Seoul City Wall Time Machine

Introduction

About the Project

The 2020 Seoul City Wall Project aims to understand the Seoul City Wall and the royal culture of the Joseon dynasty (1392-1910) by broadly surveying and compiling information relating to five major architectural structures (Gyeongbokgung Palace, Gwanghwamun Gate, Six Ministries Street, Sajikdan Altar, and the Office of the Royal Family) and their relevant historical materials and turning this information in 3D models and data which is stored in a semantic database archive to allow for analysis, utilization, and expansion of its content.

Hanyangdoseong, the Seoul City Wall

The Seoul City Wall was the fortress that surrounded Hanyang, the capital of the Joseon dynasty (1392-1910). The royal capital was surrounded by such a fortress to defend the kingdom’s most important institutions and people from attack. Within its stone walls were the royal palaces, the royal shrine, the altar to the gods of land and grain, the national Confucian academy, the central government offices, private residences, markets, and more. The fortress was first constructed in 1396-1398 and renovated in 1421 and 1704. It was built along the ridge of four mountains in the north, south, east, and west, namely Baekaksan, Namsan, Naksan, and Inwangsan. It had four major gates in the cardinal directions and four minor gates between them. It also features water gates, hidden gates, and beacons.

The Seoul City Wall is the largest of any city wall in the world’s capital cities and was used for longer than any other capital fortress in East Asia. Despite being over 600 years old and located in a city of 10 million people, the wall has been relatively well-maintained. Originally 18.6 km in total length, around 70 percent of the wall remains. The city wall is both an important part of the city landscape and a place from which the city landscape can be best enjoyed – as it has been for centuries.

As the fortress wall was built, repaired, and rebuilt multiple times, the Seoul City Wall is an important resource in the understanding of changes in stone fortress construction techniques over time. The wall originally consisted of earthen walls or stone walls made of unhewn stones. The earthen walls were later replaced with long rectangular stones, and in repairs after that, square stones were used.

In each section of the wall, there are stones inscribed with information on the name of the section, the hometown of the person in charge, the official post of the manager, and the date the section was completed. These stones of record held those in charge accountable for their work. A total of 297 such stones have been identified (as of 2015).

During the Joseon dynasty, people enjoyed walking along the nearly 20 km-long wall. Beginning at dawn and ending at sunset, they completed a circle around the fortress in a single day, passing by all its eight gates. They took in the panoramic scenery, made wishes, and socialized.

Themes

Sajikdan Altar

Sajikdan Altar is a place where rituals for the spirits of the land and grain were held. According to records, such altars existed in Korea since ancient times. During the Joseon period (1392-1910), they were established by the government in important locations across the country, and rituals were held biannually in spring and autumn. Most were destroyed during the Japanese colonial period (191-1945). The Sajikdan Altar in Seoul, built in 1395, was one of the first structures constructed following the establishment of the dynasty. Located in the capital, it was the most important altar in the country. Here, the king would perform ritual offerings in request of a good harvest or to ask for assistance in times of national calamities such as droughts. The altar consists of two square platforms; The one in the east is for the spirit of land and the one in the west is for the spirit of grain. These platforms are surrounded by an inner and outer stone wall. On each side of the walls, there is a red-spiked gate which marks the entrance to a sacred place. There were originally more buildings, but they burned down during the Japanese invasions of 1592-1598.

Sajikdaeje Ritual

• Ritual Officiants and Their Costume
• Instruments and Dance Objects
• Ritual Vessels

Gyeongbokgung Palace

Gyeongbokgung Palace was one of the main palaces of the Joseon dynasty (1392-1910). With a legacy spanning over 600 years, the palace is an embodiment of Korea’s history of prosperity, foreign invasion, reconstruction, colonial oppression, modernization, and restoration. Situated in the center of downtown Seoul amidst modern infrastructure, the palace is an iconic symbol reminding us of the city’s deep cultural heritage.

Gyeongbokgung Palace was the first palace built in capital of the Joseon dynasty, Hanseong (today’s central Seoul). Its name means “palace of scenic fortune.” Completed in 1395, it served as the main palace where the king lived and ruled until it was destroyed during the Japanese invasions of 1592-1598. It was rebuilt at a grand scale in 1867 and served as the main palace again until 1895. During the Japanese colonial period (1910-1945), Japanese authorities tore down all but 10 of the palace’s over 300 buildings and built the Japanese Governor-General’s Building at its entrance. This building, a symbol of colonial oppression, was demolished in 1996. Since then, efforts to return the palace to its former glory have taken place, including archeological excavations and reconstructions of once-destroyed buildings.

The location and layout of Gyeongbokgung Palace not only follows the basic principles of Confucian architecture to demonstrate royal authority, but also accommodates the local topography to create a more harmonious and auspicious palace environment. The palace was located at the center-north of the old capital, with a mountain in the back and the main government offices and a stream in the front. To the east of the palace was the royal shrine, and to the west was the altar to the spirits of the land and grain. The main buildings of the palace are aligned along a south-north axis down the center of the complex. They consist of a series of main gates, an outer court with a throne hall and office where the king governed, and an inner court where the king, queen, and queen dowager lived. To the east of these main buildings is the crown prince’s quarters, while to the west is a banquet pavilion and pond. In the rear of the palace is a garden, which includes a pond, pavilion, library, and royal residence.

Palace Rituals and Ceremonies (Royal Banquets)

• Costume of Banquet Participants
• Banquet Objects (Flowers, Tableware)
• Instruments and Dancing Objects

Six Ministries Street

Six Ministries Street, called Yukjo geori in Korean, was where the highest governing bodies of the Joseon dynasty (1392-1910) had their offices. Located in front of Gyeongbokgung Palace - along today's Gwanghwamun Plaza - the street was home to the State Council, the Office of the Capital Area, the Office of the Inspector-General, the Office of Ministers without Portfolio, the Society of Elderly Officials, and the six ministries of Personnel, Taxation, Rites, Military Affairs, Punishments, and Public Works, from which the street gets its name, and later the Three Armies Command.

The street was established in 1395, shortly after the establishment of the dynasty. The buildings were destroyed during the Japanese invasions of 1592-1598, and were repaired as necessary. In the 1860s, the offices underwent a major renovation along with the reconstruction of Gyeongbokgung Palace.

Today, much of the Six Ministries Street has been covered by large buildings, such as the Kyobo Insurance Building, the American Embassy, the Museum of Contemporary Korean History, the Seoul Government Complex, and the Sejong Center for the Performing Arts. However, the remaining areas of the street have undergone excavations since 2008.

Government Offices

• State Council (Uijeongbu)
• Office of the Capital Area (Hanseongbu)
• Office of the Inspector-General (Saheonby)
• Office of Ministers without Portfolio (Jungchubu)
• Ministry of Personnel (Injo)
• Ministry of Taxation (Hojo)
• Ministry of Rites (Yejo)
• Ministry of Military Affairs (Byeongjo)
• Ministry of Punishments (Hyeongjo)
• Ministry of Public Works (Gongjo)
• Society of Elderly Officials (Giroso)
• Three Armies Command (Samgunbu)

Office of the Royal Family

The Office of the Royal Family, called Jongchinbu in Korean, was an administrative bureau of the Joseon dynasty (1392-1910) which managed affairs relating to the royal family. Among its responsibilities were record-keeping of the royal genealogy, storing portraits and seals of the king, taking care of the ceremonial attire of the king and queen, and dealing with matters relating to the official titles and government posts of the relatives and descendants of the royal family.

The royal family of the Joseon dynasty consisted of the kings and their offspring, i.e. the princes and princesses, who all belonged to the Jeonju Yi clan, as well as their female consorts (i.e. the daughters-in-law), who belonged to other clans but whose descendants would be born into the Jeonju Yi clan. Any male or their daughter who was born to a descendant of the founding king of the dynasty, Yi Seong-gye (King Taejo) was thus considered a royal relative. The sons-in-law of the family, who married the princesses, were not officially considered a royal relative, as although their wives belonged to the Jeonju Yi clan, their children would be born into a different clan. However, they were nonetheless important to the royal court, and were thus managed by a different office, called Uibinbu, which was located next to the Office of the Royal Family.

The Office of the Royal Family was located across from Geonchunmun, the eastern gate of Gyeongbokgung Palace, which was the only gate of the palace which the royal relatives and court ladies were permitted to use. The office consisted of three main buildings: Gyeonggeundang, meaning “Hall of Respecting Close Relations,” and Okcheopdang, meaning “Hall of the Jade Letter,” which was another name for the royal genealogy, and Iseungdang, meaning “Hall of ???,” as well as various gates and auxiliary buildings. These auxiliary buildings and Iseungdang Hall were demolished during the Japanese colonial period (1910-1945). In 1972, the remaining two buildings were designated as Seoul Tangible Cultural Heritage No. 9, and in 1981, they were moved to the premises of the nearby Jeongdok Public Library due to the construction of a tennis court. In 2013, they were returned to their original location on the premises of today’s Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art - Seoul.

An office for managing the royal family was first established during the Goryeo dynasty (918-1392) under a different name. The bureau was given its current name in 1430. In 1867, the office was built anew, and it is the buildings from this reconstruction that remain today. The office was closed in 1907, shortly after Korea was illegally forced into a becoming a protectorate of the Japanese Empire in 1905, and its responsibilities were taken over by the Kyujanggak Royal Library. In 1928, the Japanese colonial authorities opened an affiliated hospital of the Keijō Imperial University Medical College on the premises of the Office of the Royal Family. This hospital was later used as the Korean Armed Forces Capital Hospital before being renovated for use by the Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art in 2013. The various extant records and artifacts once produced and stored at the Office of the Royal Family are now kept at institutions such as the Kyujanggak Institute for Korean Studies, the Jangseogak Archives, the National Palace Museum, and the National Museum of Korea.

Artifacts of the Royal Family

• Portraits of kings
• Costumes of kings and queens
• Excavated artifacts such as placenta chamber monuments and jars

Resources

Books

• Joseon Royal Court Culture - Ceremonial and Daily Life (2004 / Shin Myung-ho; Trans. Timothy V. Atkinson / Dolbegae Publishers)
• Court Paintings from the Joseon Dynasty (2016 / Park Jeong-hye; Trans. Park Ju-won; Proof. Jaime Stief / Seoul Selection)

Selected Relevant Entries

1. Portrait of King Taejo (Taejo eojin)
2. The Birthday Banquet for Lady Hyegyeong at Bongsudang (Bongsudang jinchando)
3. Royal Procession Back to Hanyang (Hwaneo haengnyeoldo)
4. Court Banquet & Ceremony of Presenting the Cloth (Jinmyorido & Jinchancho)
5. Grand Congratulatory Ceremony at Injeongjeon Hall & Day Banquet at Tongmyeongjeon Hall (Injeongjeong jinhado & Tongmyeongjeon jinchando)
6. The Grand Congratulatory Ceremony for the Birth of Crown Prince Yi Cheok (Wangseja tangang jinha dobyeong)
7. The Crown Prince's Procession Departing from the Palace (Chulgungdo)
8. Rank-positioned Procession of a Royal Visit (Dongga banchado)
9. Envoys Paying Tribute to the King (Wanghoedo)
10. Glossary

• Joseon's Royal Heritage: 500 Years of Splendor (2011, Robert Koehler, Seoul Selection)

Table of Contents

1. Gyeongbokgung: The First Palace
2. A Tour of Gyeongbokgung
3. The Other Four Palaces
4. Royal Tombs: Enduring Spledor of Joseon
5. Royal Funeral Processions
6. Representative Joseon Tombs

• Confucian Ritual Music of Korea (2008 / Song Hye-jin / Seoul Selection)
• Korean Court Dance (2010 / Lee Hung-gu / Seoul Selection)
• Korean Dance: Pure Emotion and Energy (2013 / Curtis File / Seoul Selection)

Selected Chapters

1. Court Dance
   1. Dangak Jeongjae
   2. Hyangak Jeongjae
2. The History of Korean Dance
   1. Joseon Dynasty

• Religion in Korea (2012 / Robert Koehler / Seoul Selection)

Selected Chapters

1. Confucianism
2. Confucian Sites

• Traditional Music (2011 / Robert Koehler, Byeon Ji-yeon / Seoul Selection)
• Traditional Painting: Window on the Korean Mind (2010 / Robert Koehler et al. / Seoul Selection)
• The Institutional Basis of Civil Governance in the Choson Dynasty' (2009 / John B. Duncan, Jung Chul Lee, Jeong-il Lee, Michael Ahn, Jack A. Davey / Seoul Selection)
• Politics and Policy in Traditional Korea (1991 / James B. Palais / Harvard University Press)
• Confucian Statecraft and Korean Institutions: Yu Hyŏngwŏn and the Late Chosŏn Dynasty (1996 / James B. Palais / University of Washington Press)
• Sourcebook of Korean Civilization: From the Seventeenth Century to the Modern Period (1996 / Ed. Peter H. Lee / Colubia University Press)
• Great Korean Portraits: Immortal Images of the Noble and the Brave (2010 / Cho Sun-mie; Trans. Lee Kyong-hee / Dolbegae)
• Festive Occasions: The Customs in Korea (2008 / Yoon Seo-seok; Trans. Cho Yoon-jung and Park Hyun-ju / Ewha Womans University Press)
• Traditional Korean Painting' (2011 / Hong Sun-pyo; Trans. Cho Yoon-jung and Park Hyun-ju / Ewha Womans University Press)
• An Introduction to Korean Traditional Performing Arts (2009 / Nam Sang-suk and Gim Hae-suk / Minsokwon)
• Korean Arts of the Eighteenth Century—Splendor & Simplicity (1993 / Asia Society Galleries)
• A Review of Korean History: Joseon Era. Volume 2 (2010 / Han Young Woo; Trans. Chaibong Hahm / Kyongsewon)
• A New History of Korea (1984 / Lee Ki-baik; Trans. Edward W. Wagner / Ilchokak Publishers)
• Dongwoldo, Painting of Eastern Palace (2007 / Han Young Woo; Trans. Kim Jin Suk; Proof. John M. Dolginko, Steven Lehman / Hyohyung Publishing)
• History of Korean Architecture (2013 / Kim Dong-uk; Trans. Lim Jong-hyun; Ed. Gregory A. Tisher / University of Kyonggi Press)
  • Confucian Influences on Early Joseon Architecture: Late 14th-15th Centuries
  • Regional Scholars and Architecture for the Literati: 16th and 17th Centuries

Museum Publications

National Palace Museum of Korea

• National Palace Museum of Korea in Seven Themes (2019 / Trans. Jangtongbang - An Soyean, Kwon Yegee, Park Shinhee; Proof. William Sharp)
  • Table of Contents

1. Kings of the Joseon Dynasty
   1. Royal Throne and Folding Screen
   2. Royal Seals, Investiture Books, and Edicts
   3. Archival Culture (Sillok, Gukjo bogam)
   4. Royal Protocols (Uigwe)
   5. Government
   6. Meritorious Subjects
   7. State Examinations
2. Royal Palaces
   1. Five Palaces
   2. Sculpures and Figurines
   3. Pillar Couplets
   4. Fires
   5. Spaces
3. Life in the Joseon Court
   1. Royal Court Attire
   2. The Queen and Court Ladies
   3. Ornaments
   4. Tablewear
   5. Utensils
4. The Korean Empire
   1. Proclomation and Establishments
   2. Emperors
   3. The Imperial Palace (Gyeongungung)
   4. Improvement of Administrative Systems
   5. Life of the Imperial Family
   6. Modern Banquets and Imperial Tableware
   7. Vehicles for the Emperor and Empress
5. Calligraphy and Painting in the Joseon Court
   1. Royal Portrait of a King
   2. Documentary Painting
   3. Decorative Painting
   4. Writings and Calligraphy by Kings
6. Royal Rituals
   1. Banquets
   2. Births
   3. Rites of Passage
   4. Embellishment for Royal Rituals
   5. State Funerals
   6. The Royal Ancestral Shrine (Jongmyo)
   7. Court Music
7. Science
   1. Astronomy
   2. Stone Constellation
   3. Gunpowder Weapons
   4. Systems of Measurement
   5. Medical Science
   6. Self-striking Water Click (Jagyeongnu)
8. Appendices
   1. Chronology of the Joseon Dynasty
   2. Monarchs
   3. Map of Royal Palaces
   4. Royal Palaces and Royal Tombs

• The King at the Palace: Joseon Royal Court Culture at the National Palace Museum of Korea (2015 / Trans. Kwon Cheeyun; Proof. Yoo Hyemin, Kim Bobae, Park Suhee)
  • Table of Contents

1. The King of the Joseon Dynasty
   1. Royal Symbols
      1. Royal Seals, Royal Investiture Books,and Edicts of Royal Investiture
      2. King’s Attire
      3. Royal Canopy, Throne, and the Screen of the Sun, Moon, and Five Peaks
      4. Jinjeon, the Royal Portrait Hall
   2. Recording Tradition of the Joseon Dynasty
      1. Genealogical Records of the Joseon Royalty
      2. Annals of the Joseon Dynasty
      3. Exemplary Accomplishments of the Monarch
      4. Royal Protocols, the Embodiment of a Documentary Culture
      5. King’s Documents
   3. Joseon: A Country Governed by Confucian Classics and Rites
      1. Lifelong Education to Become an Ideal Confucian Monarch
      2. Gyujanggak, Institution for the Realization of Civil Rule
   4. Royal Literature
      1. Written Compositions and Calligraphy of the Joseon Kings
      2. Royal Stationery
      3. King’s Personal Seals
2. Joseon Palaces
   1. Architectural History of the Royal Palaces
   2. Spatial Structures of the Royal Palaces
   3. Guard Systems and Access to the Royal Palaces
   4. Plaques of the Royal Palaces
   5. Decorations of the Royal Palaces
   6. Fire Preventions at the Royal Palaces
   7. The Five Royal Palaces of the Joseon Dynasty
   8. Modern Facilities in the Royal Palaces
3. Royal Court Life
   1. Lives of Royal Court Women
      1. Women with Official Ranks
      2. The Installation and the Role of the Queen
      3. Attine of Royal Court Women
   2. Royal Household Crafts
      1. Crafts for Royal Banquets
      2. Porcelain and Furniture
4. State Rites
   1. Celebratory Rites, Garye
   2. Inauspicious Rites, Hyungnye
   3. Auspicious Rites, Gillye
   4. Military Rites (Gullye) and the Military System of Joseon
   5. Reception Rites, Billye
5. Korean Empire and the Imperial Family
   1. Initiation onto the World Stage
   2. Introduction of Modern Culture and Systems
   3. Birth of the Korean Empire
   4. Life And Culture At the Impenrial Court
   5. Foiled Dream of the Korean Empine
   6. Fate of the Imperial Family during the Japanese Colonization
6. Royal Court Paintings
   1. The Bureau of Painting and the Painters
   2. The King’s Portrait, Eojin
   3. Documentary Paintings of the Royal Court
   4. Decorative Paintings of the Royal Court
   5. Japanese Colonization and Royal Court Paintings
7. Royal Court Music
   1. Symbolism of Traditional Musical Instruments
   2. Systematization of Court Music under King Sejong Ritual Music at the Shrine of Confucius
   3. Compilation of Canon of Music under King Seongjong
   4. Ancestral Ritual Music
   5. Jeongjae, Court Performing Arts
   6. Processional Music
   7. Court Music Department of the Yi Royal Household and Its Activities
8. Royal Processions
   1. Royal Processions
      1. King Jeongjo’s Procession to Hwaseong in Painting
      2. Components of a Royal Procession
   2. The Royal Palanquin
      1. Yeon, the Primary Palanquin
      2. Types of Royal Palanquins
   3. Ceremonial Armours
      1. Ceremonial Armours in Illustrated Position Chart
9. Joseon Science
   1. Astronomical Chart
      1. Stone Constellation Chart, Cheonsang yeolcha bunya jido
      2. The Constellations Depicted in the Cheonsang yeolcha bunya jido
      3. Korea’s Skies, Korea’s Stars
   2. Astronomical Instruments
      1. Sky Observation Instruments
      2. Sundials of the Joseon Dynasty
      3. Self-striking Water Clock, Jagyeongnu
      4. Rain Gauge
   3. Measuring Instruments
      1. The Ruler and the Measurement of Length
   4. Medicine
10. Appendices
    1. List of illustration
    2. Chronology of Joseon Dynasty
    3. Royal Lineage of Joseon Dynasty

• The Illustrated Dictionary of the Joseon Royal Culture - Costume (2012 / Trans. 유아름, Proof. 조윤정)
• The Illustrated Dictionary of the Joseon Royal Culture - Court Music and Dances *English intro only (Trans. 이종찬)
• Royal Palanquins of the Joseon Dynasty (2011 / Trans. 이지현)
  • Table of Contents

1. Royal Palanquins of the Joseon Dynasty
2. Ceremonial Implements for Royal Processions
3. Structure of a Palanquin / Terminology of Palanquin Parts
4. Royal Palanquins of the Joseon Period
5. Joseon Royal Processions

Seoul Museum of History

• Hanyangdoseong, the Seoul City Wall (2015 / Trans. Timothy Atkinson)

Exhibitions (Including Annex Museums)

• Supyo-gyo Bridge: Hanyang in the Rain (2020 / Trans. Korea Institute for Simultaneous Interpretation / Cheonggyecheon Museum)
• Sunkyunkwan National Academy and Its Surrounding Village, Banchon (2019 / Trans. Korea Institute for Simultaneous Interpretation)
• Uigeumbu (State Tribunal) in the Gyeonpyeong-bang District (2019 / Trans. Korea Institute for Simultaneous Interpretation / City Site Museum)
• The Floodgates of the City Wall (2019 / Trans. Korea Institute for Simultaneous Interpretation / Dongdaemun History Museum)
• Namsomundongcheon Stream, Flowing from Jangchungdan to Ingansumun Gate (2018 / Trans. Korea Institute for Simultaneous Interpretation / Cheonggyecheon Museum)
• Joseon Military Installations on the Capital's East Side (2018 / Trans. Korea Institute for Simultaneous Interpretation)
• Stream Dredging: Connecting King and the People (2017 / Trans. Korea Institute for Simultaneous Interpretation / Cheonggyecheon Museum)
• Baekundongcheon Stream - a stream turning at every corner into the clouds (2017 / Trans. Korea Institute for Simultaneous Interpretation / Cheonggyecheon Museum)
• Unhyeongung Palace and Regent Heungseon Daewongun (2017 / Trans. Korea Institute for Simultaneous Interpretation)

• Hanyangdoseong in the Past and Present (VR EXHIBIT)

National Gugak Center

• Ritual Music of the Korean Court - Korean Musicology Series, Vol. 8 (2015 / Ed. Kim Hee-sun, CedarBough Saeji)

National Museum of Korea

Publications'

• Quarterly Magazine Vol. 16 (2011 / Trans. Timothy V. Atkinson, Cho Yoonjung, Lee Mi-jin)
  • Culture of the Joseon Royal Family: Events and Ceremonies at the Pinnacle of Society
  • The Return of the Oegyujanggak Uigwe from France: Records of the State Rites of the Joseon Dynasty

Artifacts

• Stories from the Collection - The Oegyujanggak Uigwe
• 30 Masterpieces - Oegyujanggak Uigwe (Uigwe for the Royal Wedding of King Yeongjo and Queen Jeongsun)
• Painting for the Celebration of a Royal Presentation of a Cane and Entry into the Gathering of Elders
• Commemorative Album of King Yeongjo's Entry into the Gathering of Elders
• Album of Paintings on the Banquet for Elderly Scholars in Gihae Year
• Album of Painting on the Gathering of Elderly Scholars
• Painting of the Royal Banquet in Musin Year
• Mudongjeongjaedoholgi, Manual of the Royal Dance
• Painting on the Royal Banquet at the Seochongdae
• Painting of Joseon Envoys' Procession to Edo Castle
• Pictorial Report on a Visit to a Royal Tomb
• Painting on the Procession of a Newly Appointed Government Official
• Imperial Royal Seal of the Great Han Empire
• Seal of Queen Sunbi, Wife of King Gojong
• Jade Seal of Emperor Gojong
• Seal of the Empress Myeongseong
• Iron Seal of Myeongnyegung Palace
• Royal Order of Appointing Crown Prince
• Seoncheongholgi (宣廳笏記), Procedures of Ceremonies and Various Matters Related to Seonjeongwancheong, or the Office of Royal Messenger
• Painting of King Jeongjo's Procession to Hyeollyungwon
• Congratulatory Ceremony Offered to the King
• King's Ceremonial Robe with Nine Embroidered Symbols
• Patterns for the Queen Consort's Ceremonial Robe and Front Cloth Panel
• Wooden Tablet for the Longevity of Crown Prince
• Gukjobogam (History Book about the Accomplishments of Previous Kings)
• Placenta Jar of Princess Jeongso - 1
• Placenta Jar of Princess Jeongso - 2
• Placenta Tablet of Prince Hwasu
• Epitaph Tablets of Prince Jean
• White Porcelain Placenta Jars and Tablet with Inscription of "Tianqi Qi Nian" (天啓七年, "The 7th Tianqi Year")
• White Porcelain Placenta Jar

Virtual Exhibits

• 500 Years of the Joseon Dynasty Maps / 2018

Videos

• Royal Banquet in Geunjeongjeon Hall
• Uigwe

Online Resources

• "Royal Genealogical Records of the Joseon Royal Family" - Materials on Korean Studies (2008 / Won Chang-ae / The Review of Korean Studies)

Cultural Heritages

UNESCO

World Heritage Sites

• Jongmyo Shrine / 1995
• Chandeokgung Palace Complex / 1997
• Royal Tombs of the Joseon Dynasty / 2009

Memory of the World

• Annals of the Choson Dynasty / 1997
• Hunminjeongum Manuscript / 1997
• Seungjeongwon Ilgi, the Diaries of the Royal Secretariat / 2001
• Uigwe: The Royal Protocols of the Joseon Dynasty / 2007
• Ilseongnok: Records of Daily Reflections / 2011
• Royal Seal and Investiture Book Collection of the Joseon Dynasty / 2017

State Designated Heritages

National Treasure

• Geunjeongjeon Hall of Gyeongbokgung Palace / Treasure No. 223
• Gyeonghoeru Pavilion of Gyeongbokgung Palace / Treasure No. 224
• Injeongjeon Hall of Changdeokgung Palace / Treasure No. 225
• Myeongjeongjeon Hall of Changgyeonggung Palace / Treasure No. 226
• Clepsydra of Changgyeonggung Palace / National Treasure No. 229
• Donggwoldo (The Eastern Palaces) / National Treasure No. 249-1
• Donggwoldo (The Eastern Palaces) / National Treasure No. 249-2

Treasure

• Main Gate of Sajikdan Altar, Seoul / Treasure No. 177
• Donhwamun Gate of Changdeokgung Palace / Treasure No. 383
• Honghwamun Gate of Changgyeonggung Palace / Treasure No. 384
• Myeongjeongmun Gate and Corridor of Changgyeonggung Palace / Treasure No. 385
• Okcheongyo Bridge of Changgyeonggung Palace / Treasure No. 386
• Gisa gyecheop (Album of Paintings of the Gathering of Elders) / Treasure No. 638
• Gisa gyecheop (Album of Paintings of the Gathering of Elders) / Treasure No. 639
• Folding Screen of Jodaebi sasun chinggyeong jinhado (The 40th Birthday Celebration of Queen Dowager Jo) / Treasure No. 732
• Folding Screen of Heonjong garye jinhado (King Heonjong’s Wedding Celebration) / Treasure No. 733-1
• Folding Screen of Heonjong garye jinhado (King Heonjong’s Wedding Celebration) / Treasure No. 733-2
• Jagyeongjeon Hall of Gyeongbokgung Palace / Treasure No. 809
• Chimney with Ten Symbols of Longevity in Relief at Jagyeongjeon Hall of Gyeongbokgung Palace / Treasure No. 810
• Chimneys in Amisan Garden of Gyeongbokgung Palace / Treasure No. 811
• Geunjeongmun Gate and Corridor of Gyeongbokgung Palace / Treasure No. 812
• Injeongmun Gate of Changdeokgung Palace / Treasure No. 813
• Seonjeongjeon Hall of Changdeokgung Palace / Treasure No. 814
• Huijeongdang Hall of Changdeokgung Palace / Treasure No. 815
• Daejojeon Hall of Changdeokgung Palace / Treasure No. 816
• Seonwonjeon Hall of Changdeokgung Palace / Treasure No. 817
• Tongmyeongjeon Hall of Changgyeonggung Palace / Treasure No. 818
• Junghwajeon Hall and Junghwamun Gate of Deoksugung Palace / Treasure No. 819
• Hamnyeongjeon Hall of Deoksugung Palace / Treasure No. 820
• Rain Gauge Pedestal of Changdeokgung Palace (No English Text Available) / Treasure No. 844
• Wind Streamer Pedestal of Gyeongbokgung Palace / Treasure No. 847
• Gwancheondae Observatory of Changgyeonggung Palace / Treasure No. 851
• Namji girohoedo (Gathering of Elders by Namji Pond) by Yi Gi-ryong / Treasure No. 866
• Dokseodang gyehoedo (Gathering of Officials at Dokseodang Study) / Treasure No. 867
• Miwon gyehoedo (Gathering of Officials of the Censor-general) with Seong Se-chang’s Poem / Treasure No. 868
• Hagwan gyehoedo (Gathering of Military Officials) with Seong Se-chang's Poem / Treasure No. 869
• Hojo nanggwan gyehoedo (Gathering of Fiscal Officials) / Treasure No. 870
• Yeongjeong gyehoedo (Gathering of Officials at Lotus Pavilion) / Treasure No. 871
• Staff and Chair of Yi Gyeong-seok and Paintings of the Conferment Banquet / Treasure No. 930
• Sinhaesaeng gaphoejido (Gathering of Elders of the Same Age) / Treasure No. 1045
• Octagonal Seven-story Stone Pagoda of Changgyeonggung Palace / Treasure No. 1119
• Giyeonghoedo (Gathering of Elders) / Treasure No. 1328
• Isipsam sangdaehoedo (Gathering of 23 Officials of Inspector-general) and Royal Edict Issued to Kim Jong-han / Treasure No. 1406
• Folding Screen of Hwaseong haenghaengdo (Royal Parade to Hwaseong Fortress) / Treasure No. 1430
• 봉수당진찬도 (No English Article Available)/ Treasure No. 1430-2
• Gyehoedo (Gathering of Officials) Including Jeong Sa-sin / Treasure No. 1431
• Folding Screen of Wangseja tangang jinhado (Celebration for the Birth of the Crown Prince) / Treasure No. 1443
• Folding Screen of Giroyeondo and Sujagyeondo (Gathering of Elders and Celebration for Granting Titles of Nobility Under King Yeongjo) / Treasure No. 1531
• Seogwoldoan (Plan of the Western Palace) / Treasure No. 1534
• Soryeongwondo (Tomb of the Royal Lady Choe) / Treasure No. 1535
• Woljungdo (Scenes of Yeongwol) / Treasure No. 1536
• Gyehoedo (Gathering of Officials) Handed Down in the Yean Kim Clan / Treasure No. 1616
• Calligraphy by King Yeongjo / Treasure No. 1631-3
• Chongma gyehoedo (Gathering of Officials of the Inspector-general) / Treasure No. 1722
• Sajeongjeon Hall of Gyeongbokgung Palace / Treasure No. 1759
• Sujeongjeon Hall of Gyeongbokgung Palace / Treasure No. 1760
• Hyangwonjeong Pavilion of Gyeongbokgung Palace / Treasure No. 1761
• Geumcheongyo Bridge of Changdeokgung Palace / Treasure No. 1762
• Buyongjeong Pavilion of Changdeokgung Palace / Treasure No. 1763
• Nakseonjae Hall of Changdeokgung Palace / Treasure No. 1764
• Juhamnu Pavilion of Changdeokgung Palace / Treasure No. 1769
• Yeongyeongdang Hall of Changdeokgung Palace / Treasure No. 1770

Historic Site

• Gyeongbokgung Palace / Historic Site No. 117
• Sajikdan Altar / Historic Site No. 121
• Changdeokgung Palace Complex / Historic Site No. 122
• Changgyeonggung Palace / Historic Site No. 123
• Deoksugung Palace / Historic Site No. 124
• Unhyeongung Palace, Seoul / Historic Site No. 257
• Gyeonghuigung Palace Site / Historic Site No. 271
• Temporary Palace at Hwaseong Fortress, Suwon / Historic Site No. 478
• Temporary Palace Site at Bukhansanseong Fortress / Historic Site No. 479
• Temporary Palace at Namhansanseong Fortress / Historic Site No. 480

Natural Monument

• Chinese Juniper of Changdeokgung Palace / Natural Monument No. 149
• Bower Actinidia of Changdeokgung Palace / Natural Monument No. 251
• White Mulberry of Changdeokgung Palace / Natural Monument No. 471
• Population of Pagoda Trees in Changdeokgung Palace / Natural Monument No. 472

National Folklore Cultural Heritage

• Clothes Worn by King Gwanghaegun, His Queen Consort, and a Court Lady / National Folklore Cultural Heritage No. 3
• Ceremonial Robe Worn by a Crown Princess / National Folklore Cultural Heritage No. 48

National Intangible Cultural Heritage

• Gungjung Chaehwa (Royal Silk Flower Making) / National Intangible Cultural Heritage No. 124
• Joseon Wangjo Gungjung Eumsik (Royal Culinary Art of the Joseon Dynasty) / National Intangible Cultural Heritage No. 38
• Sajik Daeje (National Rite to Gods of Earth and Grain) / National Intangible Cultural Heritage No. 111

National Registered Cultural Heritage

• Chongseokjeong jeolgyeongdo (Superb Landscape of Chongseokjeong Pavilion) in Huijeongdang Hall of Changdeokgung Palace / National Registered Cultural Heritage No. 240
• Geumgangsan manmul choseunggyeongdo (Picturesque Landscape of the Myriad Things on Geumgangsan Mountain) in Huijeongdang Hall of Changdeokgung Palace / National Registered Cultural Heritage No. 241
• Bonghwangdo (Phoenixes) in Daejojeon Hall of Changdeokgung Palace / National Registered Cultural Heritage No. 242
• Baekhakdo (White Cranes) in Daejojeon Hall of Changdeokgung Palace / National Registered Cultural Heritage No. 243
• Joil seongwando (Rising Sun) in Gyeonghungak Hall of Changdeokgung Palace / National Registered Cultural Heritage No. 244
• Samseon gwanpado (Three Daoist Immortals Watching the Waves) in Gyeonghungak Hall of Changdeokgung Palace / National Registered Cultural Heritage No. 245
• Grand Greenhouse of Changgyeonggung Palace / National Registered Cultural Heritage No. 83