The Secret Drainage Channel of GyeongbokGung

In the past, Korea was known as Joseon, a country that was ruled by a monarchy for 500 years. There were 5 Palaces in the Joseon Dynasty, and Gyeongbok Gung (경복궁) was built as the main representative Palace. 

Gyeongbok Gung was first built by 1st King Taejo (태조) in 1395 who ordered (Jung Do Jeon) 정도전, the prime minister and remarkable founding contributor of Joseon, to name the Palace. The word Gyeongbok (경복) in Gyeongbokgung means to enjoy great blessings for 10,000 years. However, contrary to the meaning, Gyeongbok Gung suffered hardships from the Japanese Invasion of Korea and the Japanese colonial period, leading to more than 90% of the buildings being damaged or demolished. Fortunately, restoration work for Gyeongbok Gung started in 1995 and is expected to continue until 2045.

During the Joseon Dynasty, Korea tried to incorporate the geography of its environment when deciding where to construct buildings and also when burying their ancestors. They took great importance in some factors such as the shape of the land, the location, bodies of water, mountains, wind, and its environmental background. This is called Feng Shui, or "풍수지리" in Korean. Feng Shui is a traditional oriental philosophy. Although many modern Koreans view Feng Shui as superstition, during the Joseon dynasty, they believed that good locations brought prosperity, while bad ones led to misfortune. Despite the debate, the placement of royal tombs and palaces was influenced by Feng Shui, as seen in the historical city layout of Gyeongbok Gung.

More on the palace’s architecture, Gyeongbok Gung has never suffered from flood damage in its history. What is the reason?

Gyeongbok Gung is surrounded by several mountains, with Bugaksan (북악산) located to the north. Water that flows down from Bugaksan gathers in Hyangwonjeong pond (향원정) and then flows to Gyeonghoeru (경회루), the banquet hall. Then, it moves through the cracks between the rough Bakseok (박석) placed in the Geunjeongjeon hall (근정전) and lastly, the water naturally flows out of the palace through Yeongjegyo bridge (영재교). In Geunjeongjeon hall, there was no need for a separate drainage channel as Bakseok itself acts as one. In addition, the design of Geunjeongjeon hall itself is constructed with a slope to the north and south, allowing water to flow naturally. Due to the drainage channels of Gyeongbok Gung, there have been no floods in the history of Gyeongbok Gung, and the scientific power to keep the water clean is hidden. 

But these aren’t its palace’s only unique characteristics:

Hyangwonjeong (향원정)

Hyangwonjeong, which was built in 1885 during 26th King Gojong's (고종) reign, was a royal patron which served as a private resting space for royal families. In addition, in 1887, the first electric light generator in Asia was installed here by Thomas Edison's electric company.

Gyeonghoeru (경회루)

Built in 1412, Gyeonghoeru pavilion was a banquet hall used when envoys came from abroad or held banquets.

Geunjeongjeon & Bakseok (근정전 & 박석)

Geunjeongjeon hall is the main representative building of Gyeongbok Gung. Geunjeongjeon means to keep politics in order, and meaningful ceremonies and events of the state took place here.

Bakseok which is placed in Geunjeongjeon's hall is a type of rough floor tile. They placed Bakseok because back in the Joseon dynasty, people wore leather shoes. Bakseok which is placed in Geunjeongjeon's hall is a type of rough floor tile. They placed Bakseok because back in the Joseon dynasty, people wore leather shoes. Because of that they had a possibility that they might slip in the rain. In order to prevent that, rough Bakseok was installed in Geunjeongjeon hall.

Geumcheongyo Bridge (금천교)

Geumcheongyo bridge was placed in every five main palaces of the Joseon dynasty. Its name varies from palace to palace. In Gyeongbok Gung, it is called Yeongjegyo (영재교) bridge. In Geumcheongyo, Geum (금)  means prohibit, Cheon (천) means stream, and Gyo (교) means bridge. The waterways are blocked now, but clear water flowed here during the Joseon Dynasty.

If you want to learn more about the history of Gyeongbok Gung, I recommend you visit on the weekends. The Korean History Explanation Promotion Agency has a free tour for Koreans and also for foreigners. This tour is open every week from Saturday and Sunday morning and afternoon, so I strongly recommend that you experience Gyeongbok Gung’s historical sites first-hand.