Biwon: The Secret Garden—Another Name for Changdeokgung’s Huwon

1. Introduction: when a secret garden opened

Biwon (秘苑)—“secret garden”—is another name for Changdeokgung’s Secret Garden (Huwon). The name signals what this place was for roughly four hundred years: a royal-only retreat.

Until 2010, Biwon was not open to the general public. This piece traces how a garden sealed for centuries became one of Korea’s most visited cultural landscapes—and why that matters.

2. History: a royal secret

2.1. Origins

Work began under King Taejong; the garden we walk today largely took shape under Yeongjo and Jeongjo.

It was built as rest for the king and royal family—a pause from politics beside living nature.

2.2. Why it stayed secret

Secrecy protected royal privacy: a family retreat could not be a public promenade. Access for commoners was barred.

The garden also signified sovereignty: to command such beauty was to display status at the apex of the realm.

2.3. Opening to the public

1 May 2010 was the first general opening—a long seal broken.

Since then Biwon has become a major destination for visitors to Korea, drawing hundreds of thousands each year.

3. Spatial design: nature and craft in balance

3.1. Buyongji and Yeonghwadang

The heart is Buyongji, the lotus pond that served as a stage for royal banquets.

Yeonghwadang sits above the water—a hall from which the king took in the mirror of the pond.

3.2. Aeryeonji and Gwallyeongjeong

Aeryeonji is the lotus pond in the quieter sector.

Beside it stands Gwallyeongjeong, where the court admired lotus in bloom.

3.3. Ongnyucheon and Jahagyo

Water reaches the ponds from Ongnyucheon, the jade stream threading the northern slope.

Jahagyo—often praised as the garden’s most graceful bridge—evokes purple sunset clouds in its name.

4. Architecture: deliberate placement

4.1. Pavilions and purpose

Multiple pavilions each answer a specific use: Yeonghwadang for banquets, Gwallyeongjeong for quieter contemplation, and so on.

4.2. Stone bridges and lanterns

Stone bridges are finely fitted; each crossing frames a chosen vista.

Stone lanterns once lit night walks through the garden.

4.3. Trees and planting

Some trees are centuries old, rooted since the Joseon period.

Planting tracks the seasons: cherry in spring, lotus in summer, maple in autumn.

5. Aesthetics: conversation with nature

5.1. Borrowed scenery (gyeong)

The garden borrows distant hills of Seoul as backdrop, folding the city’s landform into the composition.

5.2. Flow of water

Water moves along naturalistic courses—a metaphor, in garden culture, for the passage of time.

The sound of water becomes music for meditation.

5.3. Light and shadow

Light changes through the day—morning clarity, noon contrast, evening softness—each rewriting the garden.

Shadow deepens space and texture.

6. Meaning today

6.1. From secrecy to sharing

Opening Biwon is part of democratizing royal culture: beauty once reserved for the throne is shared with everyone.

6.2. Reconnecting with nature

For contemporary visitors it is a place to step out of urban noise and feel calm.

6.3. Heritage and care

The story of Biwon also argues for stewardship: four hundred years of continuity make it a treasure of Korean culture.

7. Visitor guide

7.1. When to go

• Spring (April–May): cherry and fresh green
• Summer (June–July): lotus
• Autumn (October–November): maples

7.2. Highlights

• Buyongji and Yeonghwadang
• Aeryeonji and Gwallyeongjeong
• Ongnyucheon
• Jahagyo

7.3. Docent tips

• Pause at each pavilion and read the view in a slow arc.
• Follow the water’s line on foot.
• Return in another season—the garden is never the same twice.

8. References

[1] Korea Heritage Service. (n.d.). Changdeokgung. https://www.cha.go.kr/

[2] Changdeokgung official site. (n.d.). https://cdg.cha.go.kr/

[3] Encyclopedia of Korean Culture. (n.d.). Biwon. https://encykorea.aks.ac.kr/