A guidebook to palaces and royal tombs, vividly illustrated!

The recently published revised and expanded edition of "Palaces and Royal Tombs, Walking Through 600 Years of Joseon Culture" is a guidebook that vividly presents the history, culture, architecture, science, rituals, systems, and symbols of the Joseon palaces and royal tombs representing the cultural heritage of Hanyang, Seoul, along with educational and field trip content.

The king's day began with Paru.
Paru was the sound that the king made on behalf of the heavens to announce the dawn to the people of Joseon.
At around 4 a.m., the bell rang 33 times.
The king had to rise up in the Paru to set an example for the people.
The king had to get up from his seat and basically greet the elders.
When I was too busy to greet you in person, I sent a eunuch instead.
Next, he attended the lectures and discussed the scriptures and current issues with the officials.
After the competition, we had breakfast and had a roll call.
The court meeting consisted of the Jocham, where all civil and military officials met with the king on the 5th, 11th, 21st, and 25th of each month, and the Sangcham, where officials met with the king in the side hall every day.
--- From "The King, Recording a Day in the Palace"

The queen's most important duty was, above all, to produce the next monarch.
In the society of the nobility, where there was a distinction between the status of the wife and concubine and the commoners, whether the successor to the monarch was a legitimate son or an illegitimate son was a factor that directly showed the structure of the conflict between royal authority and divine authority.
Therefore, the queen's production of a legitimate heir was the most important task in establishing the legitimacy of the royal authority.
--- From "The Queen, Responsible for the Palace's Household"

If a prince becomes a crown prince and then a king, that is the best life, and if he fails to become a crown prince and lives a life unnoticed by the royal family, that is also the best life.
For a princess, too, it would be the best life to leave the palace, start a family, and live the life of an ordinary woman.

--- From "The Prince and the Princess, Living Autonomously and by Other Means"

There was a clear distinction between the court ladies and the court ladies, who were referred to as court ladies in the narrow sense.
There were usually three ranks of court ladies: Sanggung, Nain, and Aeginain.
These also had different levels of rank depending on the time of entry into the palace and the department they belonged to, and their own hierarchy was formed, with the highest position being held by the court lady.
Below the court lady were the maids, whose roles were almost the same as those of the court lady, but who mainly assisted the court lady.
Below Nine was Aeginaine, an apprentice Nine.
--- From "Palace Maid, Meet Female Professionals in the Palace"

It is assumed that the eunuchs were of humble origin.
Perhaps, due to difficult circumstances, they ultimately gave their children up for adoption to eunuchs. This is a conceivable scenario, and it's likely that such cases were common.
If you become a eunuch, your livelihood problems will be solved, and sometimes you can obtain a high position or a lot of land.
Most of the eunuchs known to have lived near Seoul today are wealthy.
--- From "Eunuch, Living in the King's Shadow"

The auspicious beasts called the sons of the dragon are placed throughout the palace.
On the legs of the tripod, a three-legged cauldron located on the left and right of Geunjeongjeon Hall in Gyeongbokgung Palace, there are sanye (traditional Korean wind chimes), a jopung (a Korean wind chime) sticks out its head from the end of the eaves, and a paeha (traditional Korean wind chimes) sits on the legs' water bowls.

--- From “The Dragon, Symbolizing the Dignity of the Palace”

In addition to its function as a wall, the eaves also serve to protect the roof tiles and eaves, but it also has a high visual effect that enhances the overall aesthetics of the building.
It also allows us to determine the importance of a building based on the number and size of the statues sitting on the eaves.
The guardian angels of the palace, Japsang, are a cultural heritage that highlights the aesthetics of Korean palaces.
--- From “Miscellaneous Statues, Guarding Everywhere in the Palace”

The worldview of the Book of Changes can be found in traditional Korean architecture, especially palace architecture.
Traditional architecture is a medium (means) for explaining something before it becomes a living space for humans to stay in.
Therefore, in traditional architecture, the ‘meaning’ contained in the building is most important.
This 'meaning' refers to the thought behind the construction of a building, which is called 'architectural design thought'.
Practicality and aesthetics are matters that come after ‘meaning.’
--- From "The Palace, the Principles of the Book of Changes Unfold"

Confucianism in the palace should be seen as not only an academic ideology but also as having a very strong religious character.
No, it would be more correct to view it as a religion.
Joseon put a lot of effort into religious rituals because Confucianism was a ruling method in Joseon that valued loyalty and filial piety, and it was also a way to gain the support of the literati.
In the palace, Confucianism had a lot of yin-yang culture and a lot of fortune-telling culture.

--- From “The King’s Five Rites, Putting Confucian Ideals into Practice”

Rank and title is a concept that symbolizes ruling power in ancient society.
Nobles and officials inherited their status and bloodline through official titles and positions called ranks.
Therefore, the Pumgyehunjak is an official resume that shows the rank, career, and status of the officials.
--- From "Pumgyehunjak, Looking into the Manager's Resume"

The architectural style of Jeongjeon shows some differences in the hierarchy and operation of the palace, such as the number of rooms and the arrangement of pillars, but in terms of form, they all show a common appearance.
There is a main gate of the palace used for the king's coronation ceremony or when going on a tour, and a 'haengnang' is installed on all four sides around the wall, and a 'jojeong' is built with a stone floor.
In the middle of the court, a ‘eodo’ and a ‘stairs’ are built, and on top of that, a ‘dang’ is built by building a high platform and creating a flat area.

--- From "Blackout, Realizing the Law of Heaven"

The name Seoul (徐?) first appears in the book “Han-gyeong-ji-ryak (漢京識略)” written by Yu Bon-ye, the son of Yu Deuk-gong.
In this book, Yoo Bon-ye introduces the history of Hanyang and says that Seoul (徐?) originated from Seorabeol (徐那伐) in Gyeongju.
--- From "Hansungbu, Walking the Heart of Joseon"

In the case of the king, there were numerous honorifics that symbolized the king in addition to his highness.
For example, there were names such as Lord, High, Holy, and Dangjeo.
These honorifics were always used by officials when referring to the king.
Only after the death of the previous king could the successor ascend to the throne.
But in political reality, there can be no such thing as principles alone.
There were times when a successor king ascended to the throne while the previous king was still alive.
In such cases, the king who abdicated from the throne was called the King of the Upper World, the King of the Old Upper World, or the King of the Great Upper World.

--- From "The King's Title, Defining East Asian Monarchs"

The artisans required for the construction of Joseon royal tombs participated in the form of conscription during the early Joseon Dynasty, but from the late Joseon Dynasty onwards, this changed to the form of recruitment by employment.
In the case of artisans who were in charge of specific tasks requiring advanced skills, such as carving, the craftsmanship was passed down through family members, forming a family of artisans.
--- From "The Royal Tomb, Where the King and Queen Sleep"

Jongmyo Shrine is one of the UNESCO World Heritage Sites, and is a place that many people are interested in and love for its architectural beauty, comparing it to the Parthenon in Greece.
On the other hand, some people think of Jongmyo as a type of royal tomb, so it feels like an unfamiliar space to us.
Jongmyo is a royal Confucian shrine that houses the spirit tablets of the kings and queens of the Joseon Dynasty, as well as those who were posthumously honored.
--- From "Jongmyo, Wandering the World of the Afterlife"

The royal seal was a highly artistic assembly.
In the process of producing the jade seal, sophisticated techniques and skills were used, including calligraphy, engraving, painting, and sculpture, and the pinnacle of royal culture was captured in the jade seal under the leadership of the state.
Also, in making the jade seal, we did not simply pursue ‘beauty.’
The seal contains various symbolic and philosophical meanings. Examples include the nine-fold bending of strokes on the seal surface according to the principles of yin-yang and the five elements, and symbolic symbols engraved on the seal that are thought to exert supernatural powers.

--- From "The Seal, Engraving Power and Authority"