‘Old Big Trees of Cheongwadae’, which are six old big trees in Cheongwadae(the Blue House) with outstanding historic and academic value, was planned to be designated as a natural monument in August.

These trees are a Multi-stem Pine in Nokjiwon, three Pagoda Trees in the forest near Nokjiwon, a Walter Dogwood in front of Sangchunjae, and a Dragon-claw Willow in the willow yard in front of Yeomingwan.

Since Cheongwadae opened to the public on May 10, the CHA has collected data on the growth condition, literature, and photos of Cheongwadae's old big trees with experts, and conducted an investigation for the designation.

Historical materials such as ‘Gyeongguk daejeon (National Code), Volume 6’, ‘Doseong jido (Map of the Capital)’, and ‘Gyeongseong sigado (Street Map of Seoul)’ confirmed that these trees, which have been protected for about 300 years, have a spatial and historic value from Gyeongbokgung Palace to Cheongwadae, and have grown near the waterway from Bukaksan Mountain to Hyangwonjeong Pavilion of Gyeongbokgung Palace through ‘Gyeongmudae gwanjeo gyeongnae buji baechido (the floor plan of inner Gyeongmudae residence), the scale of 1:1,200, 1938’.

 The glass plate photos taken in 1910 and 1928 show the Multi-stem Pine and surrounding forests standing together with Yungmundang and Yungmudang, so the historic(Gyeongmudae historic site), academic(indicator tree), and scenic(forests) value were recognized as a natural monument.

The designation of ‘Old Big Trees of Cheongwadae’ as a natural monument is expected to serve as an opportunity for Cheongwadae to become a cultural complex that combines cultural and natural heritage with historicity and symbolism as a back garden of Gyeongbokgung Palace.

However, the Spreading Yew, known to be the oldest tree in Cheongwadae, was found to have been relocated when the old topography was restored after demolishing the former official residence of Governor General of Korea in 1993 as a result of an investigation by experts, including the Cultural Heritage Committee, which made it to be excluded from the list.

 Meanwhile, ‘East Asian Hackberry of Bukbu-ri, Changwon’ is a representative national heritage that combines the intangible heritage of Dangje rituals and the hackberry (including the surrounding landscape), and is widely known as “Sodeok-dong's Hackberry” through the TV series “Extraordinary Attorney Woo”.

‘East Asian Hackberry of Bukbu-ri, Changwon’, has long been the center of the Dongbu village community, and the villagers have continued the unique tradition of the village, considering the hackberry as a sacred tree and holding Dangsanje rituals for more than 90 years. In addition, during the flood in 1934, the existence of the hackberry was known to the public and the history of the village and the hackberry was confirmed by the Dong-A Ilbo's report(Nov. 24, 1934), which makes it academically and historically valuable.

Moreover, from the hill where the hackberry is located, the vast plains of Hanam-eup and Daesan-myeon spread north and south along the Nakdonggang River, so it has been recognized for its unique scenic value different from the previously designated hackberries.

In addition, it was also recognized that the CHA, Changwon-si, and villagers formed a consultative group together to make various efforts, solving residents’ inconveniences and installing protective fences considering the growing environment from the early stage of preparing for the designation in terms of active administration.

Meanwhile, the CHA and A Story, a production company of “Extraordinary Attorney Woo”, collaborated to produce a webtoon about the designation process of “East Asian Hackberry of Bukbu-ri, Changwon”, and present it for the first time at the 2022 Bucheon International Comics Festival from September 30.

At the CHA's promotion booth, Yoon So-Jung, a resident of Bukbu-ri village and a painter of a whale mural, will draw whale paintings and present them to visitors.

On October 12, a celebration to commemorate the designation as a natural monument is also held near the hackberry.

The CHA will expand the people’s opportunities to enjoy the precious natural heritage and continue to manage these trees to contribute to mutually beneficial regional development with the designation of ‘Old Big Trees of Cheongwadae’ and ‘East Asian Hackberry of Bukbu-ri, Changwon’.

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