— Overview
The notes stay with one palace and one gate line, and they do not wander into Deoksugung or Changdeokgung.
— Contents and key concepts
A mid-May visit, and a gate set back
The notes date a visit to Gyeongbokgung only as “last 14 May.” No year is given in this stretch.
Gwanghwamun is the south gate, with a west side door, a royal door, and an east side door. Its present place, they write, sits about 15 metres behind the original line. In the colonial period it was pulled down for the Government-General building and moved toward the eastern gate — written in the notes as “geonchukmun,” and read here as Geonchunmun, the east gate. In 1968 it was moved back toward its old line, yet it still sits set back.
Four gates, and the beasts on the ceilings
On the ceiling of the royal door, two five-coloured vermilion birds face each other.
The four gates are Gwanghwamun, Geonchunmun, Yeongchumun, and Sinmumun. The ceilings carry the vermilion bird, the azure dragon, the white tiger, and the black tortoise.
One palace, and a stop
A later shop block on a haechi, and on the meaning of light covering the four directions, is left unread on this page. The notes stay with Gyeongbokgung and do not wander to another palace.
The stretch ends on those four gates. The same Korean report, at fuller length, is on CampusDown.
Sources
- The notes, a student field note on Gyeongbokgung: a visit dated only as last 14 May, Gwanghwamun about 15 metres back after a colonial demolition and a 1968 return, and the four gates with vermilion bird, azure dragon, white tiger, and black tortoise on the ceilings.
Last updated: 15 November 2026
Frequently asked questions
When do the notes say the visit happened, and what do they record about Gwanghwamun’s place?
The visit is dated only as “last 14 May.” No year is given in this stretch, and none is supplied from later shop copy. Gwanghwamun is the south gate, with a west side door, a royal door, and an east side door. Its present place, they write, sits about 15 metres behind the original line. In the colonial period it was pulled down for the Government-General building, and moved toward the eastern gate, which the notes write as “geonchukmun” and which is read here as Geonchunmun, the east gate. In 1968 it was moved back toward its old line, yet it still sits set back.
What do they say is painted on the ceilings of the gates?
On the ceiling of the royal door, two five-coloured vermilion birds face each other. The four gates are Gwanghwamun, Geonchunmun, Yeongchumun, and Sinmumun, and the ceilings carry the vermilion bird, the azure dragon, the white tiger, and the black tortoise.
What do the notes leave out?
A later shop block on a haechi and on the meaning of light covering the four directions is not used. The page stays with Gyeongbokgung and does not drift into Deoksugung or Changdeokgung.
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