[Seoul_Palace] Gyeongbokgung Palace

Main Royal Palace of the Joseon Dynasty

It was in 1395, three years after the Joseon Dynasty was founded by King Taejo (Yi Seong-gye), when the construction of the main royal Palace was completed after the capital of the newly founded dynasty moved from Gaeseong to Seoul (then known as Hanyang). The Palace was named Gyeongbokgung Palace, the "Palace Greatly Blessed by Heaven." With Mount Bugaksan to its rear and Mount Namsan in the foreground, the site of Gyeongbokgung Palace was at the heart of Seoul and, indeed, deemed auspicious according to the traditional practice of geomancy. In front of Gwanghwamun Gate, the main entrance to the Palace, ran Yukjo-geori (Street of Six Ministries, today's Sejongno), home to major government offices. Along the central axis upon which Gwanghwamun Gate stood was the nucleus of the Palace, including the throne hall, council hall and king's residence. The government ministry district and main buildings of Gyeongbokgung Palace formed the heart of the capital city of Seoul and represented the sovereignty of the Joseon Dynasty. After all the Palaces in the capital were razed by the Japanese during the Hideyoshi invasions of 1592-'98, Changdeokgung Palace, a secondary Palace, was rebuilt and served as the main Palace. Gyeongbokgung Palace was left derelict for the next 273 years. It was finally reconstructed in 1867 by the order of the Prince Regent. The Palace Prince Regent Heungseon reconstructed was markedly different from the original. Some 500 buildings were built on a site of over 40 hectares and constituted a small city. The architectural principles of ancient China were harmoniously incorporated into both the tradition and the appearance of the Joseon royal court. Gyeongbokgung Palace was largely torn down during the Japanese occupation. ninety three percent of the restored buildings were dismantled, Gwanghwamun Gate was dismantled and relocated to the east, and an enormous building housing the Japanese Government-General was constructed in front of the main sector of the Palace. An effort to fully restore Gyeongbokgung Palace to its former glory has been ongoing since 1990. The Japanese Government-General building was finally removed, and Heungnyemun Gate was restored to its original state. The royal living quarters and the East Palace for the crown prince were also restored to their original state.

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Main Place

Heungnyemun Gate 

The corridors extending out from Heungnyemun Gate form an enclosure. In the middle of this enclosure is Geumcheon Stream, which was designed to flow through the Palace from the west to the east after coming down from Mt. Baegak. 

A bridge called Yeongjegyo is located at the center of this stream. A stream is a must in all Joseon royal Palaces, including Changdeokgung Palace, Changgyeonggung Palace, Gyeonghuigung Palace and Deoksugung Palace as well as gyeongbokgung Palace. There were also streams in the previous Goryeo Dynasty Palaces and in Chinese and Vietnamese royal residences, indicating that a Palace stream was a requisite for East Asian Palaces. The Palace stream and Yeongjegyo Bridge acted as a boundary that marked where the court officials stood during their regular audiences with the king.

Geunjeongmun Gate 

Geunjeongmun Gate is situated at the center of the southern corridors. On the left of this gate is Ilhwamun Gate and on the right Wolhwamun Gate. Yungmunnu Pavilion is located in the eastern corridor and Yungmuru Pavilion in the west. 
Geunjeongmun Gate, the entrance to the Throne Hall enclosure, was where the king and his officials gathered for weekly meetings. The king faced the south sitting on a throne installed in the middle part of Geunjeongjeon Hall Gate and the officials lined up in the Hongnyemun(now Heungnyemun Gate) Gate enclosure to offer their formal greetings. In other words, Geunjeongmun Gate was not simply a gate but the place where political activities began. 

Geunjeongjeon Hall 

As its name Geun Jeong(literally “diligent governance”)suggests, Geunjeongjeon was the throne hall of Gyeongbokgung in which eash Joseon ruler and his government were expected to handle state affairs in a diligent manner. Built to symbolize the the sovereignty of Joseon's rulers, the hall boasts the most sumptuous and stately appearance among all the structures of the palace. The hall was used as a venue for various royal and state events such as the coronation ceremonies of Joseon kings. cabinet meetings, receptions of foreign envoys and final state examinations. The current hall was built in 1867 to replace the original, which was burnt down during the Japanese Invasion in 1592.

Sajeongjeon Hall 

Sajeongjeon Hall was the main council hall of Joseon's rulers as well as the place where they went about their everyday duties. It was in this hall that Joseon's monarchs held daily morning assemblies with their highest-ranking officials, and lectures and sessions on state affairs. The current building was rebuilt in 1867.

Gangnyeongjeon Hall 

Gangnyeongjeon Hall was served as the king's living quarters and a private area in which the king slept and conducted his daliy life. The hall was used by Joseon kings for reading, refreshments and unoffical meetings to discuss the state affairs with their cabinet members. 

The original building was burnt down during the Japanese Invasion in 1592, and was restored in 1865. The new building was dismantled in 1917, and its components were used in the restoration of Huijeongdang Hall at Changdeokgung Palace, which had been destroyed by fire earlier that year. The current building of Gangnyeongjeon was restored in 1995.

Gyotaejeon Hall 

Gyotaejeon Hall was the offical residence of Joseon queen consorts whose duties included the management and supervision of royal household affairs related with all female members of the royal court. The hall was originally built in 1440 but was destroyed during the Japanese Invasion in 1592, and was rebuilt in 1867. The restored building had to be dismantled in 1917 to provide building materials for Daejojeon Hall at Changdeokgung Palace which had burnt down earlier that year. The current Gyotaejeon building wae set up in 1995.

Donggung(Jaseondang Hall / Bihyeongak Hall) 

Donggung(the East Palace) is the offical residence of the crown princes of the Joseon Dynasty. The crown prince's residence was located on a site in the eastern part of the royal palace to repersent the fact that a crown prince was destined to succeed to the throne like the sun rising from the east, hence its name. This building was destroyed during the Japanese Invasion in 1592, and was not rebuilt until 1867. The restored palace building was demolished by the Japanese colonial authority under the pretext that the Korean Product Promotion Fair would be held in the grounds of Gyeongbokgung. The current buildings were rebuilt in 1999.

Sojubang Royal Kitchen 

The Sojubang was the main kitchen of Gyeongbokgung in which food was prepared and cooked for its royal residents. The kitchen largely consisted of three units, the naesojubang(inner kitchen) where daily meals were prepared for Joseon kings and their consorts, the oesojubang(outer kitchen) which was in charge of preparing special dishes for royal banquets and ceremonies, and the saengmulbang(confectionary) where teacakes, porridge, and rice cakes were made for the king. The original kitchen was demolished during the Japanese occupation(1910-1945). The current Royal kitchen buildings were restored in 2015.

Jagyeongjeon Hall 

Jagyeongjeon was built in 1867 during the renovation of Gyeongbokgung for Queen Sinjeong. King Gojong(r.1863-1907) bestowed the palace building upon the queen, his adoptive mother, as a special gift to thank her for the crucial role she played in his enthronement. The building was later burnt down and was rebuilt in 1888.

Jagyeongjeon is also famous for the lavishly decorated chimney projecting from its rear wall. The front middle face of the chimney is decorated with a design of the sipjangsaeng, the ten symbols of longevity, while its upper and lower parts feature other creatures, such as a crane and a bulgasari(ironeating imaginary animal)among others, symbolizing longevity and protection from evil.

Hyangwonjeong Pavilion / Geoncheonggung Palace 

Hyangwonjeong pavilion is an exquisite piece of architecture situated in the middie of Hyangwonji Pond in the northern garden of Gyeongbokgung. The pavilion, together with the pond and the islet on which it stands, creates a uniquely beautiful landscape. 

Bulit in 1873 to the north of Hyangwonjeong, Geoncheonggung consisted of Jangandang, which served as a residence of King Gojong(r.1863-1907), Gonnyeonghap and Okhoru, which were used by his queen consort, Queen Myeongseong, and other associated facilities. In 1895 Gonnyeonghap become the scene of the tragic Eulmi Incident in which Queen Myeongseong was assassinated by an art gallary by the Japanese colonial authority in 1939. The current buildings were restored in 2007.

Jibokjae Hall 

Located between Sinmumun, the north gate of Gyeongbokgung, and Geoncheongung, Jibokjae and Hyeopgildang were originally built as separate residences in the Changdeokgung. The buildings were relocated to Gyeongbokgung in 1891 and used as the king's library and as a reception room for foreign envoys. The building features the Chinese architectural style repersented by brick walls on both sides and is connected to Parujeong Pavilion and Hyeopgildang Hall by corridors.

Taewonjeon Hall 

Taewonjeon is conjectured to have been built in 1868 and enshrined with the portraits of King Taejo(r.1392-1398) and King Wonjong(posthumosly titled:1580-1619). It was then used as a coffin depository following the death of Queen Sinjeong in 1890 and Queen Myeongseong in 1895. That building was demolished during the Japanese occupation(1910-1945), and the current building was restored in 2005. 

Punggidae 

Punggidae is a wind streamer pedestal with a hole at its top into which a pole was inserted with a streamer to indicate the speed and the direction of the wind. It is believed to have dated from the 18th century. 

The octagonal stone pillar is set up on a table-shaped stone, and is exquisitely decorated with scroll designs.

Sujeongjeon Hall 

Sujeongjeon is the only surviving building of all the government offices built in the grounds of Gyeongbokgung. The palace grounds once contained Jiphyeonjeon, the building in which Hangeul, the Korean alphabet and writing system, was invented during the reign of King Sejong(r.1418-1450). The current hall was built in 1867. Most of the government offices built around Sujeongjeon were demolished by the Japanese colonial authority when it chose the palace as the venue for the Korean Product Promotion Fair held in 1915.

Gyeonghoeru Pavilion 

This fine example of Korean architecture at Gyeongbokgung was used as a venue for various state events such as royal banquets, receptions of foreign envoys, final state examinations and seasonal religious rituals. Originally a small pavilion, it was enlarged along with the construction of a pond in 1412. However, this enlarged building was entirely destoryed by fire during the Japanese Invation of Korea in 1592, and was not replaced by the current building until 1867.