Yeongeunmun Gate

Infobox Korean name
hangul=영은문
hanja=linktext|迎|恩|門
rr=Yeongeunmun
mr=Yŏngŭnmun

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The Yeongeunum (literally "welcoming gate for charity") was a historical gate located in present Hyeonjeo-dong, Seodaemun-gu, in the northwestern part of Seoul, South Korea. It was built in front of Mohwagwan (hangul: 모화관, hanja: linktext|慕|華|館) during the Joseon Dynasty where envoys dispatched from Ming and Qing China were received as diplomatic guests. In 1896, the gate was demolished along with Mohwagwan one year after the First Sino-Japanese War ended, which was a war between China and Japan primarily for the control over Korea. The Korean independence activist Seo Jae-pil (known as Philip Jaisohn) built the Independence Gate on the site with the desire towards inspiring the spirit of independence in Korea. [cite web|url=http://100.empas.com/dicsearch/pentry.html?s=K&i=242779&v=46 |title=영은문 (迎恩門)|publisher=Empas / EncyKorea |accessdate=2008-07-28|language=Korean] [cite web|url=http://100.empas.com/dicsearch/pentry.html?i=239090 |title=모화관 (慕華館)|publisher=Empas / EncyKorea |accessdate=2008-07-28|language=Korean]

History

The Yeongeunmun Gate was located just outside the West Gate (敦義門) of the walled capital city of Seoul. It was situated on the road from Seoul to Beijing, adjacent to the Mohwagwan, whose name literally meant "hall of longing for China." Its nearest post station was the Hongjewon (홍제원, 弘濟院).

emperor. [Jungjong Sillok 中宗實錄: the dingwei (10th) day of the 4th month, Jungjong 34 ] This ritual ceased in 1634. [ [http://sillok.history.go.kr/viewer/viewtype1.jsp?id=kpa_11206014_001&grp=&aid=&sid=7749237&pos=1 Injo Sillok 仁祖實錄 仁祖 29卷, 12年(1634 甲戌 / 명 숭정(崇禎) 7年) 6月 14日(戊辰) 예조가 아뢰기를 "그러나 이것은 외국에서 응당 행하여야 할 예는 아닙니다." 하니, 왕이 이를 따랐다.] ko ]

The Mohwagwan was first built in 1407 as "Mohwaru" (慕華楼) [Taejong Sillok 太宗實錄: the guimao (22nd) day of the 8th month, Taejong 34] and then renovated in 1430. [Sejong Sillok 世宗實錄: the yiyou (15th) day of the 12nd month, Sejong 12] It was located adjacent to the Mohwagwan, a gate with rosewood pillars was built on the road.

In 1537 the gate was rebuilt in accordance with Ming Dynasty customs. Being roofed with blue tiles and had "Yeongjomun" (literally gate of welcoming imperial decrees) written on the front tables. [Jungjong Sillok 中宗實錄: the renwu (2nd) day of the 1st month, Jungjong 32 ] In 1539 it was renamed to "Yeongeunmun" because the name of "Yeongjomun" was accused by the Ming Dynasty ambassador Xue Tingchong (薛廷寵). He claimed that since the imperial envoys carried imperial orders (勅), imperial decrees (詔), and imperial gifts, it was inappropriate to mention only imperial decree. [Ŏ Sook-kwon 魚叔權: "Folkloristic Notes" (P'ae-kwan Chap-ki 稗官雜記), Im Dong-kwun et al ed. Joseon Folklore Texts in Chinese Characters, pp. 98-99, Taipei, 1971.] The tablet was written by Zhu Zhifan (朱之蕃), who came to Joseon as an ambassador in 1606.

As a result of the Treaty of Shimonoseki (1895), China recognized the "full and complete independence and autonomy" of Joseon. In the next year Yeongeunmun was demolished leaving it's two stone pillars. In front of the remnant, the Independence Gate was built by Philip Jaisohn.

Footnotes

References

* Keijō-fu 京城府: "Keijō-fu shi" 京城府史, Vol. 1, pp. 375-376, 1934.

ee also

*First Sino-Japanese War
*Joseon Dynasty
*Samjeondo Monument