The blackened surface of Sungnyemun gate’s wooden pillars recalls the tragic fire caused by arson five years ago. Now the fresh scent and vivid colors of the restored paint of the gate show the past glory of the national treasure originally built in 1398 as the south entrance of Seoul, then the capital of the Joseon Dynasty (1392-1910).

With the completion of the five-year restoration of Sungnyemun, it will open to the public again on May 4 after a grand ceremony, the Cultural Heritage Administration (CHA) told reporters on April 29.

Extensively damaged by arson in February 2008, Korea’s No. 1 National Treasure is finally restored. The gate, also known as Namdaemun, was disassembled completely and rebuilt by the country’s top-notch master carpenters and craftsmen including some who are themselves officially registered as intangible cultural assets.

Dancheong master Hong Chang-won explains to a journalist about the coloring of Sungnyemun (photo: Jeon Han).

Dancheong master Hong Chang-won explains to a journalist about the coloring of Sungnyemun (photo: Jeon Han).


The restoration followed thorough research to figure out the degree of the damage and determine the direction of the project.

According to the CHA, there were several principles that governed the restoration process. The gate was to be restored to its original form before the fire and before it was modified during the Japanese colonization of the Korean Peninsula.

The restoration team also tried to maximize the reuse of original materials and rebuilt the walls that used to be on both sides of the gate. Soil was dug out to lower the ground by up to half a meter. Traditional methods, materials, and tools were used to repair the national treasure.

“The key to restoration is to use existing lumber as much as possible,” said Shin Eung-su, an expert carpenter who oversaw the restoration process, adding that carpenters even sawed off burnt parts of the wood to reuse the undamaged parts.

“Ninety percent of the wood used for the ground floor is original. Original wood of the four central pillars on the upper floor that is joined to the new wood can be clearly seen.”

Shin Eung-su explains that original wood joined to the new wood on the upper floor can be clearly seen inside the gate (photo: Jeon Han).

Shin Eung-su explains that original wood joined to the new wood on the upper floor can be clearly seen inside the gate (photo: Jeon Han).


Under the principles, they also burned handmade roof tiles in a kiln and used traditional paints for the dancheong, a traditional decorative coloring made on wooden structures.

“The coloring of the dancheong is closest to the original form of the Joseon Dynasty, though traditional paints may look less vivid than artificial colors,” said Hong Chang-won, head of the craftsmen who worked on the dancheong.

The gate has been painted with artificial coloring since 1988 when it was painted for the last time before the arson.

They also restored the plaque with writing based on a rubbed copy of the original made during the Joseon period.

The restoration took five years, two months, and 20 days from February 10, 2008, to April 30, 2013. It cost KRW 27.7 billion and employed around 35,000 people.


A CCTV camera and a heat detector installed to safeguard the gate (photo: Jeon Han)

A CCTV camera and a heat detector installed to safeguard the gate (photo: Jeon Han)


To prevent another fire and discourage trespassers, heat detectors, and flame detectors, and 18 CCTV cameras were installed.

The CHA has also taken over Sungnyemun’s management from the Jung District Office, erecting a management building near the gate.

The restoration also caught the attention of many foreign media outlets that paid close attention to the restoration.

“It is a significant cultural asset of Korea and it is finally restored,” said Harry Fawcett, a reporter with Al Jazeera. “Korea is going to celebrate the restoration in a grand way and we are here to report it.”


Technicians work on the final touch of the restoration of the gate (photo: Jeon Han)._09.jpg

Technicians work on the final touch of the restoration of the gate (photo: Jeon Han).

Yu Xi, director of the Changjiang Daily’s Yu Xi International Cultural Exchange Office, said the restoration seems to have been done with a lot of emphasis on detail.

“The lines of the dancheong are all connected, the thickness of the lines is even, and the colors used throughout the gate are equal,” he said. “They seem to have paid attention to extreme details, even to the areas commonly unseen by the public.”

To commemorate the restoration, a ceremony will be held from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. on May 4 in front of Sungnyemun as well as at the Gwanghwamun square.

A ten-minute pre-ceremony at 1:50 p.m. will include performances by a children’s choir and a Buddhist ritual to get rid of bad luck. It will be followed by traditional performances, the unveiling of the plaque, opening of the gate, and delivery of postcards containing messages of hope. There will also be a military band parade and a traditional music and dance performance.

A view of Sungnyemun (photo: Jeon Han)

A view of Sungnyemun (photo: Jeon Han)


Now back to its old splendor, the gate will be open to the public every day except Mondays from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m..

A total of 20 visitors can tour the upper story of the gate every Saturday (11 a.m., 1 p.m., and 3 p.m.) and Sunday (1 p.m., 2 p.m., and 3 p.m.) on a first-come first-served basis, beginning on May 18. The four palaces -- Gyeongbokgung, Changdeokgung, Changgyeonggung and Deoksugung -- will be open to the public for free on the same day.

 

[Source: Korea.net]