would be better walk along an outer wall. Walking along an outer wall, if Ammun is shown up, let’s get in. Then walk along an inner wall so we can get to Inwangsan Mountain.

After walking on a road with the wall and tree a long queue at both sides, let’s take our step to a dirt road. We have to get ourselves because of steep uphill. Alongside an outer wall, head to a top of Inwangsan Mountain then come into inside of the wall. Around trail, we can see things that nature makes like Gicha Bawi (train rock), Chima Bawi (skirt rock), Beom Bawi (crouching tiger rock) and so on. With rocks carved by rain and wind, and the wall carved with hands, flavor of mountain is rising up more. At a top of Inwangsan Mountain, look down. There are the Blue House, Gyeongbokgung Palace, Gwanghwamun Gate and low-level housing in Cheongun-dong, Hyoja-dong. The wall reaching down bottomless is also giving us grand view made by men’s hands in great civilization.

Now let’s go down to Yun Dong-ju Literature House. If fork is come up, go straight to Changuimun Gate. On middle of a road, wooden door is closed. This is for wild animal to prevent getting into downtown, so we can open a door then pass and close it. Step on wooden stair and walk along an outer wall. The wall is shown clearly on outside more than inside. That reminds us, the history is also shown more clearly to understand its meaning after time goes so far.
After wooden stair, get inside of the wall. Before we know, we are out of a mountain and stay in a street. Cross there and check a sign to Changuimun Gate. Soon we will see Yun Dong-ju Literature House.

Poet Yun Dong-ju had short life but is the one of the most popular poet in Korea. His poem has suffering about Japanese colonial era. While walking, Shall we read his poem ‘New Path’? It would be guiding us deeper steps.

New Path by Yoon Dong Ju

Beyond the stream, into the forest.
Beyond the hill, into the village.

My path, a new path,
which I trod yesterday and will tread today

Today and tomorrow too,
My path, forever a new path

Dandelions blossom, magpies fly
A lady passes by, wind blows

Beyond the stream, into the forest
Beyond the hill, into the village

Though it’s the same road, if we walk with new heart and view, our road is always new to us. Come out of Yun Dong-ju Literature House, take a bus and off at Gyeongbokgung Station Exit 2. Now we go back home to finish today’s road. So we may dream new road for tomorrow.