• Korean Journal of Heritage: History & Science
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• v.51 no.4
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• pp.192-207
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• 2018

The Hyangwonjeong and Chwihyanggyo located in the back garden of Gyeongbokgung Palace have mainly been investigated by referring to historical records about the reign of King Gojong and various drawings thought to have been made in the late Joseon period. Because the current Chwihyanggyo was rebuilt temporarily after being burned to the ground during the Korean War, its form and the location of its reconstruction are not grounded on any accurate historical investigation. Although there are some photos of the Chwihyanggyo that were taken between the end of the Joseon period and the Japanese colonial era, there is no information about the photographer or when they were taken, and it is hard to see which photos show the original Chwihyanggyo Bridge with them. The Cultural Heritage Administration, which is currently promoting the restoration of the Chwihyanggyo, has recognized this problem and initiated research on the matter. In 2017, an excavation survey successfully identified the original location of the Chwihyanggyo, as well as that of Hyangwonji Gado (假島), and the shape of the first foundation stone in the pier. With these findings it was possible to infer the ways in which the Chwihyanggyo has changed over the years. Moreover, by measuring the AMS (Accelerator Mass Spectrometer) of the samples collected in the mounding layer of the Gado where the Hyangwonjeong is located, it was discovered that the Hyangwonjeong was constructed sometime after the Imjin waeran (Japanese Invasion of Korea in 1592), which means that the theory that 'the late Joseon Hyangwonjeong was not the former early Josenn Chwirojeong' is groundless. Judging by the materials found to date, we can reasonably assume that the Chwihyanggyo and Hyangwonjeong must have been built around the same time that Geoncheonggung Palace was founded in the late Joseon period.