It was my first day in Damduk Intensive Course. We went touring the main palace in Seoul, Gyeongbokgung. Let me tell you how it was built, the reason why Joseon was established, the structure of Gyeongbokgung, and my impression about it.

When Koryo dynasty was falling down, the warriors like Lee Sung-Gae founded a new dynasty called Joseon. He was looking for a perfect place for his palace. Jung Do-Jun and other retainers persuaded him to move his palace from Gaekyong to Hanyang, Since 1395, he had constructed his new palace ¡°Gyeongbokgung¡±. Gyeongbokgung¡¯s name came from ¡°The Great Fortune¡± in the China¡¯s ¡°the Book of Odds¡±.

It has a varity of buildings for royal families and retainers. They are divided into three places, the outer part such as Guenjeongjeon and Sajungjeon, the inner part such as Gangnyoungjeon, Gyotaejeon, Ami Hill and Jakyongjeon, and the relaxing part such as Kyonghhoiru and Hyangwonjung. If we enter the front door, ¡°Gwanghuamun¡±, we can see the main building ¡°Guenjeongjeon¡± where the king discussed a lot of works and important political problems with the retainers. The Sajungjeon was also an office for the king¡¯s work. The Gyotaejeon and Jakyungjeon which were located in the inner part were places for the Queen and the female royal family because Joseon has the custom that the men and the women should be separated in the living place. The Ami Hill was the female royal dedicated garden. The Hyangwonjung was a place for the king and his royal family to take a rest peacefully.

From today¡¯s Gyeongbokgung tour, I learned a lot of things about the Joseon¡¯s capital city, Hanyang. It had a great value as a national asset. I am proud of our Gyeongbokgung.