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An Overview of Korea's Palaces - 1

A History of Korean Palaces over Two Thousand Years

The Beginning

It was not until the first century BCE, with the emergence of three ancient states on the Korean Peninsula, that palaces were built there in earnest. The Goguryeo Kingdom covered the north￾ern territory of the Korean Peninsula and the northeastern part of China;, whereas the Baekje and Silla kingdoms occupied the southern part of the peninsula. Historians believe that China's advanced architectural techniques influenced the architecture of the three kingdoms, which were based on their respective native building techniques.

Silla, the last of the three kingdoms to be founded on the peninsula, united the peninsula all three in 676. At this time Once that occurred, the kings of Unified Silla heldcame to hold almost absolute political power. The kings refurbished the capital city of Gyeongju by expanding its borders, extending its palaces, and creating a big pond around the palaces. More than a century later, Unified Silla's royal power weakened and the capital gradually lost its magnificent treasures after the local elite class rose up in nationwide rebellions.

With the rapid deterioration of Unified Silla's ruling power in the tenth century, the Korean Peninsula was again divided in three. In 936, however, it was unified once more under the Goryeo Dynasty (918–1392), which had arisen in the peninsula's central region.

It was not only Korea that underwent division and reunification during theose years; so did its neighbor China. As China entered its Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period (907–960) after the collapse of the Tang dynasty (618–907), the Unified Silla Kingdom had just broken apart; when China was reunified under the Song Dynasty (960–1279), Korea also become one under the Goryeo Kingdom. Yet, whereas Korea and China experienced dynastic changes around the same time, their histories proceeded very differently thereafter. After the fall of the Song Dynasty in 1279, no subsequent Chinese dynasty lasted more than three hundred years. In contrast, Korea's Goryeo and Joseon dynasties lasted more than 470 years and five hundred years, respectively. This was an unprecedented level of stability in world history.

How Palace Sites Were Chosen in the Goryeo Dynasty: Geomancy

For most of the kingdom's duration, Goryeo's capital was Gaegyeong (present-day Gaeseong in North Korea). Gaegyeong was located in a basin surrounded by mountains in all four directions, with many slopes and extremely rugged land. The choice of capital was greatly influenced by the Chinese philosophical system known as feng shui, or geomancy based on topography. Feng shui (literally translated as "wind-water") was a way of harmonizing everything with the surrounding environment. The royal family of Goryeo was infatuated with feng shui and believed that the most auspicious land faced the river and had mountains at the backfaced. Before choosing a site on which to build, Goryeo royalty would carefully observe the structure of the mountains and the flow of the river. Mt. Songaksan, northwest of Gaegyeong, was considered the prime mountain, the most outstanding among many candidates. The royal palace faced south on a slope near the foot of Mt. Songaksan, where the water flows southeast down through the winding territory of the old capital. Architects arranged the palace buildings along different axes in consideration of the flow of the waterways—unlike their counterparts in China, who emphasized the center and cherished symmetry above all.

Goryeo suffered from frequent invasions by northern nomadic tribes and experienced political upheavals, including a military coup, in the twelfth century. Such political vicissitudes exerted a great influence on palace construction plans. As political turmoil continued, alternativetemporary palaces called detached palaces were built in the capital. Beginning in the late thirteenth century, many kings stayed at these detached palaces instead of the main palace at the foot of Mt. Songaksan.

The Palaces of the Joseon Dynasty

The Joseon Dynasty was launched in 1392, twenty-four years after the appearance of the Ming Dynasty in the Chinese Central Plain. One of the longest dynasties, enduring 518 years, Joseon set up its capital in the heart of the Korean Peninsula in what was then called Hanyang, where Seoul now stands. Like Gaegyeong, Hanyang was in a river basin and was surrounded by mountains. Mt. Bugaksan to the northwest was the principal mountain, and the official Joseon palace was built at its foot. Because of rampant political turmoil after its launch, detached palaces were built at several sites in the capital. Over the five hundred years that the Joseon Dynasty endured, seven palaces were built in the capital including the official palace, Gyeongbokgung. Five of those were still standing at the end of the Joseon Dynasty.

Palaces built during the Goryeo period and before that time have not survived to the present day. Although there are remnants of the palace site at the foot of Mt. Songaksan, it is hard to grasp what exactly the palaces may have looked like. On the other hand, the palaces built during Joseon times are true to their original forms. The palaces of Joseon, Korea's final dynasty, represent the final stage of a long tradition of Korean royal palaces.

Infokorea 2016
Infokorea is Korea introduced a magazine designed for readers with an interest in Korea and other foreign producers textbooks and teachers. Infokorea is the author of textbooks or foreign editors and reference to textbooks, Korea provides the latest information that teachers can use in teaching resources. Infokorea also provides cultural, social and historical topics featured in Korea. The theme of the 2016 issue was overview of Korea's palaces.

Publication | The Academy of Korean Studies

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