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참여기관/DMZ다큐멘터리영화제DMZ사무국갤러리위갤러리퍼플경기관광공사경기국악원경기도 문화유산과경기도문화원연합회경기도미술관경기도박물관경기도어린이박물관경기도자원봉사센터경기문화나눔센터경기문화예술교육지원센터경기문화재단경기문화재연구원경기북부어린이박물관경기상상캠퍼스경기상상캠퍼스그루버경기아트센터경기안성뮤직플랫폼경기창작캠퍼스경기천년경기콘텐츠진흥원경기현대음악협회경희대학교고양문화재단고양시해움새들광명문화재단광명시청년동광주시문화재단국립농업박물관군포문화예술회관군포문화재단군포시평생학습원극단날으는자동차나폴레옹갤러리단원미술관두루뫼사료관디마갤러리만해기념관맥아트미술관미리내마술극단미메시스아트뮤지엄백남준아트센터부천문화재단부천아트센터서해랑서호미술관설미재미술관성남문화재단세계민속악기박물관소다미술관수원광교박물관수원문화재단수원시립미술관수원시립합창단시서화시흥시청시흥에코센터실학박물관아트경기아트센터화이트블럭아트스페이스어비움안산문화예술의전당안양문화예술재단양주시립민복진미술관양주시립장욱진미술관양평문화재단엄미술관여주박물관영은미술관영집궁시박물관옆집예술용인시청유리섬미술관의정부문화재단이풀실내정원전곡선사박물관파주문화재단평택시문화재단포천문화재단포천아트밸리풀짚공예하남문화재단한국도자재단한국등잔박물관한국카메라박물관해움미술관현대어린이책미술관MOKA혜정박물관화성시문화재단

경기역사문화유산원

3. Manwoldae and Seonjukgyo - Why We Should Remember Goryeo’s Relics in Gaeseong


About 80 km from Seoul and beyond the Inter-Korean Transit Office near Dorasan Mountain in Paju-si, a ride of no more than an hour by car, is Gaeseong, a territory of North Korea. Gaeseong was designated as the capital of Goryeo in 919, a year after the nation’s founding, and was the center of Goryeo for more than 440 years, except during the period in which the government moved the capital to Ganghwa (1232-1270). Gaeseong was such a thriving city that people would say that, on a rainy day, you could walk under the eaves from downtown to the Yeseonggang River and the international trade port without getting wet.


A Panorama of Manwoldae in Gaeseong / Provided by Lee Gwang-pyo


The first remnants of Goryeo among those to be recognized is Manwoldae, the site of Goryeo’s palace and National Treasure No. 122 of North Korea. It is located across an extensive area south of Songaksan Mountain, with the mountain as its background to the north. It is 373 meters in width, 725 meters in depth, and has a circumference of 2,170 meters. 


A Joint Excavation of Manwoldae in Gaeseong / Provided by Lee Gwang-pyo


At Manwoldae, buildings were constructed after piling up the soil to raise the ground. This was to conserve the natural atmosphere of Songaksan Mountain and to strengthen the authority and dignity of the Goryeo Dynasty. ‘Manwoldae’ was originally the name of the front yard of Hoegyeongjeon Hall, the main hall that was built based on high retaining walls, and the name was later used to refer to the palace as a whole.


Manwoldae, where the king lived, was the most important palace among several others of Goryeo in Gaeseong. It was composed of Hwangseong (where the aristocracy undertook affairs of state) on its border and Gungseong (where the king and queen lived) inside. Gungseong consisted of three sections: Oejeon (outside quarter), with Hoegyeongjeon Hall as its center; Naejeon (inside quarter), with Janghwajeon Hall as its center; and Chimjeon (house of the king's bedroom) on the northwest side.


Manwoldae was partially destroyed and rebuilt after undergoing ordeals like the Khitan invasion during the reign of King Hyeonjong, the Rebellion of Lee Jagyeom during the reign of King Injong, and the Mongol invasion during the reign of King Gojong. In 1361, during the reign of King Gongmin, however, it was completely destroyed due to a major fire during the Red Turban invasions. The current palace site has been maintained since that period. What is most impressive among the ruins of Manwoldae is the grand 33 flights of stairs that lead to Hoegyeongjeon Hall. It feels both lonely and magnificent, showing all of the glory and shame of the 500-year Goryeo Dynasty. The west part of Manwoldae was discovered during the seven joint excavations by North and South Korea from 2007 to 2015.


Seonjukgyo Bridge (National Treasure No.138 of North Korea), which contains a tragic story, should also be mentioned when we talk about the cultural relics of Goryeo. Here, in 1392, when the fate Goryeo was at hand, Poeun Jeong Mong-ju (1337-1392), a faithful subject of the dynasty, was murdered by a faction of Lee Bang-won (later King Taejong of Joseon).


Seonjukgyo Bridge in Gaeseong / Provided by Lee Gwang-pyo


Seonjukgyo Bridge was built in 1216, and was originally named ‘Seonjigyo’. It was later called Seonjukgyo because, after the death of Jeong Mong-ju, a bamboo shoot sprouted from the spot, and the name was altered to use the Chinese character 竹 (juk), which means bamboo. It is said that the bloodstain of Jeong Mong-ju still remains on the bridge, and until today, blood tainted rainwater flows under it when it rains. With the name of Seonjukgyo and the story about the bloodstain, we can feel the intent of posterity as they try to remember the sincere heart of the Goryeo loyalist.


A large number of stone and wooden pagodas were constructed in Gaeseong, the capital city of the Buddhist nation. However, most of them vanished over the many years and wars. The only ones that remain are the Five-story Stone Pagoda at Yeongtongsa Temple (National Treasure No.133 of North Korea), the Five-story Stone Pagoda at Burilsa Temple, and the Seven-story Stone Pagoda at Hyeonghwasa Temple, illustrating the beauty of simplicity of Goryeo’s pagoda. The unique Stupa of Buddhist Monk Jigong of Hwajangsa Temple is a masterpiece that embodies the departure in styling of Goryeo’s Buddhist stone art. The Tomb of King Taejo (National Treasure No.179 of North Korea) and the Tomb of King Gongmin (National Treasure No.123 of North Korea, consisting of the Hyeonneung Royal Tomb, where King Gongmin was buried, and the Jeongneung Royal Tomb, where his wife Princess Noguk was buried) are also cultural relics that should be remembered.


North Korea's border city of Gaeseong is a lonely place. The remnants of division can be found everywhere. There is a fact, however, that cannot be changed—that it was once the capital of Goryeo. Those cultural properties from the Goryeo Period have stood for a thousand years to bear witness to that fact. Recently, a plan was unveiled to open a joint liaison office in Gaeseong thanks to the atmosphere of reconciliation between South and North Korea. News has also come out about resuming the joint excavation of Manwoldae. The cultural assets of Goryeo that remain in Gaeseong should become one of the major historical and cultural aspects of Gyeonggi Province in the age of Korean unification. This is why we should turn our gaze to ‘Gaeseong and Goryeo’.  / ◎ Lee Gwang-pyo (Editorialist of Dong-A Ilbo)


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