[Anchor Lead]
The Hamnyeongjeon Hall in Deoksugung Palace once served as the sleeping quarters for King Gojong, the last monarch of the Joseon Dynasty. Household appliances used in the ancient hall long ago have been recreated recently to restore the beauty of the royal palaces.
[Pkg]
Hamnyeongjeon Hall at Deoksugung Palace used to be the sleeping residence of Emperor Gojong of Korea. Recently, three red-beaded blinds with elegant patterns have been installed on the exterior wall of the hall. Made with woven bamboo pieces, during the Joseon period these blinds were used not only to block sunlight, but also as a decoration in rituals. Installed inside and outside the royal palace, they created a dignified atmosphere. One civic group made the blinds as part of a project aimed at recreating ancient royal household furnishings in cooperation with the Cultural Heritage Administration.
[Soundbite] Chang Young-seok(Culture Keepers) : "Royal palaces are the cradles of traditional culture and artisanship. We wanted to revive them in the modern era to preserve their tradition."
In 2015, the hall was furnished with traditional curtains known as "muryeomja" in Korean. They were also recreated to freshen up the aged and deserted atmosphere of the Hamnyeongjeon Hall. The recreation of ancient items requires hard work and dedication of artisans, who produce their work after carefully studying relics and historic evidence.
[Soundbite] Yoo Seon-hee(Important Intangible Cultural Property 107, Quilting Master) : "It is an invaluable opportunity to demonstrate ancient Korean culture to modern-day people."
The restoration of traditional Korean household artifacts is breathing new life into royal palaces, which represent the nation's cultural heritage.
