Hanyangdoseong, the Aesthetic Wall Connecting Today and the Past [Photo Essay Contest]
The Korea JoongAng Daily hosted its first photo essay contest for elementary, middle and high school students on the theme: “Promote the beauty of Korea to foreign countries." The contest ran from October to November. Photos containing scenes of traditional culture, family love, places to see and tasty treats in Korea were submitted for the contest.
For people who participated but didn't win a prize:
Yeonu (Kate) Choi from Chadwick International School submitted the following photo essay as a middle school-level entry.
The deafening sound of guns. Peaceful and secured lives of citizens. The people’s blood and sweat intertwined. Sophistication, hardship, and patriotism all united in one structure: Hanyangdoseong, also known as the Seoul City Wall. Every drop of sweat, blood, and happiness touches our hearts along with the modern view we have of towering buildings. Supportive in the past and beautiful in the present, the construction is now always in its place, around the city, and in our hearts.
Seoul is a city with a long history of over 600 years, dating all the way back to 1394 when the Joseon Dynasty was founded by Yi Sŏng-gye. The fortress was constructed in 1396 to encompass the heart of the nation. During this process, about 120,000 workers were required. Promenading along the wall, I found countless flowers: perhaps each of them showing the workers of that era, who dedicated their time and effort for the sophisticated structure - an overwhelming task even with the aid of modern technology.
How were they able to do this? Stonemasons are the ones who mark milestones for a new civilization: just like Ancient Egypt with its pyramids. In the case of Korea, they opened up the portal for the Joseon Dynasty with the establishment of the Seoul City Wall. Through multiple stages of construction, the structure added on to its strength. Even though it may seem like just a wall, it has its own functions for the capital's safety: such as having empty squares for watchmen and shooters.
Great effort was put in the revival of our faithful protection. As centuries passed, the bastion slowly started to lose its shape. Fractions of the structure were found scattered around the city, most of them in the mountains where the fortress followed the ridgeline. Over time, enclosing the city like it used to be became impossible due to the modernized version of Korea. Despite the circumstances, the wall follows the trace as much as possible for it to retain its shape. The Korean government finally announced the official reveal of the remains of Hanyangdoseong at the foot of Mt. Namsan to the public on November 12, 2020.
The irrefutable attractiveness of Hanyandoseong is its mixture with its modern surroundings. The contrasting scenery of recent buildings and the preserved beauty of the Seoul City Wall is an amazing sight of two contrasting aspects of absolute beauty. Koreans, along with foreign visitors, are touched by the surroundings of the present-day Korea mingling with its reason for existence: the Hanyangdoseong.
By Yeonu (Kate) Choi, Chadwick International School
with the Korea JoongAng Daily
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