A Mysterious Light-Filled Autumn Night in the 'Garden of the Gods'...Oops, This Was a Graveyard [Digging Travel]

National Heritage Joseon Royal Tombs Festival Opens on the 11th at Hongyureung in Namyangju
Held at 5 Joseon Royal Tombs from the 12th to the 20th

On the evening of the 8th, when dusk had settled, a faint light seeped from the entrance of Hongneung and Yureung in Namyangju, Gyeonggi Province, unlike usual darkness. During the Joseon Royal Tombs Festival, the 'Garden of the Gods' royal tomb, which was unusually opened for nighttime access, was illuminated with multicolored lights everywhere.

On the 8th (Tuesday), at Hongyureung in Namyangju, Gyeonggi-do, the pansori performance "Garden of the Gods," featuring the spirits of kings and queens and stone artifacts, is being held as part of the "2024 National Heritage Joseon Royal Tombs Festival 'Preview of the Joseon Royal Tombs Festival'."
[Photo by National Heritage Administration]

The forest path around Hongneung, the joint tomb of King Gojong and Empress Myeongseong, sparkled with fantastic lights, and the leaves glowed faintly as if lit by holographic lighting. Hanji paper flowers bathed in pink light and the yellow glow flickering on the ground created an illusion of being in another world. The cityscape soon vanished from the mind, and the mysterious atmosphere of the royal tomb enveloped the visitors.

The Joseon Royal Tombs Festival, which began in 2020, is now in its fifth year and will be held from the 12th to the 20th at five locations: Donggureung in Guri, Hongneung and Yureung in Namyangju, Gwangneung, and Yeongneung in Yeoju.

First, the nighttime fusion performance 'Garden of the Gods,' which tells the story of Joseon's royal funerals and royal tombs, will be held at Hongneung and Yureung on the 12th and 13th, and at Yeongneung on the 19th and 20th.

'Garden of the Gods' is an outdoor performance that depicts the three-year journey from the death of a Joseon king to Jongmyo Shrine through changgeuk (Korean traditional opera) and light performances. The show vividly recreates the traditional state funeral process with modern direction and the use of 400 drones. From the opening scene, the audience is immersed in a mysterious and surreal atmosphere through illuminated stone artifacts and the synchronized dance of characters in the darkness. Throughout the performance, tradition and modernity, nature and artificial elements blend to elevate the solemnity of the royal tomb into a fantastic spectacle.

On the 8th, the nighttime exhibition of "The King's Garden" was held at the '2024 National Heritage Joseon Royal Tombs Festival "Preview of the Joseon Royal Tombs Festival"' held at Hongyureung in Namyangju, Gyeonggi Province.
[Photo by National Heritage Foundation]

The preview of 'Garden of the Gods' held at Hongneung's main hall that day proved that the power of the space itself is more intense than any device or effect. In the darkness surrounded by the royal tomb forest, the scene where the king's spirit, unable to grasp death, laments against the backdrop of the glowing blue main hall evoked a sensation of being in another world. The dance of light and stone artifacts, along with performers using optical fibers, highlighted the sanctity of the royal tomb. The highlight of the performance was the grand state funeral procession recreated by 400 drones painting the night sky, embodying the harmony of tradition and modernity, nature and technology.

After the performance, visitors went to the 'Fragrance Gallery' set up in the Hongneung Jae-sil (resting hall). Here, they could experience six scents symbolizing the life of the Joseon royal family, such as 'Morning of Joseon,' 'Gojong's Reminiscence,' and 'Empress's Forest Walk.' Each scent was subtle yet distinct, and while smelling 'Gojong's Reminiscence,' visitors imagined the emotions King Gojong might have felt. The fragrance naturally spreading around offered a tranquility as if breathing directly in the forest of the royal tomb.

On the 8th (Tuesday), at Hongyureung in Namyangju, Gyeonggi Province, the pansori performance "Garden of the Gods," featuring the spirits of kings and queens and stone artifacts, is being held as part of the "2024 National Heritage Joseon Royal Tombs Festival 'Preview of the Joseon Royal Tombs Festival'."
[Photo by National Heritage Administration]

The Joseon Royal Tombs Festival also welcomes audiences with various other programs. At Donggureung on the 19th and 20th, a special tour called 'The Royal Tomb Keeper’s Stories' will be newly introduced. Visitors can tour key sites within Donggureung with a ninth-rank royal tomb keeper who managed the tombs, hearing historical stories. Additionally, royal tomb music concerts will be held at Hongneung and Yureung, Donggureung, Gwangneung, and Yeongneung. Diverse performances blending traditional and modern elements, including dance by Ambiguous Dance Company, the National Gugak Center, Kim Junsu x Second Moon, and the National Heritage Promotion Agency’s arts troupe, will be showcased.

Alongside these, various experiential programs are prepared, such as 'Donggureung Night Tour,' which allows visitors to feel Joseon's history and nature while exploring the royal tombs; 'Royal Tomb Forest,' a healing program at the tombs; and 'King’s Forest Path Tree Stories,' where visitors walk the forest paths of the tombs while listening to stories about the trees.

Park Yong-sun, head of the Palace and Tomb Promotion Team at the National Heritage Promotion Agency, said, "This year’s Joseon Royal Tombs Festival has reduced the number of venues to five but prepared a variety of experiential programs that share knowledge of Joseon culture and national heritage in new ways. Through 'Garden of the Gods' and the 'Fragrance Gallery,' visitors will be able to connect with historical figures and newly appreciate their lives, deaths, and the sacred value of the royal tombs."