Geoncheonggung

Geoncheonggung is located in the deepest part of Gyeongbokgung. Does it look a little different from the other halls? Yes. Geoncheonggung takes the architectural style of an ordinary scholar-official's house.

Geoncheonggung is where King Gojong and Empress Myeongseong lived. The place where King Gojong lived is Jangandang, the sarangchae (men's quarters) of a scholar's house. Empress Myeongseong lived in the anchae, Gonneonghap. Okhogwan of Gonneonghap is known as the place where Empress Myeongseong was assassinated by Japanese ronin.

King Gojong and his queen dearly loved persimmons. So when Geoncheonggung was restored in 2007, a persimmon tree was planted in the backyard of Jangandang.

Geoncheonggung has a palace name but does not look like a royal palace. Yet King Gojong began his move to lead state affairs on his own — freed from the interference of his father Heungseon Daewongun — by building this palace-like-but-not-palace.

Standing in the backyard of Jangandang at Geoncheonggung today, a persimmon tree stands. On that spot where King Gojong might have planted one 150 years ago, the heart of Joseon's king trying to become independent from his father still remains.

To the west of Geoncheonggung, go to Jibokjae. Joseon's last royal library.

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Geoncheonggung

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‘Geoncheong’ means ‘clear sky.’ There was a palace with the same name in the Forbidden City in the Qing Dynasty.

This is a bedroom at the back of Jangandang. This pairs up with Jeongsihap, the bedroom of Gonnyeonghap. ‘Jeonghwa’ means ‘correct edification’ or 'decent edification.’

This is a nugak at the west of Jangandang. The eaves of Jangandang and Chusubuyongnu are particularly long and lend an impression of coolness and flashiness. Chusubuyong means ‘lotus flower in water in autumn.’ The rear under the loft is designed for heating.

The drink of Liao King in the ridge makes the Great Bear tilt.
The music of Sun King in front causes the warm wind to flow from the south.
The sunlight shines on the golden tablet of the emperor’s palace gate.
The evening sun shines on Jeogugi in the spring place building.
The auspicious smoke of the palace wraps the lotus flower.
The morning sun of the castle shines on Bongnaegung.

This nugak is connected with Gonnyeonghap. Okho is the abbreviation of Okhobing, meaning ‘ice in a jade bottle.’ It is a figurative expression of a ‘clean mind.’ It originated from the poem ‘Sending Sinjeom at Buyongnu’ by Wang Changling (698-755), a famous poet of the Qing Dynasty.

This is a small flower garden at the east of Gonnyanghap Namnu. The name means flower flagrance throughout the four seasons.’

This is the persimmon presented to King Gojong as an offering to the king. This is a native type of astringent persimmon and is good for making gotgam (dried persimmon). There are three types of Gojongsi depending on the origin: Gyeongbuk Yecheon, Gyeongnam Sancheong, and Jeonbuk Wanju. Although the shapes are a little different, they are generally slender and round, with a pointed end.
King Gojong and Queen Myeongseong loved gotgam and planted Gojongsi around Geoncheonggung.

This nugak is connected with Gonnyeonghap. <br />Okho is the abbreviation of Okhobing, meaning ‘ice in a jade bottle.’ <br />It is a figurative expression of a ‘clean mind.’ It originated from the poem ‘Sending Sinjeom at Buyongnu’ by Wang Changling (698-755), a famous poet of the Qing Dynasty.

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