Changgyeong-Jongmyo link to get wider

Changgyeong Palace and Jongmyo, a shrine dedicated to memorial services for the kings and queens of the Joseon dynasty (1392-1910), will be linked again after being separated for 80 years,

According to the Seoul Metropolitan Government, the restoration work will begin with the destruction of the Yulgok Road that divides them.

The road, which was a small passage to link the two places, was expanded as a boulevard during the Japanese colonial rules of 1910-45 by separating the royal family, who resided in nearby Changdoek Palace, from the ancestors’ shrine. The Japanese’s decision was based on a feng shui theory that the construction could cut off a positive flow of chi (energy) between the two sacred places.

“The eight-lane Yulgok Road is crammed with cars all the time. We will build underground roads to lessen the traffic, pollution and also restore the pride of Joseon,” an official said.

The local administration will plant indigenous trees along the new road and also restore “Donhwamun,” the main gate of Changdoek Palace, to its original height.

Jongmyo was designated as a World Heritage Site by the UNESCO in 1997.

By Bae Ji-sook (baejisook@heraldcorp.com)