Sungnyemun
Encyclopedia
Namdaemun, officially the Sungnyemun, is a historic pagoda-style
gateway located in the center of Seoul
, the capital of South Korea
. The gate, which was begun in the 14th century, is now listed first among the National Treasures of South Korea
. It was once one of the three major gateways through Seoul's city walls which had a stone circuit of 18.2 kilometres (11.3 mi) and stood up to 6.1 metres (20 ft) high.
The gate is located in Jung-gu between Seoul Station
and Seoul City Plaza. The historic 24-hour Namdaemun market
is next to the gate where it has been operating for centuries.
In 2008, the wooden pagoda atop the gate was severely damaged
by arson
. Restoration work on the gateway started in February 2010 and is expected to be completed by December 2012.
on the wooden structure, officially call the landmark, Sungnyemun, (Gate of Exalted Ceremonies) even though it has been more commonly known as Namdaemun (Great Southern Gate) since the Joseon Dynasty
. The disparity is due to the occupation of Korea when the Japanese advocated the name Namdaemun.
In modern Korea, the common name has colonial overtones; a period when Korean identity was forcibly supplanted by Japanese culture. The official name Sungnyemun derives from policy to reclaim Korean heritage from Japanese imperialism. This process has also led to the removal of notable buildings
.
Before the 2008 fire, Namdaemun was the oldest wooden structure in Seoul. The city gate
, made of wood and stone with a two-tiered, pagoda
-shaped tiled roof, was completed in 1398 and originally used to greet foreign emissaries, control access to the capital city, and keep out Siberian Tigers, which have long been gone from the area. Construction began in 1395 during the fourth year of the reign of King Taejo of Joseon and was finished in 1398. The structure was rebuilt in 1447 and was renovated several times since. It was originally one of three main gates, the others being the East Gate (Dongdaemun
) and the now-demolished West Gate in the Seodaemun-gu
district, named after the old gate.
In the early part of the 20th century, the city walls that surrounded Seoul were demolished, ostensibly "to make the traffic system more efficient." A visit to Seoul by the Crown Prince
of Japan prompted the demolition of the walls around Namdaemun, as the prince was deemed to be too exalted to pass through the gateway.
The gate was closed to the public in 1907 after the Japanese colonial authorities
constructed an electric tramway nearby. Namdaemun was extensively damaged during the Korean War
and was given its last major repair in 1961, with a completion ceremony held on May 14, 1963. It was given the status of "National Treasure No.1" on December 20, 1962.
The Gate was renovated again in 2005 with the building of a lawn around the gate, before being opened once again to the public with much fanfare on March 3, 2006. During the restoration, 182 pages of blueprints for the gate were made as a contingency against any emergencies which may damage the structure. Three years later, such an emergency arose.
and then later confessed to the crime. A police captain reported that Chae sprayed paint thinner on the floor of the structure and then set fire to it. Police say that Chae was upset about not being paid in full for land he had sold to developers. The same man had been charged with setting a fire at Changgyeong Palace
in Seoul in 2006.
of South Korea said that it would undertake a three-year project that would cost an estimated ₩
20 billion (approximately $14 million) to rebuild and restore the historic gate. President Lee Myung-bak
proposed starting a private donation campaign to finance the restoration of the structure.
Pagoda
A pagoda is the general term in the English language for a tiered tower with multiple eaves common in Nepal, India, China, Japan, Korea, Vietnam and other parts of Asia. Some pagodas are used as Taoist houses of worship. Most pagodas were built to have a religious function, most commonly Buddhist,...
gateway located in the center of Seoul
Seoul
Seoul , officially the Seoul Special City, is the capital and largest metropolis of South Korea. A megacity with a population of over 10 million, it is the largest city proper in the OECD developed world...
, the capital of South Korea
South Korea
The Republic of Korea , , is a sovereign state in East Asia, located on the southern portion of the Korean Peninsula. It is neighbored by the People's Republic of China to the west, Japan to the east, North Korea to the north, and the East China Sea and Republic of China to the south...
. The gate, which was begun in the 14th century, is now listed first among the National Treasures of South Korea
National treasures of South Korea
The National Treasures of Korea are a numbered set of tangible treasures, artifacts, sites, and buildings which are recognized by South Korea as having exceptional artistic, cultural and historical value...
. It was once one of the three major gateways through Seoul's city walls which had a stone circuit of 18.2 kilometres (11.3 mi) and stood up to 6.1 metres (20 ft) high.
The gate is located in Jung-gu between Seoul Station
Seoul Station
Seoul Station is a major railway station in Seoul, South Korea. The station is served by the Gyeongbu Line, its high-speed counterpart and the Gyeongui Line, with frequent high-speed, express, and local services to various points in South Korea.-Services:...
and Seoul City Plaza. The historic 24-hour Namdaemun market
Namdaemun market
Namdaemun Market is a large traditional market in Seoul, South Korea. The market is located next to Namdaemun, the "Great South Gate," which was the main southern gate to the old city. It is the oldest and largest market in Korea.-History:...
is next to the gate where it has been operating for centuries.
In 2008, the wooden pagoda atop the gate was severely damaged
2008 Namdaemun fire
The 2008 Namdaemun fire was a fire set by Korean citizen and arsonist Chae Jong-gi that occurred on the Namdaemun, one of the most historically significant gates in Seoul, South Korea, and the first of Korea's National Treasures, on the date of February 10, 2008. The fire caused severe damage to...
by arson
Arson
Arson is the crime of intentionally or maliciously setting fire to structures or wildland areas. It may be distinguished from other causes such as spontaneous combustion and natural wildfires...
. Restoration work on the gateway started in February 2010 and is expected to be completed by December 2012.
Name
The South Korean government, as written in hanjaHanja
Hanja is the Korean name for the Chinese characters hanzi. More specifically, it refers to those Chinese characters borrowed from Chinese and incorporated into the Korean language with Korean pronunciation...
on the wooden structure, officially call the landmark, Sungnyemun, (Gate of Exalted Ceremonies) even though it has been more commonly known as Namdaemun (Great Southern Gate) since the Joseon Dynasty
Joseon Dynasty
Joseon , was a Korean state founded by Taejo Yi Seong-gye that lasted for approximately five centuries. It was founded in the aftermath of the overthrow of the Goryeo at what is today the city of Kaesong. Early on, Korea was retitled and the capital was relocated to modern-day Seoul...
. The disparity is due to the occupation of Korea when the Japanese advocated the name Namdaemun.
In modern Korea, the common name has colonial overtones; a period when Korean identity was forcibly supplanted by Japanese culture. The official name Sungnyemun derives from policy to reclaim Korean heritage from Japanese imperialism. This process has also led to the removal of notable buildings
Japanese General Government Building, Seoul
The Japanese Government-General Building was the chief administrative building in Keijo during the Japanese colonial rule of Korea and the seat of the Governor-General of Korea. It was a neo-classical building designed by German architect Georg De Lalande, and was completed in 1926...
.
History
City gate
A city gate is a gate which is, or was, set within a city wall. Other terms include port.-Uses:City gates were traditionally built to provide a point of controlled access to and departure from a walled city for people, vehicles, goods and animals...
, made of wood and stone with a two-tiered, pagoda
Pagoda
A pagoda is the general term in the English language for a tiered tower with multiple eaves common in Nepal, India, China, Japan, Korea, Vietnam and other parts of Asia. Some pagodas are used as Taoist houses of worship. Most pagodas were built to have a religious function, most commonly Buddhist,...
-shaped tiled roof, was completed in 1398 and originally used to greet foreign emissaries, control access to the capital city, and keep out Siberian Tigers, which have long been gone from the area. Construction began in 1395 during the fourth year of the reign of King Taejo of Joseon and was finished in 1398. The structure was rebuilt in 1447 and was renovated several times since. It was originally one of three main gates, the others being the East Gate (Dongdaemun
Dongdaemun
Heunginjimun, literally "Gate of Rising Benevolence" or more commonly known as Dongdaemun, is a prominent landmark in central Seoul, South Korea. The Korean name "Dongdaemun" means "Great East Gate," and it was so named because it was the major eastern gate in the wall that surrounded Seoul during...
) and the now-demolished West Gate in the Seodaemun-gu
Seodaemun-gu
Seodaemun-gu is a gu located in northwestern Seoul, South Korea. The name derives from Seodaemun, meaning literally "Great West Gate", which was once located in the district...
district, named after the old gate.
In the early part of the 20th century, the city walls that surrounded Seoul were demolished, ostensibly "to make the traffic system more efficient." A visit to Seoul by the Crown Prince
Imperial House of Japan
The , also referred to as the Imperial Family or the Yamato Dynasty, comprises those members of the extended family of the reigning Emperor of Japan who undertake official and public duties. Under the present Constitution of Japan, the emperor is the symbol of the state and unity of the people...
of Japan prompted the demolition of the walls around Namdaemun, as the prince was deemed to be too exalted to pass through the gateway.
The gate was closed to the public in 1907 after the Japanese colonial authorities
Governor-General of Korea
The post of Japanese Governor-General of Korea served as the chief administrator of the Japanese government in Korea while it was held as the Japanese colony of Chōsen from 1910 to 1945...
constructed an electric tramway nearby. Namdaemun was extensively damaged during the Korean War
Korean War
The Korean War was a conventional war between South Korea, supported by the United Nations, and North Korea, supported by the People's Republic of China , with military material aid from the Soviet Union...
and was given its last major repair in 1961, with a completion ceremony held on May 14, 1963. It was given the status of "National Treasure No.1" on December 20, 1962.
The Gate was renovated again in 2005 with the building of a lawn around the gate, before being opened once again to the public with much fanfare on March 3, 2006. During the restoration, 182 pages of blueprints for the gate were made as a contingency against any emergencies which may damage the structure. Three years later, such an emergency arose.
Fire
At approximately 8:50 p.m. on February 10, 2008, a fire broke out and severely damaged the wooden structure at the top of the Namdaemun gate. The fire roared out of control again after midnight and finally destroyed the structure, despite the efforts of more than 360 firefighters. Many witnesses reported seeing a suspicious man shortly before the fire, and two disposable lighters were found where the fire was believed to have started. A 69-year-old man identified as Chae Jong-gi was arrested on suspicion of arsonArson
Arson is the crime of intentionally or maliciously setting fire to structures or wildland areas. It may be distinguished from other causes such as spontaneous combustion and natural wildfires...
and then later confessed to the crime. A police captain reported that Chae sprayed paint thinner on the floor of the structure and then set fire to it. Police say that Chae was upset about not being paid in full for land he had sold to developers. The same man had been charged with setting a fire at Changgyeong Palace
Changgyeonggung
Changgyeong Palace is a palace located in Seoul, South Korea. Originally the Summer Palace of the Goryeo Emperor, it later became one of the Five Grand Palaces of the Joseon Dynasty....
in Seoul in 2006.
Restoration
The Cultural Heritage AdministrationCultural Heritage Administration
The Cultural Heritage Administration or CHA, formerly the Cultural Properties Administration, is an agency of the South Korean government charged with preserving key aspects of the Korean cultural heritage. It is headquartered in the city of Daejeon at the Daejeon Government Complex...
of South Korea said that it would undertake a three-year project that would cost an estimated ₩
South Korean won
The won is the currency of South Korea. A single won is divided into 100 jeon, the monetary subunit. The jeon is no longer used for everyday transactions, and appears only in foreign exchange rates...
20 billion (approximately $14 million) to rebuild and restore the historic gate. President Lee Myung-bak
Lee Myung-bak
Lee Myung-bak is the President of South Korea. Prior to his presidency, he was the CEO of Hyundai Engineering and Construction and the mayor of Seoul. He is married to Kim Yoon-ok and has three daughters and one son. His older brother is Lee Sang-deuk, a South Korean politician. He attends the...
proposed starting a private donation campaign to finance the restoration of the structure.
See also
- Heunginjimun - the Great East Gate.
- Kinkaku-jiKinkaku-ji, also known as , is a Zen Buddhist temple in Kyoto, Japan. The garden complex is an excellent example of Muromachi period garden design. It is designated as a National Special Historic Site and a National Special Landscape, and it is one of 17 locations comprising the Historic Monuments of Ancient...
- The Japanese templeTempleA temple is a structure reserved for religious or spiritual activities, such as prayer and sacrifice, or analogous rites. A templum constituted a sacred precinct as defined by a priest, or augur. It has the same root as the word "template," a plan in preparation of the building that was marked out...
was damaged by a monk's arson attack in 1950 and reconstructed in 1956. Rokuon-ji is its formal name. - ArsonArsonArson is the crime of intentionally or maliciously setting fire to structures or wildland areas. It may be distinguished from other causes such as spontaneous combustion and natural wildfires...