We went to trip to National Palace Museum of Korea near the Gyeongbokgung. The national palace museum of Korea has a magnificent collection of art and objects from the palaces of Joseon. Arriving at 10 am we waited other students at the entrance. When all students arrived here, we entered the museum. Though there were 10 exhibit halls, students started to look around the special hall first. In special hall, it's theme was "Last princess Deokhye". It was decorated with many pictures and documents. Since princess Deokhye was very famous among students, her image was familiar to them. So they were very excited to learn her life through this special exhibition. Hall's atmosphere was solemn. It contained Deokhye's whole life. Her hanboks and pictures made visitors sorrowful. King Young Chin and Dyeokhe's letters were installed at one side. From it, we were able to find their handwritings and characters. Next to it her wedding supplies was exhibited. Silk added with elaborate stitches, several types of china, silver receptacles boasted their graceful and beautiful figures. Deokhye's mirror made the students gazed at it in rupture. I looked myself in the mirror and had a queer sensation, knowing that princess Dyeokhye had looked herself in this mirror about 150years ago. The last corner at this special hall was the picture which took princess Deokhye arriving Korea at her old age, and abstract video about her entire life. Leaving the Deokhye's hall I was touched by her last word. Which was "Your Highness, Her Imperial Highness I miss you. Korea is our country."After visiting special hall I went to "Chosun's lifestyle" section. It introduces Chosun's food, clothes and living space. For all we know, Korea's traditional clothes are Hanbok. The First Hanbok that I first saw in the hall was queen Young Chin's garment. The dresses exuded it's noble figure. Seeing queen's wife, I had different feelings. Near the clothing hall there were many houses. According to museum's explanation Joseon's house was divided into 2 classes. Which were thatched house and tile - roofed house. Usually farmers and commoner built thatched house while the noble men lived in tile - roofed house. The most touching place in National Palace Museum was Joseon's library in the 1600s. It respired unique ambience. The museum restored the library to it's original size. So that we could taste antique atmosphere. Then we went to understairs and saw two cars which were king Sunjeong and queen Sunjeong's vehicles. Their cars were last spectacles in our trip. With this our last field trip at middle school was ended. It was an interesting and fascinating experiments to all third graders.
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Princess Deokhye (1912-1989) was the daughter of King Gojong, also known as Emperor Gwangmu, and his concubine Lady Yang of Bongnyeongdang. It was Princess Deokhye was brought pleasure to King Gojong during the painful time following the Japanese annexation of Korea in 1910. As King Gojong's only daughter. Princess Deokhye was beloved by Koreans and received national attention. However, falling for a political scheme of the Japanese colonial government, she was forced to go Japan to marry a Japanese nobleman in a marriage of convenience. Princess Deokhye's marriage ended in divorce upon the request of her husband because of a mental illness she developed while sufering through life in Japan. She finally has returned home 38 years after leaving Korea.
Princess Deokhye symbolizes the suffereing of all our people and the royal family of the Korea Empire, which lost sovereignty under the Japanese colonial regime. By courtesy of Bunka Gakuen Costume Museum and Kyushi National Museum in Japan, Deokhye's belongings and wedding gifts are introduced to the public for the first time in this exhibition. These include traditional dresses and jewelry of the Joseon dynasty brought to Japan by her to remember her home country as well as wedding presents sent to Japan by her to remember her home country as well as wedding presents sent to Japan by the bride's family.