The Korea Times
When King Gojong sought to solidify Korea’s early diplomatic footing with the West following the 1886 Treaty of Amity and Commerce, he did so through an object of extreme, delicate craftsmanship. The gift he sent to French President Marie Francois Sadi Carnot was a "banwha" — an elaborate court ornament of metal flowers, gemstones and wooden branches symbolizing prosperity and longevity. That historic offering takes center stage, Wednesday, at Deoksu Palace in central Seoul. To mark the 140th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Korea and France, the Korea Heritage Service's Royal Palaces and Tombs Center will open a special exhibition, titled "Gifts and Records: 140 Years of Korea-France Friendship — Banhwa: An Auspicious Heart," at Dondeokjeon Hall. The venue itself carries distinct historical echoes. Dondeokjeon, a Western-style brick pavilion built in the early 1900s, originally served as the ornate reception hall where Gojong welcomed foreign envoys. The exhibition's focal point is a meticulous reconstruction of the original banwha. Gojong's original gift was donated t
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