Gyeongbokgung

Gyeongbokgung
경복궁
Gyeongbokgung (2023)
General information
Location	Jongno District, Seoul, South Korea
Coordinates	37°34′43″N 126°58′38″E
Designations
Historic Sites of South Korea
Designated	1963-01-21
Website
royal.cha.go.kr/ENG/main/index.do
Korean name
Hangul	경복궁
Hanja	景福宮
Revised Romanization	Gyeongbokgung
McCune–Reischauer	Kyŏngbokkung

Gyeongbokgung (Korean: 경복궁; Hanja: 景福宮; [kjʌŋbok̚k͈uŋ]) is a former royal palace in Seoul, South Korea. It was the first royal palace of the Joseon dynasty, having been established in 1395. It is now one of the most significant tourist attractions in the country.

The palace was among the first landmarks to be established in Seoul. It flourished under the 1418–1450 reign of Sejong the Great, who invented the native Korean script Hangul at the palace. In 1592, amidst the Imjin War, the palace was completely burned down. Plans to repair the palace fell through amidst funding shortages after the war. It would not be restored until the late 19th century, during the reign of the penultimate monarch Gojong.

In 1910, Japan colonized Korea. As the palace was a symbol of the Korean monarchy's authority, Japan systematically demolished and altered it. Almost all of its around 500 structures were sold off and demolished. In their place, modern-style buildings like the Government-General of Chōsen Building were established. Significant efforts to restore the palace began in the 1980s. Since then, the 1990–2010 First Gyeongbokgung Restoration Plan and 2008–2045 Second Gyeongbokgung Restoration Plan have attempted to restore the palace to its pre-colonial state. Dozens of buildings and structures in the palace have since been recreated, with dozens more scheduled for the future.

The palace hosts a changing of the guard ceremony twice per day. It contains the National Folk Museum of Korea and National Palace Museum of Korea. It is accessible by the subway station Gyeongbokgung Station. For part of the year, it is open at night. Entrance is free for visitors wearing hanbok (traditional Korean clothing).

Name

"Gyeongbokgung" means "great blessings palace". The palace and many of its main structures were named by the Korean official Chŏng Tojŏn around the time of the palace's establishment. Chŏng named the palace in the 10th month of 1395 after the final two characters of a poem from the Classic of Poetry: "already drunk on alcohol, already full of virtue, gentlemen will long enjoy your great blessings" (旣醉以酒 旣飽以德 君子萬年 介爾景福).

The palace has also been called "Bukgwol" (북궐; 北闕; Pukkwŏl; lit. north palace); this term was used in relation to the other palaces in the city.

History

Main article: History of Gyeongbokgung

Establishment

See also: History of Seoul

After establishing Joseon in 1392 (Korean calendar), the founding king Taejo (r. 1392–1398) began work in establishing a new capital for his state. In the 8th month of 1394, it was decided that Hanyang (now "Seoul") would be the capital.

The location of the palace was finalized by the 1st day, 9th month of 1394. Construction began on it in the 12th month. The palace was completed in the 25th day, 9th month of 1395. The palace's original scale, while smaller and less developed than its later form, is difficult to precisely determine; varying estimates have been provided. Various scholars have claimed that it had 390 rooms (칸; k'an) or 755 rooms. On the 28th day, 12th month, Taejo moved into the palace. In 1398, Joseon's capital was changed to Kaegyŏng (now Kaesong), then back to Hanyang in 1905. The palace was abandoned for about ten years.

In 1404, King Taejong (r. 1400–1418) ordered that the palace Changdeokgung be established in Hanyang. Upon his return to the city in 1405, he began to reside in that palace. In 1406, he began efforts to repair Gyeongbokgung. Although he repaired and expanded Gyeongbokgung, Taejong functionally avoided Gyeongbokgung and resided in Changdeokgung, possibly because he associated it with unpleasant memories of political turmoil. Until the Imjin War, Taejong and his successors had Gyeongbokgung as their official palace (법궁; 法宮; pŏpkung), but had secondary palaces (이궁; 離宮; igung) that they often resided in more or moved between.

Before the Imjin War

A reproduction of a painting of a 1535 banquet in the palace

In 1421, Sejong the Great (r. 1418–1450) made Gyeongbokgung his primary palace. By 1427, he officially moved out of Changdeokgung and into Gyeongbokgung. Sejong greatly renovated and expanded the palace. It was during Sejong's reign that Gyeongbokgung became fully-fledged and functional. Under Sejong, the palace hosted a number of scientific devices, including the water clock Borugak Jagyeongnu, a facility for producing movable type, and the astronomical observatory Ganuidae. The palace was then host to the Hall of Worthies and Ŏnmunch'ŏng, which assisted Sejong in developing Hangul. The palace remained in much the same form from Sejong's reign for around a hundred years.

On the 14th day, 9th month of 1553, the palace experienced a major fire. In the aftermath of the fire, the royal family moved to Changdeokgung. Repairs began in the 3rd month of 1554. Repairs were completed by the 18th day, 9th month of that year.

Destruction and disuse

Gyeongbokgung in the 18th-century map Tosŏngdaejido.

In 1592, during the 1592–1598 Imjin War, Gyeongbokgung and the other two palaces in the city were completely burned down. It is debated who burned down the palaces. Various contemporary Korean texts, including the Veritable Records of Seonjo, report hearsay that it was Korean commoners who burned down the palace to destroy palace records. However, the palace was still in tact when the Japanese invaders entered the city on the 2nd day, 5th month of that year. Japanese discipline in the city was reportedly initially high, but when they began suffering defeats, they took their frustrations out on the city and locals, burning buildings.

After King Seonjo (r. 1567–1608) returned to Hanyang, he ordered that plans for the palace's reconstruction be drawn up. However, Joseon's economy was still recovering from the devastating war and finances were tight; Gyeongbokgung's reconstruction was indefinitely postponed and the state's resources were mostly focused on rebuilding Changdeokgung.

For around 270 years afterwards, Gyeongbokgung went mostly unused and undeveloped. Over time, various kings expressed interest in rebuilding the palace, but did not act on this, due to financial constraints and the other palaces in the city being sufficient.

Reconstruction

On the 2nd day, 4th month of 1865, Queen Sinjeong, regent of the penultimate Korean monarch King Gojong (r. 1864–1907), ordered that the palace be reconstructed. Construction began on the 13th day of that month. Gojong and the royal family moved into the palace on the 2nd day, 7th month of 1868. Construction continued until 1873.

The palace experienced a major fire on the 10th day, 12th month of 1873. After delays due to financial restraints, reconstruction began on the 27th day, 3rd month of 1875. Gojong returned to Gyeongbokgung on the 27th day, 5th month of that year, and repairs concluded on the 3rd day, 6th month. However, on the 4th day, 11th month of 1876, another major fire broke out. It caused more than twice as much damage as its predecessor. Gojong was exasperated by the fires, and relocated to Changdeokgung. Reconstruction on Gyeongbokgung began in 1881. Gojong did not return to Gyeongbokgung until 1884, after the Kapsin Coup. In 1887, the first electric light in Korea was turned on in Gyeongbokgung. Reconstruction was finally completed in 1888.

Meanwhile, the palace and Korea experienced significant political turmoil. In 1895, the Korean Queen Min was assassinated by Japanese agents at Geoncheonggung in the palace. Afterwards, Gojong fled to the Russian legation for protection in 1896.

• 
  The palace in 1886
• 
  An electric light in Geoncheonggung (1901)
• 
  Print of Japanese troops storming Gyeongbokgung (1894)

Korean Empire period

Children playing with one of the xiezhi (haetae) statues in front of Gwanghwamun (published 1906)

Rather than return to Gyeongbokgung, where Min had been assassinated, Gojong chose to make Gyeongungung (later called "Deoksugung") his primary residence for its proximity to various foreign legations, which he believed could help protect him from Japan. He then declared the establishment of the Korean Empire. Thereafter, Gyeongbokgung was not significantly used by Gojong. In 1905, Japan began indirectly ruling Korea, and in 1907, Gojong was forced to abdicate in lieu of his son, Sunjong. Sunjong began to use Changdeokgung as his main palace.

In 1907, even before annexing Korea, Japan made Gyeongbokgung into a public park. Under pressure from Japan, the government began auctioning off the palace's property to the public in 1910, just before Korea was annexed. Mostly Japanese people bought the buildings and had them sent elsewhere.

Colonial period

Drawing of the palace during the 1915 Chōsen Industrial Exhibition

Gyeongbokgung, as a symbol of the Korean monarchy's authority, was systematically dismantled by the Japanese colonial government. Throughout the colonial period, hundreds of buildings in the palace were demolished under Japanese pressure. The palace was rapidly modified in anticipation of the 1915 Chōsen Industrial Exhibition; dozens of buildings were sold off and demolished. One such building, Jaseondang, was reassembled in the private home of Japanese businessman Ōkura Kihachirō in Tokyo. More exhibitions continued to be held at the palace afterwards, including the 1929 Chōsen Exhibition (조선박람회; 朝鮮博覽會).

The Government-General of Chōsen Building under construction (1920)

On June 25, 1916, the colonial government began symbolically constructing their new headquarters in the palace: the Government-General of Chōsen Building. Construction would last for around 10 years, until October 1, 1926. The various construction projects in the palace drew from an eclectic mix of modern Western architectural styles. This has been evaluated as attempting to portray Japan as modernizing and open, and Korea as backward and closed.

On November 10, 1917, a major fire at Changdeokgung destroyed much of that palace. The colonial government ordered that many of Gyeongbokgung's buildings be moved to Changdeokgung. In 1938, the final pre-colonial building west and south of Geunjeongjeon, an office building for the Sŏnjŏn'gwan, was demolished.

Liberation to First Republic

Aerial shot of the palace, weeks after the liberation (September 9, 1945)

Soon after the August 1945 liberation of Korea, the palace continued to be used much as it had been during the colonial period. Voices advocated for the restoration and maintenance of the palace, but these went largely unheeded amidst the chaos of the liberation and division of Korea, as well as the establishment of the United States Army Military Government in Korea (USAMGIK). In September 1945, the USAMGIK headquartered itself in the Government-General of Chōsen Building (which began to be called the "Central Government Building"; CGB; 중앙청; 中央廳) in the palace. That building continued to be used for important functions through the rest of the 1940s, including for a ceremony for the establishment of South Korea.

During the 1950–1953 Korean War, the palace was heavily damaged and even looted. It was only on December 19, 1952 that the Ministry of Culture and Education established a committee to assess and repair the country's historic assets. Even then, maintenance of historical assets was considered a lesser priority compared to the country's basic social services like primary education. After some repairs to the palace, it was reopened to the public in January 1953.

Park Chung Hee era

See also: Third Republic of Korea and Fourth Republic of Korea

Skating at Gyeonghoeru (1965)

Amidst the May 16 coup of 1961, Park Chung Hee seized power in the country. Part of the Capital Defense Command became stationed in the northwest of the palace that year. On January 21, 1963, the palace was made a Historic Site of South Korea. The budget for maintenance was tight, and efforts were often small in scale. Structures like Gwanghwamun and Yeongchumun were restored, albeit controversially using reinforced concrete and not in their original spots. In the late 1960s, a building that now houses the National Folk Museum of Korea began to be constructed in the palace.

Recent restoration efforts

Restoration work in the palace (1999)

The 1980s saw the beginnings of more and higher quality work on preserving South Korean cultural heritage sites. On May 22, 1984, a comprehensive management plan for the palaces was approved that historian Shin Hye-won evaluated as being the first significant post-liberation effort to restore the pre-colonial dignity of the palaces.

In 1990, the First Gyeongbokgung Restoration Plan (경복궁 1차 복원사업) began. The aim was to begin restoring the palace to its Gojong-era state in 1888 (which had around 500 buildings). The plan was to be carried out in five overlapping stages from 1990 to 2009.

The former Government-General of Chōsen building being demolished (1996)

From 1995 to 1996, the CGB was finally demolished after much public debate. Once it was removed, work began to restore the buildings that formerly occupied its spot. In 1995, the former Government-General of Chōsen Art Museum building was demolished and the remains of Gyeongbokgung's former building Jaseondang (which had been sold and moved to Japan) were returned to Korea. In 1996, the Capital Defense Command buildings were removed. The reenactment of the changing of the guard ceremony began in 2002.

The First Gyeongbokgung Restoration Plan was completed in 2010. It resulted in the restoration of 89 buildings. At that point, the palace had around 25% of its original buildings. The Second Gyeongbokgung Restoration Plan (경복궁 2차 복원기본계획) began in 2010. It is currently set to run until 2045 and to result in the recreation of 90 buildings.

Design and architecture

Before the Imjin War

An 18th-century map of the mountains and watersheds around Hanyang, with the rings of surrounding mountains visible

The placement of both Gyeongbokgung and Hanyang considered both practicality and various philosophical traditions. The capital needed to have good access to water transportation, adequate spaces for roads to the rest of Korea, and adequate space for farming. For philosophical traditions, one factor used from the Chinese text Rites of Zhou was placing the ancestral temple on the left, and soil and grain temple on the right. Accordingly, Jongmyo is to the left of the palace and Sajikdan to the right. Another factor from the Rites was placing government offices to the front of the palace and markets to the rear; only the offices were able to be placed like so, as there wasn't enough room behind the palace for markets. Feng shui was also considered. The flow of Korea's mountains and watersheds was analyzed, with one goal being having the palace with a mountain behind it and water to the front. This corresponds to Bugaksan, Cheonggyecheon, and the Han River. The presence of four surrounding major mountains (Bugaksan, Naksan, Inwangsan, and Namsan) in Hanyang was seen as auspicious and protecting the city. Hanyang also had an outer ring of surrounding mountains (Bukhansan, Achasan, Gwanaksan, and Deogyangsan), adding to its auspiciousness. Contemporary Korean Buddhist monks then considered the convergence point of three mountains and two rivers to be auspicious sites: Hanyang had Samgaksan, Yongmunsan, and Gwanaksan and the confluence of the rivers Bukhan and Namhan.

The palace's main features are mostly placed symmetrically and along a north-south axis. The palace's initial layout was designed to follow a principle from the Chinese work Kaogongji, part of the Rites of Zhou. That text advocated for palaces to have three gates and three courtyards (삼문삼조; 三門三朝; sammunsamjo) that are to be accessed in sequential order. These were the front gate of the palace Gwanghwamun and first courtyard (외조; 外朝; oejo; used for government offices), Geunjeongmun and second courtyard (치조; 治朝; ch'ijo; used for conducting politics between the king and his subjects), and Hyangomun and third courtyard (연조; 燕朝; yŏnjo; where the king and his family resided).

Chŏng named the palace's main buildings with inspiration from the Book of Documents. The buildings are symbolically named to reflect Neo-Confucian principles. This was in contrast to Goryeo-era ideals and building names, which reflected both Confucian and Buddhist ideals. Furthermore, Chŏng's arguments for the location of the palace, which were primarily based on Neo-Confucianism, were prioritized over the Buddhist arguments of the monk Muhak. These decisions reflected Joseon's prioritization of Confucianism over Buddhism on a state-level.

The reasons for why Joseon kings often did not primarily reside in Gyeongbokgung have been analyzed. Im theorized that Changdeokgung was preferred by many kings over Gyeongbokgung because of its more central location in the city, larger area, and less rigid and dense design.

Gojong-era reconstruction

The rebuilt palace was designed to reflect various concepts in the I Ching and Taijitushuo, such as yin and yang, the bagua, and the hexagram. New buildings were named by the Yŏnggŏndogam. The palace was densely packed with buildings. Attempts were made to give some of the buildings' roofs blue tiles, like was done in the original palace, but the Goryeo ware techniques needed to create these had been lost during the Imjin War, when the ceramics industry collapsed and many Korean artisans were enslaved and taken to Japan. Ultimately, such tiles were not used in the recreation. Dragon-shaped water spout statues around the palace are likely, in part, symbolic wardens to protect the palace from fire.

There are differing opinions as to the faithfulness of this reconstruction to the pre-war palace. Documents that may have been helpful for recreating the palace had been lost during the Japanese invasions. Several scholars have argued that while the palace's overall layout and major structures were not significantly different from their predecessors, a number of buildings were original or used differently. Michael Kim evaluated the reconstruction as significantly different.

Post-colonial state

A 2020 report stated that the palace had 9,499 trees of 135 species.

The historical authenticity of the various recreated buildings has been a source of recurring controversy and debate. Authentic recreations are difficult to achieve for a number of reasons. Korean architecture of the Joseon period did not rely on modern-style blueprints, and records of how specific buildings were constructed are often sparse. The styles of such buildings also varied depending on individual craftsmen. Furthermore, some have argued that materials used for construction should be sourced from within Korea itself.

The palace is in a key location in modern Seoul. It is surrounded by numerous important buildings used by the government, military, business, and tourist industry. To its north is the presidential residence the Blue House. To its south are Gwanghwamun Square, Government Complex, Sejong Center, Embassy of the United States, and Embassy of Japan. In addition, various stone monuments around the palace indicate the former sites of historic buildings or events associated with those spots.

Current landmarks

Outer walls

Construction on the palace's outer walls (궁성; 宮城; kungsŏng or 궁장; 宮牆) began in 1398, after the palace's 1395 establishment. 3,700 soldiers were mobilized for the task. They were completed in 1400. The walls were the first structures to be rebuilt during the 19th-century reconstruction. They were modified numerous times in the 20th century; since the late 20th century efforts have been made to restore their pre-colonial states and locations. The walls are currently made of stone with wood and tiles on top. A 2007 study gave the total length of the walls as 2,469.4 m (8,102 ft), with heights ranging from 2 to 7.5 m (6.6 to 24.6 ft) and depths 0.5 to 3.2 m (1.6 to 10.5 ft). Walls on the north side of the palace tend to be taller than others. The wall has four major gates, a number of minor gates, and several openings for the palace stream (수문; 水門; sumun). Each gate in the wall had facilities inside for palace guards.

Image	Structure
	Gwanghwamun (광화문; 光化門; Kwanghwamun) The main and south gate. It was completed in the 9th month of 1395. It was named by Sejong in 1426. After being destroyed in 1592 during the Imjin War, the gate was recreated during Gojong's reign. In 1923, its wŏldae was destroyed to make way for tram tracks. In 1927, it was relocated north of Geonchunmun. During the Korean War, its wooden portion completely burned down. In 1968, it was controversially reconstructed using modern materials northwest of its original spot. From 2006 to 2010, it was restored to its pre-colonial state. Its wŏldae was restored in 2023.
	Geonchunmun (건춘문; 建春門; Kŏnch'unmun; lit. Beginning of Spring Gate) The east gate. It was named in 1426. It was repaired in 1428. After being destroyed in 1592 during the Imjin War, it was rebuilt in 1865. It was originally only meant for use by civil servants. However, during the colonial period and around the time of the construction of the Government-General of Chōsen Building, it became used as the main gate of the palace. It is mostly identical in form to Yeongchumun.
	Yeongchumun (영추문; 迎秋門; Yŏngch'umun; lit. Welcoming Autumn Gate) The west gate. It was used by bureaucrats. It was first built in 1398. It was named in 1426. It was destroyed during the Imjin War and rebuilt during the reign of Gojong. It had a single-story gate tower. It collapsed on April 27, 1926, likely due to vibrations from tram construction. It was then destroyed. In 1975, it was restored, although around 45 m (148 ft) north of its original location and using reinforced concrete. It was then used by the Capital Defense Command. In 2018, it became available for public use as a regular entrance to the palace. In 2018, a proposal was made for it to be moved back to its original location. It is mostly identical in form to Geonchunmun.
	Sinmumun (신무문; 神武門) The north gate, often used by military personnel. It was built in 1433. Sejong decided to construct the gate because of a traditional belief that palaces should have four large gates. Sinmumun was named in 1475. The Gojong-era reconstruction of the gate has persisted to the present. It was opened to the public in 1954, but was closed after the May 16 coup of 1961 for security reasons (it is close to the Blue House). It was reopened for public use in 2006.
	Dongsipjagak (동십자각; 東十字閣; Tongsipchagak) A watchtower that used to be on the eastern palace walls. It was likely originally built in 1398 and demolished in 1427. It was rebuilt in the 6th month of 1866. It became separated from the palace walls around the 1929 Chōsen Exhibition.

Oejo

The oejo (외조; 外朝) is the outermost and most public-facing part of Joseon palaces. It was where public disputes were dealt with and laws were promulgated.

Chŏngjŏn

The chŏngjŏn (정전; 正殿) of Joseon palaces was the area where the king received tribute. It is where the main halls or throne rooms of each palace are located. It typically has a large open space (such as a wŏldae) for public outdoor rituals. The gate used to enter the chŏngjŏn is called the chŏnmun (전문; 殿門).

Image	Structure
	Heungnyemun (흥례문; 興禮門; Hŭngnyemun) The second gate of the three gate system and entrance to the oejo. It was originally called Jeongmun (정문; 正門; Chŏngmun), and was named Hongnyemun (홍례문; 弘禮門) in 1426. After it was reconstructed, it received its current name. It was demolished in July 1914 for the Chōsen Industrial Exhibition. The Government-General of Chōsen Building was built in its place. After that building was demolished, Heungnyemun was reconstructed between September 11, 1997 to October 26, 2001.
	Yeongjegyo (영제교; 永濟橋; Yŏngjegyo) The palace kŭmch'ŏn'gyo (bridge over a kŭmch'ŏn). It passes over the stream Myeongdangsu and is made of stone. It was likely completed in 1395. It was named in 1426. In 1916, during the construction of the Government-General of Chōsen Building, Yeongjegyo was disassembled and its remains moved to the west of the Government-General Museum of Chōsen. In the 1950s, it was installed in front of Sujeongjeon. It was again moved to the west of Geonchunmun in the 1970s. It was restored to its original location in 1997 or 2001. It is around 10 m (33 ft) wide and 13 m (43 ft) long.
	Yuhwamun (유화문; 維和門)
	Gibyeolcheong (기별청; 奇別廳; Kibyŏlch'ŏng)
	Geunjeongmun (근정문; 勤政門; Kŭnjŏngmun; lit. Governing Diligently Gate) The third gate of the three gate system, entrance to the ch'ijo and main hall, and a Treasure. It existed upon the palace's establishment. It is flanked by two smaller gates, Ilhwamun (일화문; 日華門) and Wolhwamun (월화문; 月華門; Wŏrhwamun), which were named in 1426. It was rebuilt in 1867. It has two stories and a staircase between Ilhwamun and Geunjeongmun.
	Geunjeongjeon (근정전; 勤政殿; Kŭnjŏngjŏn; lit. Governing Diligently Hall) The main hall of the palace and a National Treasure. It was used for major events like ceremonies and the issuing of edicts. Five kings were coronated here: Jeongjong in 1398, Sejong in 1418, Danjong in 1455, Jungjong in 1506, and Seonjo in 1567. It was completed in 1395. It was renovated in 1426. It was spared by the 1553 fire. There are few records of renovations performed on it, so it is assumed that the building remained in much the same state until it was destroyed in 1592 in the Imjin War. It was reconstructed from the 9th month of 1866 to 1867, possibly with inspiration from the design of Changdeokgung's main hall Injeongjeon, and has remained in much the same form to the present. It is the largest main hall of all Joseon palaces and is regarded as examplary of late-Joseon architecture. Like other Joseon main halls, it has a wŏldae (open space) in front used for ceremonies. To its east and west are gates to its various annex buildings.

P'yŏnjŏn

The p'yŏnjŏn (편전; 便殿) of Joseon palaces is the area where the king performs his daily private work, similar to an office. The king generally spends more time in this area than in the chŏngjŏn.

Image	Structure
	Sajeongjeon (사정전; 思政殿; Sajŏngjŏn) The main building of the p'yŏnjŏn. It was completed in 1395. At the time, it was called "Bopyeongcheong" (보평청; 報平廳; Pop'yŏngch'ŏng), but soon afterwards it received its current name. A ceremony called sangcham (상참; 常參) was held here, where officials would pay their respects to the king. The ceremony was supposed to be daily, although this was often not enforced. The king used the building as a preparation space before royal ceremonies. It was among the first structures in the palace. It was expanded in 1429. It was destroyed in the 1553 fire and rebuilt. After being destroyed in 1592 during the Imjin War, it was rebuilt in 1867. It has a counterpart entrance gate Sajeongmun (사정문; 思政門; Sajŏngmun) that was also rebuilt in 1867. It has remained to the present.
	Manchunjeon (만춘전; 萬春殿; Manch'unjŏn; lit. Ten Thousand Springs Hall) East annex to Sajeongjeon. Its name indicates both a long duration of time and contains the season spring, which corresponds to east in Chinese tradition. It is first attested to in 1423. The Gojong-era reconstruction is located closer to Sajeongjeon than its predecessor. It was severely damaged during the Korean War and restored afterwards.
	Cheonchujeon (천추전; 千秋殿; Ch'ŏnch'ujŏn; lit. Thousand Autumns Hall) West annex to Sajeongjeon. Its name carries similar meaning to Manchunjeon's; autumn corresponds to west in Chinese tradition. It is first attested to in 1423. After being destroyed in 1592 during the Imjin War, it was rebuilt in 1867 and has remained to the present. The Gojong-era reconstruction is located closer to Sajeongjeon than its predecessor.

Government offices

There have been a varying number of facilities for government offices in the palace (궐내각사; 闕內各司; kwŏllaegaksa) over time. A 1530 record listed the following organizations in the palace: Sŭngjŏngwŏn, Hongmun'gwan, Sangsŏwŏn, Ch'unch'ugwan, Yemun'gwan, Sŭngmunwŏn, Kyosŏgwan, Saongwŏn, Naeŭiwŏn, Sangŭiwŏn, Saboksa (사복사; 司僕寺), Sadosa (사도사; 司導寺), Kwansanggam, Sejasigangwŏn, Chŏnsŏlsa, Chŏnyŏnsa (전연사; 典涓司), Naebanwŏn (내반원; 內班院), and Owidoch'ongbu (오위도총부; 五衛都摠府). In 1865, part of Gyeonghuigung was demolished and its materials were used to rebuild various government office buildings in Gyeongbokgung.

Image

Structure

Sujeongjeon (수정전; 修政殿; Sujŏngjŏn) During the reign of Sejong, it was a key facility involved in the invention of Hangul. The complex was destroyed in 1592, during the Imjin War. One of its annex buildings had a fire in 1813. In 1894, it was used by the Reform Council. Its surrounding buildings were destroyed by 1915 for the Chōsen Industrial Exhibition. It then become the only remaining government office in the palace. From October 4, 1966, it was occupied by a predecessor to the National Folk Museum of Korea. It is a designated Treasure of South Korea.

Naejo

Ch'imjŏn

The ch'imjŏn (침전; 寢殿) of Joseon palaces is a private section of the palace containing the bedrooms and offices of the royal family.

Image	Structure
	Gangnyeongjeon (강녕전; 康寧殿; Kangnyŏngjŏn) The king's quarters. It existed upon the palace's establishment. It was renovated in 1433. It was destroyed in the 1553 fire and rebuilt. It was destroyed in the 1876 fire. After the 1917 Changdeokgung fire, it was disassembled and moved to Changdeokgung.
	Yeonsaengjeon (연생전; 延生殿; Yŏnsaengjŏn) An annex of Gangnyeongjeon. It existed upon the palace's establishment. It was destroyed in the 1553 fire and rebuilt. It was destroyed in the 1876 fire. After the 1917 Changdeokgung fire, it was disassembled and moved to Changdeokgung.
	Gyeongseongjeon (경성전; 慶成殿; Kyŏngsŏngjŏn) It was completed in 1395. It was destroyed in the 1553 fire and rebuilt. It was destroyed in the 1876 fire. After the 1917 Changdeokgung fire, it was disassembled and moved to Changdeokgung.
	Yeongildang (연길당; 延吉堂; Yŏn'giltang) It was completed in 1395. After the 1917 Changdeokgung fire, it was disassembled and moved to Changdeokgung.
	Eungjidang (응지당; 膺祉堂; Ŭngjidang)
	Gyotaejeon (교태전; 交泰殿; Kyot'aejŏn) It was originally built in 1440. It was destroyed in the 1553 fire and rebuilt. After being rebuilt by Gojong, it was again destroyed in the 1876 fire. After the 1917 Changdeokgung fire, the Japanese demolished Gyotaejeon and Gangnyeongjeon and used their materials to rebuild Changdeokgung. These are now the buildings Huijeongdang and Daejojeon in Changdeokgung. The current forms of Gyotaejeon and Gangnyeongjeon in Gyeongbokgung were built in 1995.
	Amisan (아미산; 峨嵋山) A garden constructed using soil excavated during the construction of Gyeonghoeru's pond. Chimneys in the garden are designated Treasures of South Korea.
	Heumgyeonggak (흠경각; 欽敬閣; Hŭmgyŏnggak) It was completed in 1438. It was destroyed in the 1553 fire and rebuilt. In 1865, Eojodang and Yungbokjeon of Gyeonghuigung were demolished and recycled to build Heumgyeonggak. It was destroyed in the 1876 fire. After the 1917 Changdeokgung fire, it was disassembled and moved to Changdeokgung.
	Hamwonjeon (함원전; 咸元殿; Hamwŏnjŏn) It was spared by the 1553 fire. It was destroyed in the 1876 fire. After the 1917 Changdeokgung fire, it was disassembled and moved to Changdeokgung.
	Sojubang (소주방; 燒廚房) The royal kitchen that produced Korean royal court cuisine. It was rebuilt in 1867. It was demolished in 1915 for the Chōsen Industrial Exhibition. Afterwards, its former site remained empty until it was excavated in 2004. It was restored by 2017.

Yŏnch'im

The yŏnch'im (연침; 燕寢) in Joseon palaces were various bedchambers used ritually in rotation by the king depending on the Korean calendar. There were typically multiple yŏnch'im that were in various cardinal directions from the main part of the palace. When the palace was first established, Gangnyeongjeon was designated a yŏnch'im.

Image	Structure
	Jagyeongjeon (자경전; 慈慶殿; Chagyŏngjŏn) It was in Jagyeongjeon that the 1873 fire began. It was again destroyed in the 1876 fire. During the colonial period, it was used as a museum office. It and its decorated chimney are designated Treasures of South Korea.
	Jesuhap (제수합; 齊壽閤; Chesuhap)

East Palace

The East Palace (동궁; 東宮; Donggung; Tonggung) is the eastern part of Joseon palaces that was meant for the daily life of the crown prince. Gyeongbokgung's East Palace was first built in 1427. It was initially located outside of what was considered the palace proper. It was in the East Palace that the major 1553 fire began; this area was destroyed and rebuilt. It was demolished to make way for the 1915 Chōsen Industrial Exhibition.

Image	Structure
	Jaseondang (자선당; 資善堂; Chasŏndang). In 1865, Eojodang and Yungbokjeon of Gyeonghuigung were demolished and recycled to build Jaseondang. In 1914, the building was sold and reassembled in the private home of Japanese businessman Ōkura Kihachirō in Tokyo. That building operated as a hotel and art gallery until it was destroyed in the 1923 Great Kantō earthquake. Its remains were only returned to Korea in December 1995.
	Bihyeongak (비현각; 丕顯閣; Pihyŏn'gak) It was restored in 1527. It was destroyed in the 1553 fire and rebuilt. It was sold in 1914 and demolished in advance of the 1915 Chōsen Industrial Exhibition.
	Gyejodang (계조당; 繼照堂; Kyejodang)

Naejŏn

The naejŏn (내전; 內殿; naejeon) of Joseon palaces was the more private part of the palaces for the daily life of the royal family.

Image	Structure
	Heungbokjeon (흥복전; 興福殿; Hŭngbokchŏn) It was rebuilt in 1867. At the time, it was used as a sleeping quarters for palace women. Its foundation was built using timber from the demolished structures of the detatched palace Ch'angŭigung. From 1885 onwards, it was used for political meetings and lectures. It was disassembled and moved to Changdeokgung after that palace's 1917 fire. Its former site was turned into a Japanese-style garden.
	Hamhwadang (함화당; 咸和堂; Hamhwadang) (pictured) Jipgyeongdang (집경당; 緝敬堂; Chipkyŏngdang) Both buildings were completed in 1890. They have since remained to the present.
	Seojanggo (서장고; 西醬庫; Sŏjanggo)
	Gyeonghoeru (경회루; 慶會樓; Kyŏnghoeru) An elevated hall meant for hosting banquets for dignitaries. It was first built in 1412. It was renovated in 1429 and in 1527. It was spared by the 1553 fire. It was destroyed in the Imjin War; only its stone foundation pillars remained, of which several eventually broke. It currently has 35 rooms. It is supported by 48 stone pillars on its first floor. Its second floor is divided into three levels of differing heights. The highest level in the center was meant for the king. The building's features symbolize a number of concepts in numerology: three symbolizes heaven, earth, and man, eight symbolizes the bagua, twelve the months of the year, 64 the hexagram, and 24 the solar terms. It was originally surrounded by a wall with three gates and a stone bridge that allowed access from Gangnyeongjeon. The wall was demolished during the colonial period. The north and east sides of the wall were restored afterwards. Two bronze dragon statues were placed in the adjacent pond, as symbolic wardens against fire. In 1997, only one was discovered in the pond. It is currently on display in the National Palace Museum. Two duplicates were constructed and placed back in the pond in February 1998. It is a designated National Treasure of South Korea.
	Hahyangjeong (하향정; 荷香亭; Hahyangjŏng)

Pinjŏn and honjŏn

The pinjŏn (빈전; 殯殿) of a Joseon palace is where funerals were conducted. After the funeral, mourning and ancestor worship rituals are conducted at the honjŏn (혼전; 魂殿).

Image	Structure
	Taewonjeon (태원전; 泰元殿; T'aewŏnjŏn) A building used for funerary rites. It was built in 1865. It was used for the 1890 funeral of Queen Sinjeong and 1895 funeral of Empress Myeongseong. During the colonial period, it was moved to Deoksugung, where it was later demolished. The Capital Defense Command occupied its former spot until 1996. It was restored in 2005.

Geoncheonggung

Geoncheonggung (건청궁; 乾淸宮; Kŏnch'ŏnggung) was constructed in the northern part of the palace in 1873. It was used to receive envoys. It is divided into an anchae (section for women) and sarangchae (section for men). It was likely spared by the 1876 fire. Gojong resided here for 12 years. It was demolished in either 1909 or 1929 during the Chōsen Exhibition. It was reconstructed in 2006.

Image	Structure
	Jangandang (장안당; 長安堂; Changandang)
	Gonnyeonghap (곤녕합; 坤寧閤; Konnyŏnghap) This building was the location of the 1895 assassination of Empress Myeongseong.
	Parujeong (팔우정; 八隅亭; P'arujŏng) Jibokjae (집옥재; 集玉齋; Chibokchae) Hyeopgildang (협길당; 協吉堂; Hyŏpkiltang) Three buildings in the back of the palace. They are connected by corridors. Together, the buildings were used as Gojong's library and study. Jibokjae was built from 1891 to 1893 by relocating Hamnyeongjeon from Changdeokgung. They have remained to the present.
	Hyangwonjeong (향원정; 香遠亭; Hyangwŏnjŏng) A two-story pavilion on an island in Hyangwonji. It had a wooden bridge leading up to it that was destroyed by a bombing during the 1950–1953 Korean War. It was later rebuilt.

Museums and other structures

National Palace Museum of Korea and related facilities

Main article: National Palace Museum of Korea

It was debated whether to demolish the museum as part of the original Second Gyeongbokgung Restoration Plan. The current and fourth iteration of the plan, which runs until 2045, does not call for its demolition.

There is an underground storage facility in the west side of the palace that is currently used by the National Palace Museum of Korea. The facility was originally built in 1962 as a bunker for South Korean government officials in the CGB. The National Museum of Korea began using it in 1983 and the National Palace Museum began using it in 2005. As the facility holds numerous historic relics, including 4 National Treasures, it is closed to the public. In 2016, limited public tours of the facility were offered for the first time. It has an area of 5,123.34 m² (55,147.2 sq ft) and height of 5.7 m (19 ft). It is connected to the National Palace Museum via an underground tunnel that is approximately 300 m (980 ft) long and 2.4 m (7.9 ft) wide. The tunnel was installed in 1997 to aid travel between the two locations. The facility and tunnel are set to be demolished some time between 2039 and 2045.

Gyeongbokgung Palace Management Office building

The Gyeongbokgung Palace Management Office (GPMO; 경복궁 관리소) is headquartered in a small modern-style building in the palace from the colonial period. Construction began on it on June 24, 1914. The building was constructed in 1915, originally as an annex for the Government-General of Chōsen Building and for the Chōsen Industrial Exhibition. It became used by the Cultural Heritage Administration in 1961 and then by the GPMO in 1971. It was renovated in 2007. The second floor is an office space, and the first floor is designed to help quickly mitigate disasters in the palace.

The various Gyeongbokgung Restoration Plans do not advocate for demolishing the building. A politician and a journalist have argued for its demolition, with the latter arguing that maintaining the building contradicts the plans' goal of restoring the palace to its precolonial state.

Parking lot

There is currently a parking lot on what used to be the site of the Owi headquarters. The parking lot has space for 290 vehicles, with one floor underground and one above. It is set to be demolished some time between 2039 and 2045.

National Folk Museum of Korea

Main article: National Folk Museum of Korea

The National Folk Museum of Korea's current building is a modern-style building with three floors above ground and one below. It is located on the former site of the Seonwonjeon complex. The museum building first opened in August 1972, and was used by the National General Museum of Korea (국립종합박물관), a predecessor to the National Museum of Korea. Meanwhile, a predecessor to the current National Folk Museum had been operating in Sujeongjeon in the palace since October 4, 1966. The National Folk Museum received its current building in 1992, and it opened to the public on February 17, 1993. The building is set to be demolished and the museum relocated to Sejong City.

Tourism

Gyeongbokgung visitor statistics (2002–)

The palace is considered among the most significant and representative tourist sites of South Korea, and even a symbol of pre-modern Korea as a whole.

According to data from the Korea Culture & Tourism Institute, from July 2005 to December 2024, the palace had a total of 56,030,499 visitors, more than any other tourist site in Seoul. In 2017, it was the second-most visited tourist site in the country, after the amusement park Everland. A 2021 study on 24,008 non–Korean language reviews of South Korean tourist destinations on the travel website Tripadvisor concluded that foreign tourists visited Gyeongbokgung the most out of any place in South Korea. According to statistics gathered by the government agency Korea Heritage Service, from 2002 to 2020 and 2022 to 2024, Gyeongbokgung was the most visited palace in Seoul.

In 2010, the palace began opening at night for a number of days each year for visitors. It began as a one-time event for the G-20 Seoul summit, but was made a reoccurring feature after its success. The night openings were highly popular for both foreign and domestic visitors of varying ages, whereas the palaces had mostly appealed to foreigners or elderly domestic visitors before. From 2016 to 2024, at least 100,000 visitors per year attended a night time viewing. In 2013, admission began to be made free for visitors that wore hanbok (traditional Korean clothing). This led to significant proliferation of hanbok rental businesses near the palace. In 2024, 1.8 million visitors to Gyeongbokgung wore hanbok. The palace has since offered a number of experiences for limited numbers of guests, such as dinners of Korean royal court cuisine and performances of traditional music.

In art and media

A section of a 1550 painting depicting Gyeongbokgung, obscured in fog and in the distance (on the left)

There are not many surviving depictions of any Korean palaces from before the Imjin War. In both Korea and China around that time, depicting the extravagence of the palace was frowned upon; relishing luxury was seen as inviting the end of the dynasty. Drawings of palaces were often simple diagrams used for illustrative purposes, and not detailed architectural records nor artistic depictions. Fourteen simple diagrams of the palace's layout from before the war have survived to the present, although most are presumed to be later copies of earlier drawings. The first known detailed illustration of the palace was the 1506 Hanyang kunggwŏldo (한양 궁궐도; 漢陽宮闕圖), but it was destroyed during the Imjin War, and copies of it are not known to exist. The creator of that painting wrote that their painting was the first of its kind to their knowledge. By the late Joseon period, when palaces were depicted artistically, they were often obscured by clouds or shadow, or drawn with little detail. The situation began to change in the mid-18th century. Detailed architectural records began to be kept in texts like the Uigwe, and more artistic depictions of palaces emerged.

There are three known extant paintings of Yeongjo holding events at the ruins of the palace in the 18th century.

Paegakch'unhyo is a series of two landscape paintings by An Jung-sik of the palace produced in 1915, during the colonial period. The paintings likely symbolically depict the palace before its colonial-era modifications as an expression of Korean independence activism. They are designated Registered Cultural Heritages.

The 10,000 won note featured an image of Geunjeongjeon on its reverse from 1973 to 1983. From 1983 to 2007, it featured an image of Gyeonghoeru.

See also

• Imperial City of Huế
• Forbidden City
• Potala Palace
• Manwoldae

References

Sources

In Korean

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• 경복궁 변천사 (上) [History of Gyeongbokgung's Changes (Vol. 1)] (in Korean). Cultural Heritage Administration. August 2007.
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  • 서정남. "경복궁 궁장 변천과정 및 지형분석". In Cultural Heritage Administration (2007).
• 경복궁 중건 천일의 기록 [Record of the Thousand Days of Gyeongbokgung's Restoration] (in Korean). Seoul: Seoul Historiography Institute. 2019-12-26. ISBN 979-11-6071-090-8.
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  • 이권영. "당대 첨단 기술과 공법으로 다시 세운 경복궁". In Seoul Historiography Institute (2019).
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In English

• Choi, Jong‐Deok (2010-04-01). "The palace, the city and the past: controversies surrounding the rebuilding of the Gyeongbok Palace in Seoul, 1990–2010". Planning Perspectives. 25 (2): 193–213. doi:10.1080/02665431003613014. ISSN 0266-5433.
• Chun, Kyung Hyo (March 2023). "Reconstruction of Memory and Reinterpretation of Tradition at Royal Palaces in Seoul". Korea Journal (in Korean). 63 (1): 208–242. ISSN 0023-3900.
• Han, Jung-Sun (2014-04-13). "Japan in the public culture of South Korea, 1945–2000s: The making and remaking of colonial sites and memories". Asia-Pacific Journal: Japan Focus. 12 (15): 1–19.
• Henry, Todd A. (2014). Assimilating Seoul: Japanese Rule and the Politics of Public Space in Colonial Korea, 1910–1945. Univ of California Press. ISBN 978-0-520-95841-8.
• Kim, Bue-Dyel (2023-09-03). "The nineteenth-century reconstruction of Gyeonghoeru Pavilion in Gyeongbokgung Palace, Korea". Journal of Asian Architecture and Building Engineering. 22 (5): 2523–2540. doi:10.1080/13467581.2022.2160207. ISSN 1346-7581.
• Kim, Jinwung (2012). A History of Korea: From "Land of the Morning Calm" to States in Conflict. Indiana University Press. ISBN 978-0-253-00024-8.
• Kim, Michael (2010-12-01). "Collective Memory and Commemorative Space: Reflections on Korean Modernity and the Kyŏngbok Palace Reconstruction 1865–2010". International Area Review. 13 (4): 75–95. doi:10.1177/223386591001300404. ISSN 1226-7031.
• Shin, Michael (2018-04-17). Korean National Identity under Japanese Colonial Rule: Yi Gwangsu and the March First Movement of 1919. Routledge. ISBN 978-1-134-83064-0.

External links

• Media related to Gyeongbokgung (category) at Wikimedia Commons
• Official website (in English)