I decided to research the Gyeongbokgung Palace because I visited it with my friends on a trip. From the outside you can see how beautiful the palace and the architecture is. I could easily tell that this was an important place to those in the area and those visiting.
Gyeongbokgung Palace was the main palace during the Joseon Dynasty, and it was declared so in 1395. This was the palace where the Hangul alphabet was created and then sent out to the people to learn. In the past it was called Hunminjeongeum and only in modern times is it referred to as the Hangul alphabet which was an interesting fact to learn. Many kings and their families would live in the palace throughout the years, but it was also used for political reasons, ceremonies, and events.
The first part of the name, “Gyeongbok” means “the new dysnasty shall have good fortunes and prosper” or “the new dynasty will be greatly blessed and prosperous”. The naming of the palace truly set the tone for the Joseon dynasty which reigned from 1392 – 1910. It was intricately placed in the heart of Seoul with the Bugaksan and Namsan mountains in the background and the Han river nearby. When designing and building the palace it was ensured to have pungsu-jiri which is parallel to the idea of feng shui that is used today. This means that the placement and architecture bring calming and positive energy to those around and in it. The palace also incorporated many Confucian values regarding hierarchy, and this can be seen through the Gwanghwamun Gate that is at the entrance of the palace. Every piece of the palace was specifically planned out, and it shows the importance of culture and attention to detail that the Joseon Dynasty had.
The Gyeongbokgung Palace has some more difficult history as well. During the Japanese invasion in 1592 the palace was completely destroyed and remained destroyed for many years. In 1867 the palace was finally restored and additions were added on. These additions included Geoncheonggung Palace, Taewonjeon Hall, and Jibokjae but later on many of the additions were destroyed during the Korea – Japan Treaty of 1910. This treaty essentially made Korea a colony of Japan for around 35 years. Japan did not have much care for Korean culture during this time which is why they destroyed parts of the palace. The palace property was used in 1915 for the Joseon Industrial Exhibition which focused on celebrating Japan’s rule over Korea. After Korea regained its independence much of the Gyeongbokgung Palace was restored.
Today the palace still stands and represents both Korea’s culture now and in the past. This is still a very popular destination for many visitors to Seoul. In 2024 there were 6.44 million people who visited the palace. Gyeongbokgung Palace shows the rich history of the Joseon Dynasty and its culture, even today it is still used for many different cultural events. The palace is a very important site to those in Korea, and it will continue to be for many years.
The Role of Gyeongbokgung Palace in the Joseon Dynasty – Seoul Korea
Architectural Marvels of the Gyeongbokgung Palace
South Korea: number of visitors to Gyeongbokgung Palace 2024 | Statista
Palace photo
Palace with mountain views to show pungsu-jiri.
Hunminjeongeum which showed the people how to read and sound out Hangul.
Gwanghwamun Gate
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