Contents

Introduction 6

Chapter 1

Gyeongbokgung: The First Palace 10

Foundation of the Joseon Dynasty | Significance of Gyeongbokgung

Trials of Gyeongbokgung | Enduring Symbol of Joseon

Chapter 2

A Tour of Gyeongbokgung 24

The Outer Palace | The Inner Palace and the Rear Gardens

Chapter 3

The Other Four Palaces 38

Changdeokgung | Changgyeonggung | Deoksugung | Gyeonghuigung

Chapter 4

Royal Tombs: enduring Splendor of Joseon 56

Ideal Setting | Layout of Royal Tombs | Daehan Empire Tombs

Chapter 5

Royal Funeral Processions 72

National Undertaking | Selection of a Tomb Site and Burial Practices

Grand Funeral Procession | Political Transition

Chapter 6

Representative Joseon Tombs 80

Seonjeongneung | Taereung | Donggureung Tomb Complex

Gwangneung | Yeongneung

Description

The Joseon dynasty ruled Korea for over half a millennium, bequeathing to Korea a considerable

cultural heritage. This book will examine three of the better-known areas of Joseon cultural heritage: royal palaces, royal tombs, and the Annals of the Joseon Dynasty. Standing in the heart of Seoul, the five royal palaces are more than just buildings; they are architectural expressions of Joseon society and its ruling philosophy. The royal tombs—forty final resting places of Joseon kings and queens—are unique in their completeness. Finally, the Annals of the Joseon Dynasty are unequalled in their richness as a source of historical and cultural information about Korean history. Each of these treasures, deeply imbued with Joseon’s Confucian culture, reveals unique aspects about the kingdom and its legacy.