건청궁

 13.건청궁

[]Geoncheonggung, a Palace within the Palace

1. “Geoncheong” (乾淸) means “the sky is clear.”
   Geoncheonggung Residence is located north of the Hyangwonji Pond area inside Gyeongbokgung. It includes several buildings such as Jangandang Hall, the king’s living quarters, Gonnyeonghap Hall, the queen’s living quarters, and Boksudang Hall.

2. The word “gung” means “palace,” so Geoncheonggung can be understood as a small palace inside the larger Gyeongbokgung Palace.

3. It was built in 1873, during the 10th year of King Gojong’s reign, on the northeast side of Gyeongbokgung Palace. While the large reconstruction of Gyeongbokgung was directed by King Gojong’s father, Regent Heungseon, the construction of Geoncheonggung was led by King Gojong himself.

4. At that time, the king secretly used his own private money to build the palace. From this, we can see King Gojong’s desire to become independent from his father’s control and rule the country by himself. Later, government officials discovered the project and opposed it, but the king continued with the construction.

5. Geoncheonggung was built in resemblance to the house of a noble scholar-official, with a size of ninety-nine kan — a traditional unit measuring the space between wooden pillars — which was the largest scale allowed for private houses and different from the larger scale of royal palaces. It is also similar to Yeongyeongdang Hall in Changdeokgung because it separates the men’s and women’s living spaces.

6. Unlike many royal buildings, Geoncheonggung was not decorated with colorful traditional paintings called dancheong.

7. After Geoncheonggung Palace was built, King Gojong and Queen Min lived there most of the time.

8. However, in 1895, a tragic event known as the Eulmi Incident took place there. Queen Min was assassinated by forces that opposed her political influence.

   Then, in February 1896, King Gojong escaped to the Russian Legation because his life was in danger. This event became known as “Agwan-pacheon.”

   After that, Geoncheonggung was no longer occupied by the royal family and in 1909 it was demolished by the Japanese imperial government. An art gallery for the Japanese Government-General was later built on the site.

   After Korea regained independence, the building was used as the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Korea. It was demolished in 1998 as part of the restoration project for Gyeongbokgung.

   The reconstruction of Geoncheonggung began in June 2004 and was completed three years later. However, it was not opened to the public until October 2007 — about 100 years after the Eulmi Incident.

• refuge 피난(처)
• Legation 공사관
• demolish 철거하다, 허물다
• Government General 총독부
• achieve 달성하다, 성취하다
• Contempoary 동시대의(현대의, 당대의)
• complete 완료하다. 끝마치다, 완벽한, 완전한
• 장안당 고종의 생활공간(사랑채)
• 곤녕합 명성황후의 생활공간(안채)
• 관문각 고종의 서재
• 복수당 부속건물, 왕실 시종과 궁인들이 사용
• 녹금당 궁인들의 생활공간 및 부속 건물
• 정화당 장안당 뒤쪽의 침방
• 추수부용루 장안당에 딸린 누마루
• 정시합 곤녕합의 침방
• 사시향루 곤녕합의 동쪽 누마루
• 옥호루 곤념합 동쪽 누마루의 다른 이름
• 발전소 관문각 북쪽 행각 뒤에 설치되어 1887년 한국 최초의 전등을 점등한 곳

##  Geoncheonggung: A Palace Within the Palace

You are now standing in Geoncheonggung, often called "a palace within the palace." The name Geoncheong means "the clear sky."

Built in 1873 during the reign of King Gojong, this residence was designed as a private royal home within Gyeongbokgung. Unlike most palace buildings, it was built without the colorful decorative paintings known as dancheong, giving it a simple and elegant appearance.

King Gojong personally directed its construction, hoping to create a place where he could govern independently. After it was completed, King Gojong and Queen Min, later known as Empress Myeongseong, spent much of their time here.

In 1895, Geoncheonggung became the setting for one of the most tragic events in Korean history. Near this place, Empress Myeongseong, remembered as the last Empress of Korea, lost her life during an attack carried out by forces supporting the Japanese imperial government. The event changed the course of Korean history.

Soon afterward, fearing for his own safety, King Gojong left the palace and sought refuge at the Russian Legation in Seoul. From that day, Geoncheonggung was never again used as a royal residence.

In 1909, the Japanese imperial government demolished the buildings, and they disappeared from the palace grounds for nearly a century.

Following Korea's liberation, the site was used for other public buildings. As part of the long-term restoration of Gyeongbokgung, archaeological investigations were carried out, and Geoncheonggung was reconstructed using historical records and excavation results. The restored buildings were opened to the public in 2007.

As you walk through these buildings today, remember that they are more than reconstructed architecture. They represent the resilience of a nation determined to preserve its history, restore its cultural heritage, and pass it on to future generations.

[]Jangandang Hall

1. 'Jangan' means ' be in peace for long time'.  
2. According to records, Jangandang Hall was used for irregular learning sessions or meetings with officials 
3. It seems to have functioned like king's office(pyeonjeon). 
4. Gojong received diplomatic representatives from America, England and Russia and took care of political issues in here. 
5. The hall was designed with the highest level of formality, just like the homes of top scholar-officials.
6. It is connected to the west corridor of Gonnyeonghap Hall. 
7. There are a few other buildings linked to Jangandang, like Jeonghwadang Hall for sleeping quarters, and Chusubuyongnu Pavilion, which was kind of like a loft.
8. 'Chusubuyong’ refers to an autumn lotus floating gently on the water, swaying in the breeze with a soft smile. The pavilion itself is a loft with overhanging eaves that almost look like they’re flying — so the whole thing really does resemble a graceful lotus on the water, just like its name.
9. The pavilion resembles Nakseonjae Pavilion in Changdeokgung Palace, which was King Heonjong's resicence. Chusubuyougnu Pavilion was a pair with Sasihyangnu Pavilion of Gonnyeonghap.

• irregular 불규칙한/ 고르지 못한(치열), 울퉁불퉁한/ 비정기적인
• learning sessions
• session (특정 활동을 하기위한)시간(기간)/ (의회등의)회기, (법정의)개정(기간)

• took care of 돌보다/ 처리하다
• issue (논의)주제, 쟁점, 사안/ 문제
• political issues 정치적 문제
• was equipped with ~을 갖추고 있다
• formality 형식적인 절차/ 격식
• utmost formality 극도의 격식
• scholar-official 사대부
• sway (전후·좌우로 천천히) 흔들리다[흔들다]
• carry 나르다/ 휴대하다/ 
• protruding 돌출한
• overhang
• a pair with ~와 짝을 이룬다
• 장안당은 정화당, 추수부용루
• 곤녕합은 옥호루, 사시향루를 비롯하여 침전인 정시합으로 이루어짐
• 러시아의 비밀보고서 (웨베르 보고서)에 의하면 명성왕후는 일본인 칼에 시해되었으며 그 시신을 건청궁 옆 녹산(사슴이 뛰어 논다고 하여 붙여진 동산) 에서 불태웠다고 한다. 
• 추수부용루: 가을추, 물수, 연꽃부, 연꽃 용

## Jangandang Hall: King Gojong's Residence and Office

You are now standing in front of Jangandang Hall, the main residence of King Gojong within Geoncheonggung.

The name "Jangan" means "lasting peace." It reflects the hope for a peaceful and stable kingdom.

Although Jangandang was part of the king's private residence, it also served as his office. Here, King Gojong met government officials, discussed important state affairs, and received diplomatic representatives from countries such as the United States, the United Kingdom, and Russia.

The hall was designed in the refined style of a high-ranking scholar-official's residence rather than the grand ceremonial style usually seen in royal palaces. This reflects King Gojong's desire for a comfortable and practical place to live and govern.

Behind Jangandang were private rooms and a small pavilion called Chusubuyongnu. Its name means "an autumn lotus floating on the water." With its elegant design and gently curved roof, the pavilion was intended to evoke the quiet beauty of a lotus drifting across a peaceful pond.

As you look at Jangandang today, imagine it not only as the king's home, but also as the place where important decisions were made during one of the most challenging periods of Korean history.

1. Gwanmungak Hall, built behind Jangandang Hall in 1873, was originally called Gwanmundang. Then, in 1875, its name was changed to Gwanmungak, and it was used as King Gojong's library.
2. Gwanmungak was built in a traditional wooden structure, but was later renovated into a two-story brick building by Russian architect A.S. Sabatine (1860–1920), reflecting the royalty's volition to accept Western civilization.
3. Thus, it became the first and only building constructed in the Western style in Gyeongbokgung Palace. However, after the Japanese imperialists demolished Gwanmungak in 1901, the site has remained empty to this day.
4. Before the Japanese imperialists demolished the Geoncheonggung area, there was an electricity-generating station located in the northern corridor building behind Gwanmungak Hall. Since 1887, this area had been where Korea’s first electric light bulbs were illuminated, reflecting King Gojong’s commitment to modernization and its historical significance.

• traditional wooden structure 전통 목조 건축물
• reflecting 반영하다/ 반사하다
• royalty 왕족/ 왕위, 왕권/ 사용료
• volition 자유의지
• civilization 문물/ 문명
• architect 건축가/ 건축하다
• was renovated to ~개조되다
• at present 현재
• illuminate (~에 불을)비추다./ 조명을 설치하다
• Commitment = 헌신, 전념, 의지, 약속
• promotion 승진, 승격/ 홍보/ 주창, 옹호
• 관문각(최초로 전등이 설치된 곳이다)에 기거하던 러시아인이 명성황후 시해사건을 목격하고 기록으로 남겨 당시의 참상이 전해지게됨, 관문각은 1901년 헐려 현재 빈터만 있다.

## Gwanmungak Hall: A Symbol of Korea's Modernization

Gwanmungak Hall was built in 1873 as part of Geoncheonggung. Originally called Gwanmundang, it was later renamed Gwanmungak and became King Gojong's private library.

As King Gojong sought to modernize the country, the building was remodeled into a two-story brick structure designed by a Russian architect. It became the first and only Western-style building inside Gyeongbokgung Palace, symbolizing Korea's openness to new ideas and technology.

Behind Gwanmungak stood a small power station. In 1887, it supplied electricity to this area, making Geoncheonggung the first place in Korea to be illuminated by electric lights. For many people at the time, it marked the beginning of a new era.

Unfortunately, Gwanmungak was demolished in the early twentieth century during the Japanese colonial period, and it has never been rebuilt.

As you stand here today, imagine a place where tradition and innovation once came together. Gwanmungak reminds us that Korea's journey toward modernization began within the walls of this historic palace.

고종시

1. There’s a persimmon tree growing along the south wall of the Jangandang compound. 
2. King Gojong really loved persimmons, so the ones sent to him from different regions were even called ‘Gojong Persimmons.’ 
3. The tree you see here today was planted in memory of King Gojong, and it came from Sancheong in South Gyeongsang Province.

• localities 지방, 지역
• in memory of ..을 기념하여

[]Gonnyeonghap Hall

1. Gonnyeonghap (坤寧閤) Hall is located on the east side of Geoncheonggung Palace. 
2. It was used as the queen’s living quarters. 
3. The name 'Gonnyeong' means 'the earth is peaceful,' which reflects the queen’s virtue. 
4. Just north of the hall is Boksudang, and attached to it on the south is Okhoru Pavilion. 
5. The eastern side of Okhoru is called 'Sasihyangnu (四時香樓),' meaning 'a pavilion where fragrance floats all year round' — a name that already gives off a graceful, feminine atmosphere.

• 坤 땅 곤
• connotation 함축된 의미/ 내포(denotation)
• virtue 선, 미덕
• separately [ˈseprətli] 따로따로, 각기
• femenine  [ˈfemənɪn] 여성스러운, 여자 같은
• ambiance 환경/ 분위기
• give off: (느낌, 분위기, 냄새 등을) 발산하다, 풍기다, 내뿜다

##  Gonnyeonghap Hall: The Queen's Residence

You are now standing at Gonnyeonghap Hall, the queen's residence within Geoncheonggung.

The name "Gonnyeong" means "the earth is at peace." In traditional Korean philosophy, the earth symbolizes the queen, expressing the hope that she would bring harmony, stability, and prosperity to the royal family and the nation.

King Gojong's consort, Queen Min—later remembered as Empress Myeongseong—spent much of her daily life here.

To the north stands Boksudang Hall, while to the south is Okhoru Pavilion. Its eastern section is known as Sasihyangnu, which means "the Pavilion of Fragrance Through the Four Seasons." The elegant name reflects the quiet beauty and refined atmosphere of the queen's residence.

 

1. Whenever I see Hyangwonjeong Pavilion just beyond the wall of Okhoru Pavilion, it always reminds me of Empress Myeongseong. Sometimes, the view is so beautiful that it makes my heart ache. 
2. Near Okhoru is where Empress Myeongseong — the posthumous title of Queen Min, Emperor Gojong’s wife — was brutally assassinated by the Japanese at the age of 45. The way it happened was so horrific, it’s hard to even put into words.
3. After murdering her, Japanese assassins burned her body to get rid of evidence. 
4. Cheonghuimun Gate is located in the middle of the eastern corridor of Gonnyeonghap Hall. It leads to a pine grove called Noksan, where her body was burned.

1. The tragedy that Queen Min was assassinated by Japanese in 1895 is called 'Eulmi Incident'. In 1894, right before the First Sino-Japanese War broke out, King Gojong moved to Changdeokgung Palace temporarily to shun Japanese oppression. Then she came back to Gyeongbokgung Palace within a month and stayed in Geoncheonggung. A year later, Eulmi Incident occurred in Geoncheonggung. The incident was a disgrace for the Joseon people because the mother of the state was assassinated by Japanese in the palace which represented their state authority. 

1. In 1894, the Donghak Peasant Revolution broke out in Joseon, which led China and Japan to send their militaries to Joseon to suppress the uprising.
2. Shortly after that , a war broke out between China and Japan on Joseon land. 
3. King Gojong appointed Kim Hong-jip, a representative of the centrist cabinet, to carry out the Gabo Reform in an effort to regain the trust of the estranged people and to fully open the door to Western civilization.  
4. In 1895, as Japan's victory became certain at the Sino-Japanese War, Japan began to put pressure on the Joseon Dynasty, intervening in the domestic state affairs without withdrawing the military from Joseon.
5. Japan had already disclosed their ambition to gain the whole continent including China and Russia by making Joseon their stepping stone. 
6. In an effort to block Japanese forceful intervention on Joseon's politics, Queen Min strived to have good diplomatic relations with Russia. The queen who had keen sense of politics and diplomacy was an excellent partner of King Gojong in every aspect. Therefore her political stance was reflecting King Gojong's intention. However, Japan regarded Queen Min as their stumbling block to their control over the Joseon Dynasty. In the early morning on October 8 under the operation named 'fox Hunt', Miura Goro Japanese diplomatic representative, led members of the legation,  itinerant swordsmen, and the military into Geoncheonggung to murder the queen. The murdering of Queen Min by Japanese was witnessed by an American, a Russian, and others. They reported the assassination to other countries' diplomats, thereafter the Eulmi Incident was widely known to other countries. 

1. These days, there’s no real photo or portrait of Queen Min left. We can only commemorate her through some dignified portraits painted out of imagination and some records describing her appearance. Queen Min did not meet such a heroic death as she was portrayed in a famous Korean musical, "The Last Empress".

1. The assassination of Queen Min by Japanese imperialists shocked both the nation and the world.
2. At home, righteous armies rose up across the country to avenge the Queen’s murder.
3. Internationally, condemnation on the Eulmi Incident, which perpetrated by Japanese, got increased.
4. So, in order to avoid international criticism, the Japanese government jailed the people who carried out the assassination for a short time. But a few months later, they released all of them, including Miura Goro, claiming there wasn’t enough evidence.
5. The assassins—including reporters, politicians, and writers—shared the same political ambitions as the Japanese imperialists, and they played important roles in the Japanese government or society. After the Eulmi Incident, many of them became ministers and diplomatic representatives.

1. Shiba Shiro (1853–1922), who played the role of bringing itinerant swordsmen into Joseon to assassinate the queen alongside Miura Goro, studied at Harvard University and graduated from the University of Pennsylvania with a degree in economics.
2. He was an active politician and writer, known by his pen name Tokai Sanshi.
3. There were some other intelligent collaborators who graduated from the Department of Law at Tokyo University, who led the invasion of Gyeongbokgung Palace and the assassination of the queen, and later served as diplomats or major cabinet members.
4. They were basically far-right politicians working on the front lines for the Japanese imperialists, but they pretended to be just regular civilians.
5. The Eulmi Incident, carried out by the Japanese imperialists, was carefully planned down to the smallest detail.

1. The postumous title of Empress Myeongseong was granted to the deceased Queen Min when King Gojong founded the Great Han Empire and became emperor in 1897.

• piercing 날카로운/ 가슴을 후비는 듯한
• pierce 뚫다, 찌르다
• scenery 경치/ 풍경/ 배경
• unutterably 형언할 수 없게
• utter  발언하다
• assassinate 암살하다
• assassinator 암살자
• assassin 암살범
• Cheonghuimun 청휘문(곤녕합 동쪽 행각에 있는 문)
• grove  [ɡroʊv] 숲
• the mother of the state 국모
• state authority 국가 권위
• Peasant 농민
• quell 진압하다
• revolt 반란
• Joseon soil 조선땅
• centrism 중도주으., 중도 정치
• cabinet 내각
• centrist cabinet 중도파 내각
• confidence 신뢰/ 자신/ 확인
• estranged 별거중인/ 멀어진(소원해진)
• estranged people 소외된 국민, 이탈한 민심
• estrange 사람을 떼어 놓다/ 사이를 멀어지게 하다. 이간하다
• certain 어떤/ 확실한, 틀림없는
• put pressure on ~에 압력을 가하다
• intervene 개입하다
• domestic state affairs 내정
• disclosed their ambition 야망을 들어내다
• forceful intervention 강압적 개입
• strive 분투하다
• stance 입장/ 자세/ 태도/ 전망
• intention 의도, 의사, 의지
• stumbling block 장애물
• stumble 발이 걸리다/ 비틀(휘청)거리다
• legation 공사관
• itinerant swordsmen 떠돌이 검객
• authentic 진짜의
• commemorate 기념하다
• dignified 위엄있는(품위있는)
• describe 서술하다/ 묘사하다
• portray 그리다/ 묘사하다
• righteous army 의병
• righteous 옳은, 당연한
• murder 살인, 살해/ 살인(살해)하다
• condemnation 심한 비난/ 견책/ 책망
• under the pretense of ~을 핑계삼아, ~의 미명 아래
• pretense 겉치레, 가식/ 구실, 핑계
• itinerant swordsmen 떠돌이 검객
• active 활발한
• collaborators 공동연구자(저자), 합작자, 협력자, 공모자
• took charge of ..을 떠맡다. ..의 책임을 지다
• Regular civilians”는 “평범한 일반 시민
• disguise 변장하다. 위장하다
• perpetrate 저지르다, 자행하다
• deliberately 고의로/ 의도(계획)적으로
• minute [maɪˈnjuːt] 극미한, 세심한
• to the minute details. 세세한 부분까지
• 1894 동학농민운동(조선에서 청에 지원요청/청군입국/텐진조약을 근거로 일군 입국/전봉준은 외세의 침입을 물리기 위해 전주화약으로 조정과 화해-잘못된 정책의 개혁과 탐관오리제거를 주장하는 27개조의 폐정 개혁안 제안-정부수용/청.일군은 철수하지 않고
•  1894. 6 - 1895. 4 청일전쟁
• - 삼국간섭(청일전쟁에 승리한 일본이 1895. 4. 17. 청과 시모노세키 강화조약으로 랴오둥반도를 할양받자 이를 청에 돌려주라고 러시아, 프랑스, 독일이 강력 권고함/ 그해 5.5일 반도 반환을 일본이 3국에 통보하고 대샌 보상금을 받았다)
• - 1895. 8. 20 을미사변
• - 1896. 2. 11 아관파천

## Gonnyeonghap Hall: The Queen's Residence

Welcome to Gonnyeonghap Hall, the queen's residence within Geoncheonggung, often called "a palace within the palace."

The name "Gonnyeong" means "the earth is at peace." In traditional Korean philosophy, the earth represents the queen, symbolizing harmony, stability, and the hope for prosperity throughout the kingdom.

This was the home of Queen Min, who was later honored with the posthumous title Empress Myeongseong, remembered today as the last Empress of Korea. Here she carried out her daily life and supported King Gojong during one of the most challenging periods in Korean history.

If you look toward the south, you will see Okhoru Pavilion. Its eastern section is called Sasihyangnu, meaning "the Pavilion of Fragrance Through the Four Seasons." The elegant name reflects the peaceful and graceful atmosphere that once surrounded the queen's residence.

Yet this quiet place also witnessed one of the darkest moments in Korean history.

In the early morning of October 8, 1895, Empress Myeongseong lost her life near this residence during an attack carried out by forces supporting the Japanese imperial government. Her death marked a turning point in Korea's modern history and deeply affected the future of the nation.

Nearby, beyond the walls of Geoncheonggung, lies Noksan, where her body was taken after the attack. Today, the peaceful scenery makes it difficult to imagine the tragedy that unfolded here more than a century ago.

Following these events, King Gojong left Gyeongbokgung for his own safety and never again lived in Geoncheonggung. A few years later, the palace buildings were dismantled, and much of this historic area disappeared.

The buildings you see today are faithful reconstructions based on historical records and archaeological research. They stand not only as restored architecture, but also as places of remembrance.

As you walk through Gonnyeonghap, take a moment to reflect. History reminds us that when a nation faces hardship, it is not only its people who are affected. Its homes, palaces, and cultural heritage also bear the marks of history. Preserving these places allows future generations to remember the past while looking toward the future.

  

[]Retrieved Stylobate Stones of Jaseondang Hall

1. Jaseondang Hall was the living quarters of the crown prince in Gyeongbokgung Palace, but during the Japanese occupation period, it was one of many buildings in Gyeongbokgung that were destroyed or dismantled and sold to the Japanese.
2. A Japanese trading merchant, Okura Kihachiro, purchased the hall, relocated it to his house in downtown Tokyo, and used it as an art gallery called the 'Joseon Gallery'.
3. But the gallery got burned down in the Great Kanto Earthquake in 1923, and all that’s left now are the stylobate stones.
4. In 1993, Kim Jeong-dong, an architecture professor at Mokwon University, discovered the stones through his investigation and search in the garden of the Okura Hotel in Tokyo, Japan
5. Toward the end of 1995, about 110 tons of 288 remaining stylobate stones were repatriated to Korea.
6. Although the stylobate stones of Jaseondang Hall were returned to Gyeongbokgung Palace after being abandoned in Japan, they could not be used for restoration because they were so badly burned that they were no longer suitable as foundation stones.
7. Consequently, the burned, charred, and collapsed stones have been left abandoned in Noksan, next to Geoncheonggung Palace.
8. They’re still falling apart under the dark shade of the forest, even now.
9. Among all the places in the palace grounds, these stones are seated right where Empress Myeongseong’s body was burned by the Japanese. When we think about the period we lost our sovereignty, our hearts are aching all over again. When we lost our country, it wasn’t just the people who suffered— even the buildings went through terrible ordeals.

• occupation 직업/ 점령(기간)/ 심심풀이
• relocate 이전하다. 이동하다
• gallery 미술관, 화랑
• Stylobate: 기둥들이 놓이는 평평한 돌기반
• stylobate stones”는 ‘기둥 받침석’ 
• remaining (명사 앞에만 씀)남아있는, 남은
• repatriate 본국으로 송환하다. 본국으로 송금하다
• desert 사막/ 버리다
• foundation stone 주춧돌
• foundation  토대, 기초/ 재단/ 설립
• crumble  바스러지다. (건물이)허물어지다. 무너지다
• gloomy 어두운/ 우울한
• precinct  [ˈpriːsɪŋkt] (차량이 허용되지 않는)구역(지구)/ 선거구/ (경찰)관할구
• sovereignty [sάvərənti] 주권, 영유권, 통치권
• Ordeals → 시련, 고난, 고통스러운 경험

• 1894 동학농민운동(조선에서 청에 지원요청/청군입국/텐진조약을 근거로 일군 입국/전봉준은 외세의 침입을 물리기 위해 전주화약으로 조정과 화해(잘못된 정책의 개혁과 탐관오리제거를 주장하는 27개조의 폐정 개혁안 제안-정부수용) - 청.일군은 철수하지 않고
• 1894. 6 - 1895. 4 청일전쟁
• 삼국간섭(청일전쟁에 승리한 일본이 1895. 4. 17. 청과 시모노세키 강화조약으로 랴오둥반도를 할양받자 이를 청에 돌려주라고 러시아, 프랑스, 독일이 강력 권고함/ 그해 5.5일 반도 반환을 일본이 3국에 통보하고 대샌 보상금을 받았다)
• 1895. 8. 20 을미사변
• 1896. 2. 11 아관파천

• proceed (to, with) to begin or continue in a course of action or set of actions
• ..하기 시작하다 (~ to do), 계속해서...하다(to do)
• ~(전치사with, to)(명사) - 시작하다(with), (시작된 일을 계속)진행하다(with)
• conjecture 추측, 추측하다
• renovated 개조(보수)하다, 혁신하다
• renovation 수선, 수리, 혁신
• unutterably 형언할 수 없게
• utter (입으로 어떤 소리를)내다
• operation 수술, 작전, 활동, 운용, 영업
• legation 공사관(직원들)
• itinerant swordsmen 떠돌이 검객
1. itinerant 떠돌아 다니는, 순회하는
• murder 살인, 살해(하다)
• retrieve 되찾아오다, 회수하다
• stylobate (둥근 기둥을 세우는)대좌

-a continuous horizontal course of masonry(석공술, 석조건축) that supports a colonnade(지붕을 떠받치도록 일렬로 세운 돌기둥)

• relocate 이동시키다. 재배치하다
• repatriate 본국으로 송환하다
• structure 구조, 건축물
• badly (상황의 심각성 강조)심하게, 몹시/ (바람, 필요 강조) 몹시/ 나쁘게
• block to ~에 대한 장애물 (to는 전치사)
• serve as ...의 역할을 하다
• royalty 왕권/ 왕족/ 사용료
• localities 장소, 소재/ 산지
• local 지역의, 현지의

## Jaseondang Hall: A Story of Loss and Return

You are now standing at the site of Jaseondang Hall, once the residence of the Crown Prince of Joseon.

During the Japanese occupation of Korea, this building was dismantled and taken to Tokyo by a Japanese businessman, who rebuilt it as a private art gallery.

In 1923, the gallery was destroyed in the Great Kanto Earthquake and the building burned down. Only the foundation stones survived.

Many years later, in 1993, a Korean architecture professor discovered these stones in the garden of a hotel in Tokyo. In 1995, 288 stones, weighing about 110 tons, were finally returned to Korea.

Unfortunately, the stones had been so badly damaged by fire that they could no longer be used to rebuild the hall.

Today, the scorched stones are preserved nearby as silent witnesses to this painful chapter of Korean history.

This area also reminds us of one of the darkest moments in Gyeongbokgung's history. Near this place, Empress Myeongseong, remembered as the last Empress of Korea, lost her life in 1895 during an attack carried out by forces supporting the Japanese imperial government. Her death became a turning point in Korean history and remains a symbol of the nation's struggle to protect its sovereignty.

As you look around, take a moment to reflect. History reminds us that when a nation loses the strength to protect its sovereignty, it is not only its people who suffer. Palaces, homes, cultural treasures, and the places that hold a nation's memories can also be damaged, displaced, or lost. These remaining stones quietly remind us of the importance of protecting a nation's history, culture, and heritage for future generations.