This study is on the reconstruction of KyeongBok-Gung palace from the viewpoint of the architectural history. KyeongBok-Gung palace was built in the year of 1395 for the first time and had been demolished by Japanese attack at the end of 16th century. For near 200 years, KyeongBok-Gung was the primal palace of Joseon dynasty and also regarded so even after demolition. In the period of King Kojong, it could be reconstructed at length. Ostensibly the reconstruction of this palace might be the attempt to revive the prestige of the early period of the dynasty but it was impossible to restore because of the long gap of more than 270 years. So we have to understand that the reconstruction was not restoring but new construction in the situation of the 19th century.
This paper is the research of the architectural transition of KyeongBok-Gung palace basically on above kind of standpoint. First of all, I want to understand the feature of the reconstruction by analysis on the discussion for the reconstruction and condition of the remained site. Secondly, I checked out the common and different points between the original and reconstructed architectures; it shows the change of cognition of Joseon government on the palatial space. And with 'Buk-Gwul-Do-Hyeong' the drawing of the plan made at the early years of 20th century and other documental records of KyeongBok-Gung palace, I analyzed the architectural features of the reconstructed palace and understood the phase of palatial constructing since the period of King Sunjo.
The root of reconstructed KyeongBok-Gung palace is clearly the original palace of the early period of the dynasty. We cannot deny that fact because of the term 'reconstruction' itself, sustained names of main buildings, the continuous layout with central axis, the rank of 'primal palace' and so on. On the other hand, it might be a new palace. It is because the whole sequence from planning to construction was finished in short time and moreover it was the case of the last stage of the dynasty, so there could be reflected the cumulative demand for improvement proposed during long time. This kind of feature could be revealed on the characteristics of each zone and the architectural plan types of pavilions.
As the result, reconstructed KyeongBok-Gung palace has the independence of each zone and architectural pattern of pavilions that could not be found in other palaces before. The separation of King's and Queen's residences, the completion of Prince's zone and the advent of isolated space for funeral rites such as lying-in-state room are the solutions to problems of past time palaces and the symmetric-room-type plan was the wide used pattern for the reconstruction during 19th century based on the ritual ceremonies.
In short, the reconstruction of KyeongBok-Gung palace could not be understood only as restoring, but we have to comprehend it as the object showing the whole history of palatial architecture of Joseon dynasty.