[Seoul] - Gyeonghoeru Pavilion (경회루)

We visited Gyeongbokgung with kids in 2013, and this was the second-time we've stepped feet in this magnificent palace.

 

  Gyeongbokgung (경복궁)

Picturesque Hyangwonjeong Pavilion (향원정)

There are 2 pavilions within the palace, but we only made our round to Hyangwonjeong Pavilion without getting a single sight of Gwanghaeru Pavilion because our 2 kiddos were moody and hungry.

 

Gyeonghoeru Pavilion (경회루), National Treasure No. 224.

It's usually inaccessible to the public, but we applied from this link. It's a first-come
first-serve and we are lucky to obtain the entrance as it's only for 60 Koreans and 10 foreigners.

There are three bridges and gates to the pavilion. The king used the first gate because it leads directly to the stairs on the second floor.

 
11 Japsang (잡상) sitting on the roof eaves represent that Gyeonghoeru is
very important building as it has the most animal-shaped statues!

There were only 7 Japsang installed at Geunjeongjeon (Main Throne Hall) and 9 Japsang at Sungnyemun. The more Japsangs there are the important a building is.

The name Gyeonghoeru means the king will succeed and be
a great leader when he has the right people surrounding him.

The pavilion is built on an artificial island surrounded by a pond. 

The King used it to host important events such as banquets for foreign envoys 

or his court officials during the Joseon era. 

Gyeonghoeru is one of the largest elevated two-story pavilions in Korea.
This pavilion is representative of "Nugak" (multiple-storied building).

It was built in 1412 during the reign of King Taejong and rebuilt during the reign of
King Seongjong (1469-1494) because it had tilted about 60 years later.

It was burned down by the Japanese in 1592 during the Imjin War. 

The current structure had been rebuilt in 1867.

There are 48 granite pillars on the first floor to support the second floor.

The outer pillars are squares and the inner pillars are round. The outside is the land,

and the inside is the sky which together they represent the idea of Yin & Yang.

    

Doesn't this 'framed' landscape look awesome?

Gyeonghoeru represents the number associated with the 36 palaces symbolic of the royal palace. The pond surrounding it symbolizes the sky, the rectangular stylobate in the pond symbolizes the earth.

Geunjeongjeon (main throne hall) and the pond can be seen from 2nd story.

Magnificent view of Mount Inwangsan in background.

Hahyangjeong (하향정), the small pavilion was built by Syngman Rhee, the first President of Korea. It's used for fishing and resting.

The views were slightly obstructed because of the netting which used 

to prevent birds from flying in and nestling there.

I should stand a bit further so the net is not so obvious.

We were the only foreigners that joined this tour, so there's no English

translation. I only understood less than 20% of the guide's explanation about this room.

The basic Trinity Heaven-Earth-Human (천지인 / Cheon Ji In / 天地人)
the root of all Oriental philosophy was also applied on the pavilion floor.

The King sat at the 3-room in the centre has the highest level which symbolizes Cheon (천=Heaven). The 12-room symbolizes Ji (지) was the mid-level which also represent each month of the year. And the lowest level is 24-room which symbolizes In (인) and represent the 24 Solar Terms of Traditional Chinese Calendar.

I'm sitting at the 2nd level which was for the highest-ranked officials.

Pretty Dancheong decoration on the attic and ceiling.

Let's stroll for a while before exiting palace grounds...

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