Manwoldae
Encyclopedia
Manwŏldae Palace was the official royal palace of the Goryeo Dynasty. Located in the ancient capital city of Kaesŏng
, the palace was completely destroyed during the Red Turbans invasions of Korea
during the 14th century.
. The palace was divided into two major sections; the Kungsŏng (궁성, 宮城), where the king and royal family resided, and the Hwangsŏng (황성, 皇城), where affairs of state were conducted. Large buildings such as the Changhwa (장화전, 長和殿), and Wŏndŏk (원덕전, 元德殿) Halls contained shrines and living quarters, while Hoegyŏng Hall (회경전, 會慶殿), the largest and most impressive, contained the throne room. The complex also contained a stone astronomy tower known as the Chŏmsŏngdae (첨성대, 瞻星臺), which was used by royal astrologers. The palace was burned to the ground in 1361 when the Red Turbans invasions of Korea
, sacking the city of Kaesong and forcing the king to temporary flee Andong
.
n government, but merged into a joint Korean cultural project. Many valuable relics of the late Goryeo period have been uncovered at the site, including ceramics, metal items, ancestral tablets, mirrors, and over 3,000 roofing tiles. It is on a list of locations planned by North Korea to become UNESCO
World Heritage Sites.
Kaesong
Kaesŏng is a city in North Hwanghae Province, southern North Korea , a former Directly Governed City, and the capital of Korea during the Koryo Dynasty. The city is near Kaesŏng Industrial Region and it contains the remains of the Manwoldae palace. It was formally named Songdo while it was the...
, the palace was completely destroyed during the Red Turbans invasions of Korea
Red Turbans invasions of Korea
The Red Turban invasions of Korea occurred in the 14th century between Goryeo Dynasty and Chinese Red Turban army.-Background:Goryeo had been a dependency of the Mongol Yuan Dynasty since Mongol invasion of Korea. However, mid-14th century, King Gongmin began efforts to reform Goryeo government and...
during the 14th century.
History
Construction on the palace began in 919, at the beginning of the Goryo dynasty; it was built south of the Songak Mountains for good Feng ShuiFeng shui
Feng shui ' is a Chinese system of geomancy believed to use the laws of both Heaven and Earth to help one improve life by receiving positive qi. The original designation for the discipline is Kan Yu ....
. The palace was divided into two major sections; the Kungsŏng (궁성, 宮城), where the king and royal family resided, and the Hwangsŏng (황성, 皇城), where affairs of state were conducted. Large buildings such as the Changhwa (장화전, 長和殿), and Wŏndŏk (원덕전, 元德殿) Halls contained shrines and living quarters, while Hoegyŏng Hall (회경전, 會慶殿), the largest and most impressive, contained the throne room. The complex also contained a stone astronomy tower known as the Chŏmsŏngdae (첨성대, 瞻星臺), which was used by royal astrologers. The palace was burned to the ground in 1361 when the Red Turbans invasions of Korea
Red Turbans invasions of Korea
The Red Turban invasions of Korea occurred in the 14th century between Goryeo Dynasty and Chinese Red Turban army.-Background:Goryeo had been a dependency of the Mongol Yuan Dynasty since Mongol invasion of Korea. However, mid-14th century, King Gongmin began efforts to reform Goryeo government and...
, sacking the city of Kaesong and forcing the king to temporary flee Andong
Andong
Andong is a city in Gyeongsangbuk-do Province, South Korea. It is the largest city in the northern part of the province with a population of 167,821 in October 2010. The Nakdong River flows through the city...
.
Excavation
Excavation of the ruins of Manwoldae Palace began under the supervision of the North KoreaNorth Korea
The Democratic People’s Republic of Korea , , is a country in East Asia, occupying the northern half of the Korean Peninsula. Its capital and largest city is Pyongyang. The Korean Demilitarized Zone serves as the buffer zone between North Korea and South Korea...
n government, but merged into a joint Korean cultural project. Many valuable relics of the late Goryeo period have been uncovered at the site, including ceramics, metal items, ancestral tablets, mirrors, and over 3,000 roofing tiles. It is on a list of locations planned by North Korea to become UNESCO
UNESCO
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations...
World Heritage Sites.