Exhibition on Gyejodang Hall, the Crown Prince’s Space, in Gyeongbokgung Palace

 - Special Guided Tours of the Donggung Compound to Complement the Exhibition / November 15 (Wed)–December 18 (Mon) -

The Royal Palaces and Tombs Center of the Cultural Heritage Administration (Acting Director: Shin Seong-hui) is joining the Korea Cultural Heritage Foundation (President: Choi Young-chang) to host an exhibition commemorating the restoration of Gyejodang Hall in Gyeongbokgung Palace. The exhibition will be held from November 15 through December 18.
*Opening Hours: 10:00–16:00 (last entry at 15:30) / Closed on Gyeongbokgung closing days (every Tuesday)

Gyejodang Hall was built by order of King Sejong in 1443 (the twenty-fifth year of the reign of King Sejong) to provide an office for the crown prince (later King Munjong). The future King Munjong administered state affairs and received foreign envoys in Gyejodang Hall. In accordance with his order, Gyejodang was demolished in 1452 (the year of King Danjong’s enthronement). The hall was rebuilt in 1868 when Gyeongbokgung Palace was being rebuilt and was used by the crown prince at the time (the future Emperor Sunjong). It was completely demolished during the period of Japanese colonial rule, but was restored based on a careful survey and completed this past September. The exhibition aims to celebrate the restoration of Gyejodang Hall and to make the historic significance of Gyeojodang Hall and the Donggung Compound better known to the public.

The exhibition will be held inside Gyejodang Hall and composed of four sections: “The Crown Prince of Joseon,” “The Crown Prince in Gyejodang Hall,” “Ceremonial Items of the Crown Prince,” and “The Donggung Compound and Gyejodang Hall.” The first section, “The Crown Prince of Joseon,” explores the daily routines of the crown prince and the rites he performed. The crown prince of the Joseon Dynasty was installed and thoroughly educated to ensure a stable succession and maintain stability for the nation. The authority and legitimacy of the crown prince was established through official rites of passage such as his investiture ceremony, matriculation ceremony into Seonggyungwan (the National Confucian Academy), and coming-of-age ceremony. In this section is a kiosk presenting replicas of objects that the king bestowed on the crown prince during the investiture ceremony including the royal edict, bamboo investiture book, and jade seal together with illustrations of scenes of the ceremony to facilitate understanding by visitors.

* Royal edict: A document containing lessons and precautions issued by the king at the time of the investiture ceremony
* Bamboo book: A book consisting of bamboo strips inscribed with texts related to the investiture of the crown prince and princess and the inauguration of their official titles
* Jade seal: A seal bestowed on the occasion of the installment of the crown prince or the son of the crown prince
* Ceremonial Flag: A flag-like decoration consisting of a long shaft and a rectangular piece of cloth with a specific iconography.
* Seon: A ceremonial item that originated from a tool for blocking dust and screening the surroundings.

The section “The Crown Prince in Gyejodang Hall” sheds light on the two crown princes who used Gyejodang as a workspace: King Munjong (r.1450–1452), King Sejong’s eldest son, who was installed as crown prince in 1421, and Emperor Sunjong (r.1907–1910), King Gojong’s son who was installed as crown prince in 1875. Munjong served as crown prince for more than thirty years, and had a hand in many of King Sejong’s accomplishments. Crucially, from 1442 (the twenty-fourth year of the reign of King Sejong) onward Munjong stood in for the king in many of his duties. His accomplishments can be explored through his calligraphy and the cheugugi, a type of rain gauge. After he was installed as crown prince, Sunjong also used the Gyejodang Hall, including by hosting a birthday banquet.

The section “Ceremonial Items of the Crown Prince” presents items symbolizing the authority of the crown prince. When the kings, queens, and crown princes of the Joseon Dynasty traveled in processions, they were accompanied by varied objects that announced their dignity. One of the characteristic items for a crown prince is a flag with a design of a girin (a mythical creature). A video produced based on paintings of processions and examples of ceremonial objects are presented to provide visitors with a vivid understanding.

The final section, “The Donggung Compound and Gyejodang Hall,” highlights the location of Donggung within Gyeongbokgung Palace and the creation, demolition, and restoration of Gyejodang Hall. Visitors are invited to gain a tactile experience of Gyejodang Hall and watch a video of the restoration process.

In conjunction with the exhibition, a guided tour of the Donggung Compound and exhibition called “The Daily Life of the Crown Prince” will be offered. There is also a hands-on activity for making a 3D cheugugi. The exhibition and related programs are open to the public free of charge (excluding the admission fee for Gyeongbokgung Palace), but reservations are required for guided tours. Reservations can be made via Ticketlink (http://www.ticketlink.co.kr) starting Tuesday, November 14 at 2 p.m. For more information, please visit the website of the Royal Palaces and Tombs Center of the Cultural Heritage Administration (royal.cha.go.kr) or the website of the Korea Cultural Heritage Foundation (www.chf.or.kr), or call the Department of Cultural Heritage Promotion of the Korea Cultural Heritage Foundation (Tel. 02-3210-4806).

The Royal Palaces and Tombs Center of the Cultural Heritage Administration hopes that the exhibition will serve as an opportunity to promote the significance of the restoration of Gyeongbokgung Palace and the historicity of Gyejodang Hall. It will continue its efforts to develop and provide various programs to the public related to restored buildings in the palaces.


Division: Royal Palaces and Tombs Service Planning Division,
Royal Palaces and Tombs Center
Contact persons: Lim Kyounghee (02-6450-3865),
Son Eunmi (02-6450-3866)

Attachment: 1. Exhibition Poster and Highlights
2. Schedule of Exhibition-related Programs