Geunjeongjeon Hall is the main hall of Gyeongbokgung Palace. It is also known as the Throne Hall. It was exclusively for the king and his officials to use for conducting state affairs, holding national ceremonies, and receiving foreign envoys. King Taejo ordered Jeong Dojeon, the high-ranking official, to name the hall. He then named the hall with the term “geunjeong”, in which “geun” refers to diligence and “jeong” refers to politics. The name literally indicates diligent politics, which includes the broad meaning of saving and caring for people by engaging in politics diligently. It is believed that the more the rulers are diligent, the better they rule over the nation.

The hall was built in 1394 under the reign of King Taejo and burnt down during the Japanese invasion in 1592. After a long time, it was rebuilt in 1867 under the reign of Emperor Gojong.

Different from the outer appearance, we can see the hall has only one story inside. Looking up to the ceiling, it is painted with two dragons and colored with complicated patterns. Other furniture and pillars are painted red and gold. All the decorative designs have fully reflected the dignity of the hall. In the center of the hall, there is “Eojwa”, the royal seat of the king. Regarding the dragon as a symbol of the king in the Joseon Dynasty, the royal seat was called “yongsang”, the dragon’s seat. Behind the chair, there is a panel that has a secret door for the king to enter and leave.

Also, Irworobongdo, the colorful folding screen behind the panel, represents the royal authority and is also a prayer for a peaceful reign. If we look into details, the painting on the board was painted with five peaks: a sun, a moon, pine trees, and water. It has presented the content of a poem that praises the virtues of the king and prays for the blessings of the king from heaven and the ancestors. Furthermore, the floor is covered with square stones. Officials are allowed to sit on the mats to attend the morning assembly.