Hyeeumwon Inn Site, Paju

Volume 64 of the Dongmunseon, an anthology of Korean literature, contains a record entitled 'Hyeeumsa Sinchanggi' ('Record of the Founding of Hyeeumsa'), which describes the background to and process of the founding of Hyeeumwon, the parties responsible for its founding and operation, and its relationship with the royal house. According to this record, Hyeeumwon was a state-run inn built in the 17th year of King Yejong of Goryeo (1122) for the safety and convenience of officials and commoners travelling between Namgyeong (present-day Seoul) and Gaeseong, and a separate lodge is also said to have been built in preparation for royal visits. The site's location had long been inferred from the name Hyeeumnyeong, a pass that served as an important route in the Goryeo and Joseon periods, and its present location was confirmed following a report from a local resident in 1999, when a survey recovered a roof-end tile inscribed with the characters 惠蔭院; excavation then continued until 2004. The overall precinct is thought to have comprised the inn itself, a temporary royal residence and a temple site. Excavation to date has revealed, across a sloped area of about 104 m east–west and 106 m north–south divided into nine terraces, the remains of 27 buildings along with a pond, drainage channels and other features, together with numerous artefacts including a gilt-bronze Buddha statue, roof tiles, porcelain and earthenware. Through its documentary record, remains and artefacts, the Hyeeumwon Inn Site not only shows the structure, form and operation of a Goryeo-period wayside inn but also conveys the lifestyles of the royal family, aristocracy and commoners across each level of society, making it precious material for the study of early Goryeo architecture and history.

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Where it is

Region

Paju, Gyeonggi

Designation

Historic Site · 사적