Gyeongbokgung, the original palace of Joseon Dynasty, was constructed by King Taejo, Joseon founder Yi Sung-gye, in his 3rd year of

enthronement after the foundation of Joseon in 1392 and settlement of it capital. The name Gyeongbokgung was chosen by Jung Do-Jun,

Joseon's major government figure, who borrowed a phrase from the Book of Odes, meaning 'wishing a ten thousand-year blessing for the king.'

Hyangwonjeong, located in the artificial island placed in a large pond behind Gyeongbokgung, is a place for meditation and leisure. It is a

two-story hexagon pavilion and its two floors are supported by a single pillar. In between the pillars stands 4-section door that is connected

to four partitions and can be lifted up and latched.

The roof is a six-corner hipped roof and they placed special tiles of pot-shape with multiple joints on the rooftop's summit, which is called

Jeolbyung-tong. This can be seen in the firefighting water system station in Hwa Fortress of Suwon and Wontongbo-jun in Bupju Temple. This

method is often used for most of the hipped roofs. Today's Hyangwonjeong was built anew by the king's father Heungsun in 1867, the 4th

year of King Kojong.