Name: [Cultural Excursion] 'Reading the City from Above: A Bird's-Eye View of Seoul's Spatial Order'
Start: 2026-05-16T13:30:00+09:00
End: 2026-05-16T17:00:00+09:00
Location: Bosingak Bell Pavillion

[Cultural Excursion] 'Reading the City from Above: A Bird's-Eye View of Seoul's Spatial Order'

TITLE:
'Reading the City from Above: A Bird’s-Eye View of Seoul’s Spatial Order'
LEADER: Jun Y.G. SHIN
DATE: Saturday, May 16, 2026, 1:30-5:00PM
DESTINATION: Central Seoul
COST: W25,000 for RAS Korea Lifetime and Annual Members; W30,000 for Non-members
MEETING POINT: In front of Bosingak pavilion (보신각) near Exit 4 of Jonggak Station (Subway Line 1)
REGISTRATION: RSVP by May 14 (Thursday) with payment of the fee via bank transfer. Please register one RSVP at a time.
RSVP: https://forms.gle/u5XV369K9br5og7V9
☞Payment to be remitted to the following account:
SHINHAN BANK ACCOUNT # 100-026-383501 (RAS-KB)
*Reservation is not confirmed until payment has been received by RAS Korea in advance of the event.

DESCRIPTION:
This excursion will visit four elevated vantage points offering sweeping views across historic downtown Seoul. From these bird’s-eye perspectives, participants will take in a wide range of architectural forms and urban structures from the Joseon Dynasty to the present while considering their spatial organization and aesthetic significance. In particular, the walk will explore how key institutions and sites of the Joseon capital of Hanyang – royal palaces, Jongmyo Shrine and Sajik Altar, Bosingak Pavilion and the Four Main Gates, the Monument for the 40th Anniversary of King Gojong’s Enthronement, and Hwangudan Altar – were shaped by specific principles and philosophies, and how these continue inform the modern city.
The walk will begin at Bosingak Pavilion, which once stood at the center of Hanyang. Here, participants will learn about its function and about the planning of the capital according to Yin–Yang and the Five Elements. En route to the first viewpoint, the group will stop at a lesser-known site marking the city’s central point during the Great Han Empire (1897–1910), introducing the concept of the Five Directions. The first elevated vantage point will be a rooftop café overlooking Jogyesa Temple. While enjoying refreshments, participants can take in the seasonal display of lotus lanterns hung for Buddha’s Birthday, as the guide introduces the history of the temple and its place in central Seoul. The group will then proceed through the temple grounds to the second viewpoint, where they can take in a panoramic view that encompasses Gyeongbokgung Palace, the Blue House, Mount Inwang and Mount Bugak, as well as the neighborhoods of Seochon and Bukchon. From this vantage point, participants will learn about key principles of Joseon spatial planning, including jwamyo-usa (the placement of Jongmyo Shrine and Sajik Altar), baesan-imsu (mountains behind, river in front), and myeong-dang (the selection of auspicious sites).
The walk will continue to the Monument for the 40th Anniversary of King Gojong’s Enthronement, reflecting imperial symbolism and cosmological thought, and then to Seoul Anglican Cathedral, which blends the Romanesque style typical of British Anglican architecture at the time with Korean elements such as tiled roofs and wooden lattice windows. Passing along the rear of Deoksugung Palace and King Gojong’s Road, the group will reach the third viewpoint. At the Jeongdong Observatory, participants will enjoy views of Deoksugung – once the imperial palace of the Great Han Empire – and the surrounding district, which was populated by foreign legations, churches, and schools. Over coffee, the group will reflect on Jeongdong as a center of late Joseon modernization, comparing traditional palace architecture with the neoclassical Seokjojeon and contrasting Korean and Western approaches to nature and space. On the way to the final viewpoint, the group will visit Hwanggung’u Shrine within Hwangudan, where imperial rites to Heaven were once performed, and will consider the cosmological concept of cheonwon jibang (sky is round, earth is square) and the symbolism of the shrine’s octagonal structure. The walk will conclude at a final vantage point overlooking the Bank of Korea, Shinsegae Department Store, and the Myeong-dong area. Here, participants will explore the emergence of colonial-era commercial culture, including early department stores and the “Modern Girl” and “Modern Boy,” and learn about the formation of Myeong-dong’s Chinatown.
This walking excursion will set off at 1:00 pm from Bosingak pavilion near Exit 4 of Jonggak Station (종각역, Subway Line 1). The excursion will last until about 5:00 and end near Hoehyeon Station (회현역, Subway Line 4). There will be a considerable amount of walking, so please wear appropriate footwear. The excursion will proceed as scheduled even if it rains – just put on your rain gear and bring your umbrella!
Jun Y. G. SHIN is a life member of the Royal Asiatic Society Korea and serves on its council.