Spring in the Hongneung Experimental Forest (홍릉숲의 봄)

The Hongneung Experimental Forest is located at the southwestern foot of Mt. Cheonjang (elevation: 141m a.s.l.), east of Seoul. In the past, the grave of Empress Myeongseong was located in the forest (The grave was moved to another region in 1919). The name of the Experimental Forest originated from the name of the grave, Hongneung (‘Neung’ means a grave in Korean). In 1922, Korea’s first arboretum was established in the forest with the foundation of the Forestry Experiment Station. During the weekdays, the forest is open to the students for educational purposes. Since 1993, the forest has been open to the public on Saturdays and Sundays, to increase people’s understanding of the importance of trees and forests.

 

Location : Hoegi-ro, Dongdaemun-gu, Seoul

 

History of the Hongneung Forest

 

The Hongneung Forest is acknowledged as ‘the first generation arboretum’ in Korea. It used to be the historic site where the term ‘Hongneung’ came from. The royal tomb of Empress Myeong-Seong (1851~1895), the first official wife of Emperor Gojong (1852~1919), the twenty-sixth king of the Joseon dynasty of Korea, had been here until 1919 when it was relocated to Geumgok, Namyang-ju, Gyeonggi-do, South Korea, after the demise of the Emperor. At present, only the traces are left in the Hongneung Forest. Begun as a botanical garden subject to the royal tomb, the Hongneung Forest has been developed into the current forest since 1922 when the Forestry Experimental Station (the predecessor of NIFoS) was founded. In the beginning, the forest was composed of the sections Willow Garden, Alder Garden, Alpine Plants Garden, Shrubs Garden, and Medicinal Plants Garden. However, most of the areas were destroyed during the Korean War. Since the late 1960s, except for some plants endemic to North Korea, most domestic and overseas species have been recollected and restored. Now the forest is made up of Conifers Garden, Deciduous Garden, Herbs Garden, Shrubs Garden, Exotic Trees Garden, and Medicinal Plants Garden.

 

https://eng-nifos.forest.go.kr/kfsweb/kfi/kfs/cms/cmsView.do?cmsId=FC_002150&mn=UEFR_04_02_02

National Institute of Forest Science - Research Project > Experimental Forest > Hongneung Experimental Forest > Hongneung Exper

 

 

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The Hongneung area in Cheongnyang-ri 2-dong, Dongdaemun-gu was originally a national forest owned by the royal family of the Joseon Dynasty. Although it's hard to tell now that it's been paved over and subdivided, Hongneung was a wilderness area where the trunk of Bukhaksan Mountain, Seoul's main mountain, stretches down to Cheonsan Mountain, and was used by the royal family as a royal tomb. At the eastern end of Cheonsan Mountain is the tomb (Uireung) of Gyeongjong, the 20th king of the Joseon Dynasty, and when Empress Myeongseong passed away in an unfortunate accident, the tomb of Empress Myeongseong was used for the current forest science center, so it became known as Hongneung.

 

If you look to the left of the main entrance of the current Forest Academy of Sciences, a brief description of the Hongneung site is written on a marker stone, and if you walk inside for 10-15 minutes, you can see the remains of the tomb of Empress Myeongseong (Hongneung site). On February 16, 1919, the tomb of Empress Myeongseong was moved to Geumgok-dong (Hongyu-ryeong) in Namyangju City because it was said to be inauspicious according to feng shui, and was joined by Gojong's tomb.

Hongneung is the tomb of Emperor Gojong and Empress Myeongseong. It is called Hongneung because the name used since it was in Cheongnyang-ri Forest Science Center has been passed down. When the last Hwangseson of the Joseon Dynasty, Dr. Lee Gu, died last summer, many people asked if it was Hongneung. By the way, Hwang Seson Igu is enshrined around Eternity.

 

I love nature very much. The creatures that are born in the great outdoors are so fascinating and beautiful.

 

 

Thank you for visiting my blog and reading the article.

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