King Gojong's 1893 ceremonial visit in honor of King Seonjo

Deoksu Palace in the early part of the 20th century Robert Neff Collection

By Robert Neff

On the beautiful autumn morning of Nov. 11, 1893, the foreign community in Seoul witnessed the royal family's ceremonial visit to a memorial site located in front of the American Legation (now the ambassador's residence).

This ceremonial visit ― performed every 60 years on the fourth day of the 10th month on the lunar calendar ― was to honor King Seonjo's triumphant return to Seoul, through the West Gate, in October 1593. Seonjo's capital was in ruins ― "her palaces had been burned, her sacred places desecrated, and her population more than decimated" by the Japanese invaders in the 1592-98 Imjin War. With so much destroyed, he was forced to take up his abode in the compound of Grand Prince Wolsan (the compound would later be known as Gyeongun Palace) while his new palace was being built. Unfortunately for Seonjo, he did not live long enough to see his new palace completed.

Deoksu Palace on a quiet day in March 2001 Robert Neff Collection

King Gojong, in preparation for his demonstration of respect for, and remembrance of, his ancestor, had the streets repaired and widened ― "during the sixty years that [had] intervened since the last visit of this nature, some of the streets had been narrowed by encroachments by property owners by both sides until in some places they were quite inadequate to the traffic which daily [passed] through them." The foreign legations were also notified.

The route, which started from Gyeongbok Palace and then headed toward the West Gate where it turned left and then went "past the stately building of the Russian legation [and] down into the heart of the foreign community" in Jeong-dong, was lined with people.

Many of the Americans living in Jeong-dong area decorated their homes with American and Korean flags in a show of respect for the Korean monarch. According to an unidentified eyewitness, "on every hand he [the king] saw evidences of welcome from the foreigners. On every side the Korean flag was displayed and frequently the Stars and Stripes could be seen in conjunction with it."

Elizabeth Greathouse, an elderly woman whose son Clarence served as a legal adviser to the Joseon government, was one of those foreign well-wishers.

Deoksu Palace in November 2019 Robert Neff Collection

According to her diary, she got up at 10 a.m., had a large table moved to the front gate of her compound's entrance and had it covered with a large carpet ― so that it resembled a raised platform ― and a bamboo chair placed upon it. Her gate was decorated with two large Korean flags and 30 beautiful red lanterns and provided a most impressive backdrop. From her lofty perch, she watched the royal procession go by, quite pleased that her efforts were noticed by the royal family as they passed:

"At near 11 he [King Gojong] came along in a very large Corean chair, hard to describe it, very unique though, carried by a dozen or more gorgeously [attired] Coreans, thousands had gone before, besides soldiers, the upper class, some on horseback, and others in chair. Then after the king retinue passed, [another chair,] the same kind of chair except it was closed, [containing] the Queen passed along and after her followers passed the Crown Prince's wife passed and so on till the Crown Prince himself came along. [The Crown Prince's] face was seen, but the females must not let anyone see them in public, but I am inclined to believe they had a peep hole and could see it all."

In a rather self-aggrandizing manner she went on to describe how she stood up on her "table platform when the King came along." The Korean monarch's attention was initially drawn to the gate decorations but then he recognized her and his eyes never turned from hers until after the procession bore him past the gate. The queen, however, did initially not recognize her and her house as "this one of the rare occasions that she [the queen] goes out."

For a couple of decades it was easy to find solitude at Deoksu Palace. March 2001. Robert Neff Collection

Greathouse was convinced the Korean queen "must have admired [the flags and lanterns] all very much and was [so] pleased" that she sent one of her male servants to find out who lived in the house.

In addition to the royal family, soldiers and officials were the "many gaily attired dancing girls [who] passed on horseback, their costumes very rich and very unique, and many other waiting women came along attired differently."

The procession took over an hour to pass. "I don't know how many soldiers and followers were out, but way up in the thousands," she dutifully noted in her diary and added, "His Majesty can certainly call out at a short notice large numbers of soldiers."

A rare moment of solitude at Deoksu Palace, November 2019 Robert Neff Collection

The procession passed the Seoul Union [a community club for the Western community] where, according to our unidentified eyewitness:

"The whole foreign community was gathered on the tennis courts … and more than one remarked that never before had they seen such a splendid display. The uniforms were gayer and the flags of all hues were more numerous than had ever been seen in a Royal procession before. Those to whom the sight was new found it intensely interesting, and even those who had witnessed such an event many times before found new interest in it."

We do, however, have identified witness accounts. Sallie Swallen, an American missionary, wrote:

"We had an opportunity of seeing the Korean king, in all his royal paraphernalia. I was only about 10 feet from him, so had a splendid view. I would only be too glad if I could describe the whole affair, but I don't believe any kind of a picture could be given."

Whispers of the past in an empty courtyard in March 2001 Robert Neff Collection

Fortunately for us, Mattie Wilcox Noble, the 21-year-old wife of an American missionary, was able to paint a picture with words:

"We went today to see the Royal Parade. Once in 60 yrs. the king must sleep in a certain temple & this was in commemoration of some hero. I do not know very well about it. This was the first time for years that a Korean queen had gone out from the Palace, or any other women in parade. In this procession were the king, queen, crown prince & crown princess with their attendants, & the soldiers & musicians. The ladies had lady attendants & dancing girls. The gentlemen, eunuchs as attendants. The king's & prince's chairs or thrones were large & gorgeously decorated. The sides were covered with beautiful furs. The king & prince could be distinctly seen. It was the first time they had passed by our foreign residents. I think the kind had a desire to see them. The Americans & Eng. were together on the Reading Room lawn. The king bowed to us all as he passed. The gentlemen all lifted their hats to all the four royal personages. The queen & princess were in large covered chairs bourne [sic] by many men. They were certainly beautiful. I cannot describe them. We could not see the queen & princess. The queen's & princess's immediate attendants sat up on ponies with great colored umbrella looking things reaching over their faces. The dancing girls also rode astride the ponies backs. Their heads & faces were uncovered, save the immense false hair that was fixed up on the back of their heads & the ornaments. They were dressed in light, pretty colors. The whole procession made me think of some fine show."

In his report to the U.S. State Department, Horace N. Allen, secretary of the American Legation in Seoul, described the event as "a ceremonial visit" by the royal family "to the Mortuary Temple, nearly adjoining the American legation" and was "attended by thousands of soldiers and banner men, making in all a rare display."

Always watching, in March 2001 Robert Neff Collection

Allen noted that "as the procession was to pass along the street line by American residences, and in front of [the American] Legation, we Americans arranged for a suitable display of decorations. We also united in sending a message of greeting to Their Majesties."

The Korean queen, who knew Allen's wife Fannie fairly well, sent her chief eunuch to extend her appreciation to the American community and also to apologize for not visiting Fannie but custom forbade her from doing so.

As for the king, "he was immensely pleased with these evidences of good will [and] at once sent several of his highest officials to return thanks."

Gloominess surrounds the palace even in March 2001. Robert Neff Collection

Allen, never missing the opportunity to extol his country's importance to Joseon, noted the nearby European legations were also decorated in honor of the Korean monarch but "His Majesty sent only interpreters to express his thanks for the attention shown."

This was the last time the ceremony honoring Seonjo's entrance into Seoul and his subsequent reign from Gyeongun Palace was performed. It is also a demonstration of the cruelness of fate. In February 1897, King Gojong made Gyeongun Palace his royal palace and in September he was crowned emperor of the Great Korea Empire. A decade later, he abdicated his throne to his son, but remained in this palace ― which was renamed Deoksu Palace ― until his death in 1919.

Faded opulence in March 2001 Robert Neff Collection

Gaudiness of the present, November 2019 Robert Neff Collection

Robert Neff has authored and co-authored several books, including Letters from Joseon, Korea Through Western Eyes and Brief Encounters.