Hanyangdoseong Museum Exhibits History of 'Hanyangdoseong Construction' Recorded on Castle Stones

Ongoing at Hanyangdoseong Museum Special Exhibition Hall Until September 12

[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Cheol-young] The Seoul Museum of History will hold the Hanyangdoseong Museum's first half-year special exhibition, "Gakjaseongseok, Records of Fortress Construction Carved in Stone," from the 13th to September 12th at the Hanyangdoseong Museum's special exhibition hall.

Since 2017, the Hanyangdoseong Museum has been hosting a special exhibition series introducing the results of investigations and research related to Hanyangdoseong titled "Hanyangdoseong Seen Through Historical Records." The upcoming exhibition, "Gakjaseongseok, Records of Fortress Construction Carved in Stone," is the fifth installment in this series and offers an opportunity to explore the history of the construction and management of the Joseon Dynasty fortress through examples of Gakjaseongseok (刻字城石) scattered across various sections of Hanyangdoseong.

The exhibition is divided into two parts: "Characters Carved in Stone" and "Records of Fortress Construction." The "Characters Carved in Stone" section introduces the characteristics and distribution status of Gakjaseongseok found in Hanyangdoseong. Gakjaseongseok refers to stones with symbols or characters carved into a part of the stone, detailing matters related to fortress wall construction. These stones are evenly distributed throughout all sections of Hanyangdoseong and exhibit different features depending on the era, allowing inferences about the construction period and the characteristics of construction techniques for each period through the inscriptions on the fortress walls.

The "Records of Fortress Construction" section examines the changes in the construction and management of Hanyangdoseong revealed through Gakjaseongseok, as well as traces of the people who participated in the fortress construction at that time. The Gakjaseongseok of Hanyangdoseong preserve the changes in construction organizations over time, and the names of supervisors and stonemasons involved in the construction are engraved on the stones. By comparing the names left on the stones with historical records, it is possible to trace the footsteps of those who participated in the construction.

This exhibition will be held at the Hanyangdoseong Museum's special exhibition hall. Admission is free, and in accordance with COVID-19 prevention guidelines in the Seoul metropolitan area, the exhibition will operate on a reservation-only basis until further notice. Viewing hours are from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. with three sessions per day; each session allows 40 reservations and up to 20 on-site admissions, and only individual visits are permitted. The museum is closed every Monday except on public holidays.

Reservations can be made through the Seoul Metropolitan Government Public Service Reservation system. Detailed information about the exhibition is available on the Seoul Museum of History website or the Hanyangdoseong Museum website.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.