6.경회루
To the west of Gangnyeongjeon Hall (the king’s living quarters) and Gyeotaejeon Hall (the queen’s living quarters) stands Gyeonghoeru Pavilion.
From behind Sujeongjeon Hall, visitors can see the full view of Gyeonghoeru and its surrounding pond.
Gyeonghoeru was used for large royal banquets. At first, there was a small pavilion without a name from the early days of the dynasty. However, when it started to tilt, King Taejong of Joseon moved it to the west in the 12th year of his reign (1412) and built a larger pavilion in its place.
At that time, the swampy land around it was changed into a large rectangular artificial pond, measuring about 128 meters wide and 113 meters long. The new pavilion was then named Gyeonghoeru.
“Gyeonghoeru” literally means happy and formal gatherings between the king and his officials.
Ha Ryun explained it like this:
He said that Confucius once answered Duke Ai of Lu (who ruled during the Zhou Dynasty, around 494–467 B.C.) that good government depends on the people, and that a wise ruler must choose the right officials. Without this, true and successful gatherings are not possible.
Taejong of Joseon originally built Gyeonghoeru Pavilion to entertain foreign envoys. However, later kings also used it for many purposes, such as royal banquets for officials who had served the country well, and rain-making rituals during severe droughts.
Along the restored east wall of Gyeonghoeru Pavilion, there are three gates: Igyeonmun, Hamhongmun, and Jasimun.
If you think there is nothing more to see because you already saw the front of Gyeonghoeru from the north side of Sujeongjeon Hall, that is not true.
Buildings are best understood and enjoyed when you see them from the same place and viewpoint as the people who used them in the past saw them.
The high walls around Gyeonghoeru make the pavilion feel solemn and dignified.
Among the three bridges leading to Gyeonghoeru Pavilion, the southernmost bridge connected to Igyeonmun Gate was the king’s bridge because it alone had a special path for the king.
Stone animal statues are carved on the posts of the three bridges, and they were believed to drive away evil spirits.
Especially on the post of the northernmost bridge connected to Jasimun Gate, there is a carving of Bulgasari.
Bulgasari is a mythical lucky animal believed to protect the country from foreign invasions and fires by eating iron and swallowing fire.
On the bridge posts and the pavilion pillars, you can still see bullet marks from the Korean War, which began on June 25, 1950.
Many people believe the story that Gyeonghoeru Pavilion survived the terrible war because the Bulgasaris fought with all their strength against the fire during the war.
- Even though we already knew that Bulgasari was a supernatural animal that could control fire, we came to appreciate Bulgasari once again for its loyalty to the country.
- The bullet marks scattered on the pillars supporting Gyeonghoeru Pavilion were roughly covered with cement.
The pavilion is supported by 48 huge stone pillars. The pillars use the “minheullim” style, meaning the upper parts are made slightly narrower. The outer pillars are square, while the inner pillars are round.
During a large renovation in the reign of King Seongjong in 1474, dragon carvings with flower decorations were added to the stone pillars.
People said that the reflections of the dragons looked as if they were moving in the soft blue waves and playing hide-and-seek among the red lotus flowers. Foreign envoys from the Ryukyu Kingdom, present-day Okinawa, were amazed by the beautiful and mysterious scene.
Small waves gently touch the stone stairs of the island where Gyeonghoeru Pavilion stands.
In 1997, during work to clean and deepen the pond, a bronze dragon statue was discovered.
According to Gyeonghoeru Jeondo, a collection of records and plans about the construction of Gyeonghoeru Pavilion, Regent Heungseon Daewongun, the biological father of King Gojong, placed two bronze dragons in the northern part of the pond when he restored the palace. Instead of remaking the dragon carvings on the pillars, he used the bronze dragons to prevent fire.
This idea came from the traditional theory of the “Five Elements” — fire, water, wood, metal, and earth. According to this theory, the five elements either help or overcome one another. Since melted metal was believed to create water, and water defeats fire, bronze dragons were placed in the pond to protect the palace from fire.
To the western side of the pond, two small artificial islets with pine trees were created to help the water circulate and prevent it from becoming stagnant.
Records say that the dethroned King, Prince Yeonsangun of Joseon, built an artificial mound and decorated it with gold, silver, and silk objects.
While hundreds of gisaeng, professional female entertainers called “heungcheong,” performed music, he moved through the scene in a large golden dragon-shaped boat.
Going up the small wooden staircase, you can see the flowing rooflines of various buildings through the decorated window frames.
Looking to the west, the rounded yet powerful shape of Mount Inwang resembles the famous painting Inwang jeoksakdo (Clearing After Rain on Mt. Inwang) by Jeong Seon (1676–1759), whose pen name was Gyeomjae.
To the north, Mount Bugak rises proudly with its dignified presence.
Before the tall buildings of today’s Sejongno Street existed, one can imagine how the view of Mount Namsan must have appeared through the beautifully decorated window frames.
People who were not invited could not even look over the high wall from outside.
A low-ranking official named Gu Jong-Jik managed to sneak into the pavilion.
While on night duty, he was so amazed by the beauty that he secretly entered the pavilion and ended up in front of King Sejong.
He begged the king for forgiveness. Instead of punishing him, King Sejong told him to sing and recite a Chinese history book.
Without hesitation, Gu Jong-Jik recited it fluently and sang well, which satisfied the king.
King Sejong was so impressed by his talent and dedication that he gave him an unusual promotion to junior fifth rank, skipping seven ranks at once. Normally, this would have taken about ten years.
- rear 뒤쪽/ 뒤쪽의/ 기르다, 양육하다, 앞다리를 들어올리며 서다
- relocate 재배치하다
- state banquet 국빈 만찬
- 작은 규모의 이름없는 누각
- measure 측정하다,(치수.길이 양 등이)..이다
- width 가로/ length 세로
- 128 meters wide and 113 meters long. 가로 약 128미터, 세로 약 113미터
- felicitous (행동, 표현이)적절한/ 행복한
- subject 주제 /학과,과목/대상/주어/국민,신하
- interpret ~을 설명하다/ 통역하다
- governance 통치, 지배
- competent 유능한
- competence 능력
- compete 경쟁하다
- with a view to ~을 위하여
- entertaine 접대하다
- envoy 사절, 외교관
- meritorious 칭찬할 만한
- Confucius 공자(기원전 551–479년, 고대 중국의 철학자이자 교육자)
- Duke Ai of Lu (아이공, 기원전 494–467년)는 중국 주나라(Zhou Dynasty) 시기의 노나라(Lu) 출신의 군주입니다. 그는 유교의 창시자인 공자(Confucius)와 동시대 인물로, 공자가 그에게 여러 가지 정치적 조언을 했다고 전해집니다.
- Duke Ai of Lu에서 Lu는 중국 고대의 노나라(魯國)를 말합니다.
- Lu (魯) = 노나라
- 위치: 현재 중국 산둥성(Shandong) 지역
- 공자(Confucius)가 태어난 나라로도 유명합니다.
- 그래서 Duke Ai of Lu = 노나라 애공 (노나라의 군주)
- Ha Ryun (하륜)은 조선 왕조의 학자이자 정치가였으며, 태종(King Taejong)과 세종(King Sejong) 시대에 활동한 인물입니다.
- supernatural 불가사의한, 초자연적인
- auspicious 상서로운
- install 설치하다
- carving 조각품, 새긴무늬/조각술
- solemn and dignified. 엄숙하고 위엄함
- credence 신빙성/ 믿음(신임)
- severity 가혹, 엄격, 심함
- 전쟁의 가혹함에서 살아남다
- with every fiber of one's body 전신으로, 온몸으로
- wall 벽, 담
- 이견문, 함홍문, 자시문
- As a rule 대체로, 일반적으로
- architecture 건축, 건축양식, 건축물(술)
- architect 건축가
- architect 설계하다
- perspective 원경, 조망, 경치/ 투시도, 원근법/ 전망, 견해, 관점
- 그 공간을 이용하는 사람들의 관점에서 바라보아야만 그 진정성과 아름다움을 제대로 이해할 수 있다는 점을 강조
- wavelet 잔물결
- lap 무릎/ 찰싹찰싹 치다
- islet 작은섬
- pillar 기둥
- loft 다락, (교회등의) 위층
- adorn 꾸미다, 장식하다
- sculpture 조각(술, 품)
- wriggle 꿈틀거리다
- lotus 연
- exclaim 외치다
- wondrous 놀라운, 불가사의한
- wondrous sight 놀라운 광경
- dredge 준설하다
- sculpture 조각(술, 품)
- compilation [kὰmpəléiʃən] 편집, 편찬/모음집
- restore 회복시키다/ 복원하다
- recreate (과거에 존재하던 것을)되살리다(재현하다)
- measure
- 측정하다
- 치수, 측정/ (꽤믾은)양, 정도/ 수단, 조치
- professional entertaining women
- 직업 접대부
- thread (실 등을)꿰다, (좁은 공간을)요리조리 빠져나가다
- thread his way ..을 헤치고 나아가다
- extravagantly 사치스럽게
- ornate 지나치게 장식한
- spitting image 꼭닮음
- greenish 녹색을 띤
- venue for grand state banquets
- literally means felicitous gatherings(경사스러운 모임)
- entertaining foreign envoys, holding royal banquets for meritorious officials, performing rain calling rituals in time of extreme drought./entertaining즐겁게하다.대접 (환대)하다/ royal 왕의, 왕실의, 황실의/ meritorious 칭찬할만한
- Carved bulgasari is on the newel post of the northernmost bridge.
- bulgasari - mythological auspicious animal that defends the country from foreign invasions and fires by chewing iron and swallowing fire./
- Bullet marks are on the posts of the bridges and on the pillars of the pavilion,
- 48 stone pillar/ outer ones are square/ inner ones are cylindrical.
- in 1997, in the course of dredging the pond, a bronze dragon sculpture was excavated. According to the documents about the pavilion's construction and the floor plan, Regent Heungseon, who was the biological father of king Gojong, dropped two bronze dragons to prevent fires in the north part of the pond.
- meritorious 칭찬할만한 메러토리어스
- course 진행/ 진로/ 과정
- compilation 편찬, 편집 , 모음 캄퍼레이션 compile
- felicitous 적절한/경사스러운/행복한 필리서터스
- floor plan 평면도
- enrapture 황홀하게하다
- drop 떨어지다/떨어뜨리다
- drip
- newel post (계단의 맨위와 맨 아래에 있는)중심기둥, 엄지기둥 : the post at the top or bottom of a flight of stairs that supports the handrail (flight 계단 층계)
## Gyeonghoeru: The Royal Banquet Hall
Before you stands Gyeonghoeru Pavilion, the largest and most magnificent pavilion in Gyeongbokgung Palace, built in the middle of a large artificial pond and used as the royal banquet hall of the Joseon Dynasty.
This was where kings welcomed foreign envoys, celebrated important national events, and rewarded officials who had served the kingdom well.
The pavilion stands on forty-eight massive stone pillars rising from the water.
When lotus flowers covered the pond in summer, visitors described the scene as a floating palace.
## The King's Bridge and the Legend of Bulgasari
Among the three bridges leading to the pavilion, one bridge was reserved exclusively for the king.
No official, no prince, and no guest could use the royal pathway.
Look closely at the stone posts along the bridges.
You will see carvings of mythical creatures.
The most famous is Bulgasari.
According to Korean folklore, Bulgasari could eat iron and swallow fire.
People believed it protected buildings from fire and defended the kingdom from disasters.
During the Korean War, fierce fighting reached Seoul.
If you look carefully at the stone pillars of Gyeonghoeru, you can still find bullet marks left by the war.
Many Koreans enjoy telling a local legend:
Although bullets struck the pavilion, Bulgasari protected it from destruction and prevented it from burning down.
Of course, this is only folklore—but it is one of the stories that gives Gyeonghoeru its special character.
## Dragons Beneath the Water
In 1997, workers cleaning the pond made a surprising discovery.
They found a bronze dragon statue resting beneath the water.
Historical records explain why it was there.
When Heungseon Daewongun restored Gyeongbokgung in the nineteenth century, he placed bronze dragons in the pond.
The reason comes from the traditional East Asian theory of the Five Elements:
Water defeats fire.
Since dragons were closely associated with water, they were placed here as symbolic guardians protecting the palace from fire.
So while visitors admire the beautiful pond above, a dragon was believed to be guarding the palace below.
## A Golden Dragon Boat and a Lucky Official
Not every story about Gyeonghoeru is serious.
One of the most extravagant comes from the reign of Yeonsangun.
Historical records describe lavish entertainments around the pavilion.
Artificial hills were decorated with gold, silver, and silk.
Hundreds of entertainers performed music and dance.
The king himself reportedly rode across the pond in a magnificent boat shaped like a golden dragon.
It must have looked like a scene from a fantasy film.
Yet the most beloved story here belongs to another king: Sejong the Great.
One night, a low-ranking official named Gu Jong-jik became curious about Gyeonghoeru's beauty.
Officials were not allowed to enter freely, but he secretly slipped inside while on duty.
Unfortunately, King Sejong was there.
Gu Jong-jik expected severe punishment.
Instead, the king asked him to sing and recite passages from a Chinese history book.
Gu performed so well that King Sejong was impressed.
Rather than punishing him, the king promoted him seven ranks at once.
A promotion like that could normally take many years.
It remains one of the most famous stories showing King Sejong's ability to recognize talent wherever he found it.
As you look across the water today, Gyeonghoeru is not just a beautiful pavilion.
It is a place of royal banquets, kings' bridges, fire-eating monsters, hidden dragons, golden boats, bullet scars from war, and unexpected stories of human talent.
That combination of history and legend is what makes Gyeonghoeru unforgettable.
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