Today, I went to Gyeongbokgung which is the main palace and the largest of the five palaces of the Joseon Dynasty. Gyeongbokgung means ¡°The Palace of Great Fortune¡±. There are mountains behind Gyeongbokgung palace and the stream in front. According to Feng Shui, this means the perfect location. Gyeongbokgung is a perfect palace, therefore has many beautiful and fancy parts. However I think that Geunjeongjeon and Gyotaejeon  are the most important two buildings in Gyeongbokgung.

First, Geunjeongjeon is part of Gyeongbokgung's outer palace. It is a very important place, because it is the main building of Gyeongbokgung. Since Geunjeongjeon is a very significant place, there are many events that happen here. For instance, ceremonies like the royal family's wedding, coronations, and foreign envoy receptions etc. Surrounding Geunjeongjeon there are 4 guardians. In the north there is the black turtle and in the south there is the red phoenix. In each east and west there is the blue dragon and the white tiger. The center there is the most important yellow dragon that stands for the king. Also surrounding Geunjeongjeon, there are 12 zodiac animals. Except for the pig and dog which is very common.

Second, Gyotaejeon is part of Gyeongbokgung's inner palace. Gyotaejeon is the queen¡¯s living quarter. In all of Gyeongbokgung's buildings there is a dragon ridge. However, in Gangneongjeon and Gyotaejeon there is no dragon ridge. In Gangneongjeon, the king actually lives there, and since the dragon stands for king the dragon ridge is not needed. In Gyotaejeon, they don¡¯t need the dragon ridge because the queen gives birth to the crowned prince who will be the king in the future. Behind Gyotaejeon, there is beautiful little garden called Ahmisan. The queen cannot go outside, because it can be inconvenient to the ordinary people. That is why the queen has a personal garden. In Ahmisan there are chimneys that have pictures on it. The pictures that signify a long life. These include rocks, deer, turtle, sun, water, and a monster from fantasy etc.

In conclusion, I think that Gyeongbokgung is a magnificent palace that have traditional buildings and decorations that have meaningful meanings. I wish I can explore and learn more about Gyeongbokgung if I can come back to see this astonishing palace again.