The Golden Majesty of Gyeongbokgung Seonwonjeon Signboard, Circumstances of Removal Remain Unclear

Presumed to Have Hung in Seonwonjeon Rebuilt in 1868
Japanese Owner Claims "Terauchi Dismantled and Moved It to His Hometown"
Overseas Korean Cultural Heritage Foundation States "No Records to Verify the Claim"

The signboard that once hung in the most sacred space of Gyeongbokgung Palace has returned from Japan. Although faded and scratched, it still displayed its golden grandeur.

Gyeongbokgung Seonwonjeon Signboard

On the 27th, the Cultural Heritage Administration and the Overseas Korean Cultural Heritage Foundation unveiled the actual signboard presumed to have hung in Seonwonjeon (璿源殿) of Gyeongbokgung Palace at the National Palace Museum in Jongno-gu, Seoul. A signboard refers to a framed piece on which paintings or calligraphy are done on paper, silk, or wooden boards. It was made according to the scale and formality of the building and hung inside rooms or above doors.

The signboard revealed this time is believed to have been in Seonwonjeon, the most sacred hall in the Joseon Dynasty palace. This building enshrined the royal portraits (Eojin, 御眞) of past kings. The king himself conducted rituals such as incense offering and worship there. The Joseon royal family had Seonwonjeon halls in Gyeongbokgung, Changdeokgung, and Gyeongungung (Deoksugung). When the king moved his residence, he took the royal portraits along and respectfully enshrined them. A Cultural Heritage Administration official stated, "Considering circumstances and records related to the construction and destruction of Seonwonjeon halls in each palace, it appears to be the signboard that hung in the Seonwonjeon of Gyeongbokgung Palace rebuilt in 1868."

The signboard is large, measuring 312 cm in width and 140 cm in height. The characters 'Seonwon (璿源)', meaning 'source of jade,' are engraved in gold on a black background. The extended border poles are carved with cloud patterns, and treasure motifs such as fans and wrapping cloths are painted to enhance formality and hierarchy. Seojun, a former cultural heritage expert at the Cultural Heritage Administration, introduced, "Among the approximately 780 signboards and plaques held by the National Palace Museum, this is the third largest in terms of width."

Gyeongbokgung Seonwonjeon Gyeonandang

The signboard was able to return after many twists and turns. At the end of 2023, the Cultural Heritage Administration and the Overseas Korean Cultural Heritage Foundation confirmed that an artifact described as '19th-century Gyeongbokgung Seonwonjeon signboard' appeared at an auction in Japan and requested a halt to the transaction. Together with the game company Riot Games, they conveyed to the owner the justification for the Seonwonjeon signboard to return to Korea and engaged in negotiations.

The exact circumstances of the signboard's export have not been identified. The owner mentioned a connection to Terauchi Masatake (1852?1919), the first Governor-General of Joseon. According to information disclosed by the auction house, it is claimed that "after Terauchi completed his term as Governor-General and returned to Japan, he dismantled Seonwonjeon of Gyeongbokgung Palace and relocated it to his hometown." Regarding the signboard, it was explained that "the building was destroyed by a typhoon in 1942, and someone involved in dismantling the collapsed building discovered and kept the signboard." Specific information about the owner has not been disclosed.

Gyeongbokgung Seonwonjeon Signboard

In response, Kang Hye-seung, Deputy Director of the Overseas Korean Cultural Heritage Foundation, stated, "We have not found any records to verify the information the owner provided to the auction house." He added, "After reviewing various materials, it is clear that Seonwonjeon of Gyeongbokgung Palace was used to build Bakmunsa Temple. Although there are some claims that Seonwonjeon was relocated, nothing has been confirmed so far."

According to the 'Signboards of the Joseon Royal Family I' published by the National Palace Museum, Seonwonjeon of Gyeongbokgung Palace was left vacant after King Gojong moved his residence to Gyeongungung in 1897. Subsequently, Seonwonjeon and its auxiliary buildings were dismantled and used in 1932 to build Bakmunsa Temple in Jangchung-dong, Seoul. Bakmunsa was a temple established to commemorate Ito Hirobumi (1841?1909).

Baek Hyun-min, an official at the Cultural Heritage Administration, said, "At present, it is unclear when and how the signboard was taken out of the country. We plan to conduct investigations and research in connection with the future restoration plans for Seonwonjeon." The Cultural Heritage Administration plans to begin restoring the Seonwonjeon area starting in 2030, coinciding with the relocation of the National Folk Museum to Sejong. The current site of the National Folk Museum is within the Seonwonjeon precinct of Gyeongbokgung Palace.

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